Benedict XVI visits his sick
brother in Germany
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| Benedict XVI with his brother, Fr Georg Ratzinger |
Pope emeritus Benedict XVI, traveled to Regensburg today to
be alongside his brother Georg, accompanied by Archbishop Gänswein, the vice
commander of the Vatican Gendarmerie, and a small group of health care
professionals and collaborators.
UPDATED
By Alessandro de Carolis
Pope emeritus Benedict left the quiet of the Mater Ecclesiae
monastery in the Vatican for a visit to Germany to be close to his brother,
Georg. He is 96 and in poor health. The emeritus pontiff traveled Thursday
morning accompanied by his personal secretary Archbishop Georg Gänswein; his
doctor and his nurse; a collaborator from the Memores Domini community; and the
vice commander of the Vatican Gendarmerie.
A statement from the Diocese of Regensburg indicated that
Benedict arrived in Munich at 11:45. He was greeted by Bishop Rudolf
Voderholzer, who accompanied him to Regensberg, where he will reside at the
diocesan seminary. The statement from the diocese asked the faithful to respect
the wishes of the two brothers, who requested that the "deeply personal
meeting remain private." Hence no public appearances are
anticipated.
According to Matteo Bruni, the Director of the Holy See
Press Office, Benedict will remain in Germany for “as long as necessary."
Always very close, the two Ratzinger brothers, born three
years apart, were ordained priests on the same day, 29 June 1951, in the
Cathedral of Freising. The circumstances of life have taken them in different
directions: Georg, a brilliant musician, and Joseph a noted theologian. Their
mutual bond has always remained firm, however, as evidenced by the numerous
visits Fr Georg Ratzinger has made to the Vatican between 2005 and 2013, during
the years of his brother's pontificate, and even after his resignation.
When, in 2008, the city of Castel Gandolfo offered honorary
citizenship to his brother, Benedict XVI expressed himself with these words:
"From the beginning of my life my brother has always been for me not only
a companion, but also a trustworthy guide. For me he has been a point of
orientation and of reference with the clarity and determination of his
decisions." The Pope’s remarks showed his great affection for his brother,
when experiencing happier circumstances, made all the more poignant in this moment.
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