The peak into the book, “Nient’altro che la verità. La mia vita al fianco di Benedetto XVI” (Nothing but the truth. My life with Benedict XVI) by Mons. Ganswein
Newsroom (26/01/2023 05:21 PM , Gaudium Press) The most anticipated book in the Catholic world is undoubtedly that of Msgr. Georg Ganswein, Nothing but the truth – My life at Benedict XVI’s side, which, for now, is only available in Italian, and is the best-selling book on Amazon.it in the area of Christian institutions. We will therefore offer readers some excerpts that have not been so focused on by the media, and without the pretension that they constitute a spoiler for countless potential readers.
For example:
Msgr. Ganswein insists, and gives numerous proofs, that the idea of being Pope never crossed Benedict’s mind, and that he even fought against the possibility.
In fact, Benedict wanted, after some time and repeatedly, to resign from the prominent post of Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which he held for many years.
When Msgr. Ganswein became Cardinal Ratzinger’s secretary, and thus began working for him in that Congregation, in 2003 – two years before Benedict became Pope – Ratzinger warned him that his position would be provisional, because he was thinking of resigning. At that time, Ratzinger had already been prefect of the dicastery for 21 years and had already turned 75 canonical years, which is why he presented his resignation to St. John Paul II. And prefect Ratzinger was sure that Pope Wojtyla’s letter of leave would arrive soon, although Msgr. Ganswein assures that no one around him really believed that would happen; but the cardinal did.
Ganswein even joked with the future Benedict XVI about this, telling him that they should review the speed of the Vatican correspondence. The truth is that Benedict was dreaming about his theology, his studies, his books, and commenting in particular on the delay of the response to his request for resignation. Msgr. Ganswein related that in 1997 Ratzinger devised an innocent plan to let John Paul II know that his wish was to hold the post of Archivist and Librarian of the Holy Roman Church. But he, who had already been Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith since 1981, would carry his cross there until 2005.
Msgr. Ganswein relates that in 2004 the Vaticanist De Carli made an innocent joke, saying that he had already participated in two conclaves and to prepare for the third, to which Ratzinger replied, “Yes, I am still alive.”
Monsignor Ganswein says that Benedict not only did not imagine that he would someday be Pope, but also carried out what he calls “a reverse election campaign.”
When Wojtyla’s health worsened in early 2005, Ratzinger “was projected into the foreground” by his prominent role in significant public events: he presided at the funerals of Bishop Luigi Giussani, founder of Communion and Liberation, and his friend; John Paul II asked him to write the texts that would be read at the Way of the Cross at the Roman Coliseum on March 25, 2005, texts that many felt were a perfect X-ray of the Church, and which also included what Ratzinger called the “dirt” that was not missing from Peter’s Boat. Moreover, he was not only the prefect of the main dicastery, but the Dean of the College of Cardinals.
The death of John Paul II was approaching, whose state of health Ratzinger knew perfectly well from his position as Dean. He was scheduled to receive the St. Benedict Award “for the promotion of life and the family in Europe (the award with the auspicious name of ‘Benedicto’…) in Subiaco on April 1, but he didn’t want to attend in order to accompany the Polish pope’s last hours; but he followed the advice of the Cardinal Secretary of State, Monsignor Sodano, in order not to arouse suspicion. The speech he gave there – on the situation of Christianity and religion in a secular Europe, and on a clash of cultures that was not between religions, but between religion and the desire to be emancipated from it – was masterly.
The next day, John Paul II dies, on April 2nd, and the Cardinal Dean has to fulfill his duties as such: to officially communicate the Pope’s death to the cardinals, calling them to the General Congregations of the College of Cardinals before the conclave, and to invite the Heads of State of the nations accredited to the Holy See to the funeral of the late Pope.
Then comes the Dean’s magnificent homily at John Paul II’s funeral on April 8, the “Follow me” one, interrupted at every moment by the applause of those present, a proclamation that concluded with a “lyrical breath,” unusual for Ratzinger, but which corresponded to his emotion of gratitude and that of all present toward Wojtyla. Everyone commented on Ratzinger’s homily.
Not even he could imagine
However, confesses Msgr. Ganswein, in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith “we did not attribute to him” significant possibilities to succeed John Paul II, among other reasons, because, in the vote, hostility was presumed from those who “never appreciated” his coherence and firmness. In fact, Msgr. Ganswein refers to communications from the American embassy in Rome, leaked by Vatileaks, which informed his government that the cardinal prefect of the faith had no chance of achieving the two-thirds vote needed to be pope because of opposition from factions that “considered him too rigid.”
In the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith they didn’t even see him as a king maker, because he was reluctant to participate in these curial consortia.
Ratzinger was already making post-conclave plans: to the Bishop of Chieti Vasto who had given him a book and invited him to visit the Shrine of the Holy Face in Manoppello, Ratzinger told him that of course he would do so after the conclave. On turning 78, on April 16, 2005, Ratzinger told the staff of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that he was looking forward to the day of his retirement.
However, the day of the conclave arrived, April 18, and the Cardinal Dean, in accordance with the constitution of the Universi Dominici Gregis, had the power to choose an ecclesiastic to assist him in his office: the chosen one was Ganswein, who was able to live those days with the cardinal electors in the house of Santa Marta, although the collaborators, masters of ceremonies, confessors, and doctors partook of the meals at a table separate from that of the cardinals.
At the Mass pro eligendo Pontifice, whose homily was also given by Ratzinger to begin the conclave, he once again expressed his firm convictions, with an anti-relativism note, which in Ganswein’s opinion, would have the effect of ratifying the purpose of those who did not want Ratzinger as Pope and would cause a significant number of his confreres to avoid his election.
But in the end, the effect seems to have been the opposite.
As early as the afternoon of the 19th, Ganswein relates that he saw him thoughtful, “very thoughtful,” as he accompanied him on foot to the Sistine Chapel at his request.
Shortly afterwards he would be elected Pope, at the fourth session. Ganswein could only say, as he greeted the now Pope Benedict, that “you can count on me in life and in death,” to which Benedict responded with a thank you. (SCM)
