Former Pope Benedict in serious condition
2022.12.30 12:19
Former Pope Benedict in serious condition
Budrigannews.com – Pope Francis said on Wednesday that the former pope Benedict, a hero to conservative Catholics and the first pontiff in 600 years to step down, is “very sick.” He asked members of the Church to pray for him.
Following Francis’ announcement, the Vatican issued a statement stating that Benedict had experienced a sudden “worsening” of his health. Following this, bishops from Europe, the United States, and elsewhere urged the faithful to keep Benedict in their thoughts.
In his surprise announcement on Wednesday, Francis said, “I would like to ask all of you for a special prayer for Pope Emeritus Benedict, who, in silence, is sustaining the Church.” This was made at the conclusion of his weekly general audience.
“Let us keep him in mind. In Italian, Francis stated, “He is very sick, asking the Lord to console and sustain him in this witness of love for the Church, until the end.”
According to the Vatican statement, Benedict was getting regular medical care and that his condition was under control.
After making the announcement, Francis paid Benedict a visit and frequently praised him, describing it as being like having a grandfather at home. However, there have been times when the presence of two white men in the Vatican has been problematic.
The former pope has served as a model for conservatives, and some ultra-traditionalists have even refused to recognize Francis as a legitimate pontiff.
They have condemned Francis for his really inviting way to deal with individuals from the LGBTQ+ people group and to Catholics who separated and remarried external the Congregation, saying both were subverting customary qualities.
On social media, Catholic Church leaders from Germany, Britain, the United States, and other countries urged the faithful to pray for Benedict, who served as pope for nearly eight years before retiring.
“This morning I heard that Rome is very worried about the health of the Pope Emeritus. Therefore, we particularly wish to include him in our prayers,” the Archbishop of Munich, German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, told churchgoers.
“In this moment of suffering and trial,” the head of Italy’s bishops conference, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, urged Italians to keep Benedict in their thoughts.
People who had seen Benedict up until a few weeks ago said that while his body was very weak, his mind was still sharp.
According to reports in Italian media, he had respiratory issues over the Christmas holiday.
His condition was not described in detail by the Vatican. There was no prompt reaction to a solicitation for input from Benedict’s confidential secretary.
One of the most recent known photos of Benedict was taken on Dec. 1, when he met the champs of an award for scholars named after him. He was seated and appeared very weak.
Benedict has been living with his secretary, Archbishop Georg Ganswein, and a few other aides and medical personnel in a former convent in the Vatican Gardens ever since he resigned.
On February 11, 2013, Benedict shocked a meeting of cardinals by announcing his intention to resign. He claimed that he no longer possessed the mental and physical stamina to lead the Church.
On February 28 of that year, he formally resigned and temporarily relocated to the papal summer residence south of Rome while cardinals from around the world came to Rome to select his replacement.
On March 13, 2013, Francis, the first pope from Latin America, was chosen to succeed him.
On April 19, 2005, Benedict, the first German pope in 1,000 years, was chosen to succeed the popular Pope John Paul II, who had ruled for 27 years.
Benedict was chosen by the cardinals, who were looking for continuity and what one called “a safe pair of hands.”
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He was the powerful head of the Vatican’s doctrinal office, then known as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), for nearly 25 years as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.
