According to his personal secretary, Archbishop Georg Gí¤nswein, Benedict XVI will remain in Rome during the hottest months of July and August, and is always in contact with Pope Francis.
MSGR. GEORG Gí?NSWEIN
Benedict XVI's Secretary
'Pope Benedict sees in Pope Francis a man of his time, a true witness to the Lord, one who succeeds in building up the faith of people with courage, even at times with methods which can be considered less than traditional. Nevertheless, this is his style - and everyone has his own - this is the style of Pope Francis, which is much appreciated by Pope Benedict.â?
Georg Gí¤nswein is one of the few people who resides in the Vatican monastery with Benedict XVI. He maintains a daily routine which consists of prayer, studying and short walks.
MSGR. GEORG Gí?NSWEIN
Secretary of Benedict XVI
'He is praying, and he is preparing himself for death, as he has clearly stated on many occasions. He lives in peace with himself, and above all, with the Lord. He is serene, and has not lost his sense of humor. Each day is a gift for him. He keeps up a lot of correspondence, reads, studies, and also takes his famous stroll each day at 7:00 p.m. to the Grotto of Lourdes, at 7:30 p.m. he has dinner, and at 8:00 p.m. he watches the evening news before finishing his evening in peace.â?
Benedict XVI's secretary says that the pope emeritus very much liked the book, 'Images of a Life,â? which was presented in the Italian Parliament.
LUCA CARUSO
Author, 'Benedict XVI, Images of a Lifeâ?
'On the cover of the book there is a photo of him as a young cleric, and when he saw it, he exclaimed, 'how much time has gone by!' For him it has been a way to relive some of the moments of his life.â?
Although the authors had to select images from thousands of photographs, 'Images of a Lifeâ? is not a photo album, but rather, a translation of a profound text into images. Luca Caruso says that these portraits help define who Joseph Ratzinger is.
LUCA CARUSO
Author, 'Benedict XVI, Images of a Lifeâ?
'The portraits which are focused on his eyes, which have such an intense expression, on his manner of looking which has been stained by melancholy, which has known fatigue, and which has known the sorrows of this earthly existence, while at the same time going beyond all of this to foretaste and glimpse the full light of Easter, and the brilliance of the resurrection.â?
The book presentation was attended by Fr. Federico Lombardi. He served as the Spokesman for Benedict XVI and is one of his principal collaborators. Now he is the President of the Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation.
FR. FEDERICO LOMBARDI
President, Benedict XVI/Ratzinger Foundation
'I noted in my preface to the book that above all, his manner of looking have the limpid and deep eyes of a searcher of the truth, of a person with whom one enters always into a sincere dialogue. He maintains this look from his youth until today. In this sense, the images help us encounter some profound aspects of his person.â?
The book is an exciting volume which seeks to go deeper into the message of Benedict XVI, who upon his election as bishop chose the motto, 'Co-Worker of the Truth.â?
JMRSW
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