Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Did Benedict XVI Really Deny Co-Authoring a New Book in Defense of Priestly Celibacy?


By David Martin

The news broke Monday concerning a new book co-authored by Cardinal Robert and Benedict XVI, titled From the Depths of Our Hearts: Priesthood, Celibacy, and the Crisis of the Catholic Church, in which the former pontiff staunchly defends priestly celibacy.

Among other things, Benedict says in the book that the renunciation of all things is a criterion for entering the priesthood, pointing out that from the first century "men could only receive the sacrament of Holy Orders if they had committed themselves to sexual abstinence."

It was reported Tuesday that Benedict XVI has requested of Ignatius Press, the English publisher of the book, that he be removed as co-author. In comments to the Italian news agency ANSA, Benedict XVI’s confidant and personal secretary, Archbishop Georg Gänswein, said he has "acted on instructions from the pope emeritus and asked Cardinal Robert Sarah to contact the book’s publisher and request that they remove Benedict XVI’s name as co-author of the book, and remove his signature from the introduction and conclusion."

Whether this request comes from Benedict XVI or Ganswein was pressured into saying this remains to be seen, but there is no question that the liberal Vatican bureaucracy is behind this move to remove Benedict as co-author. According to Bishop Athanasius Schneider, Cardinal Sarah’s intervention in getting this book published “has provoked, so to speak, the anger of hell.”

Critics of the book say it "opposes” Pope Francis by raising "specter of a parallel magisterium" when in fact the book upholds the true Magisterium against Francis' counter-magisterium.

What is certain is that Benedict XVI previously approved the book. Cardinal Sarah, who heads  the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship, issued a statement Tuesday confirming Benedict's foreknowledge and approval of the book. Therein he states: "After various exchanges in view of the development of the book, on November 19, I finally sent a manuscript, the cover, a common introduction and conclusion, the text of Benedict XVI and my own text."

The cardinal adds: "On November 25, the Pope Emeritus expressed his great satisfaction with the texts written in common, and he added the following: ‘For my part, I agree that the text should be published in the form you have foreseen.’”

This sharply contradicts Archbishop Ganswein's statement to ANSA, in which he says that Benedict "did not approve a project for a co-authored book, and that he had not seen or authorized the cover."

Ignatius Press has stood by the co-authorship and cover. In a statement released Tuesday, Mark Brumley, President of Ignatius Press, said: "Ignatius Press published the text as we received it from the French publisher Fayard. Fayard is the publisher with whom we have collaborated on three other Cardinal Sarah titles. The text we received indicates the two authors are Benedict XVI and Cardinal Sarah. That text also indicates that Benedict XVI co-authored an introduction and a conclusion with Cardinal Sarah, as well as his own chapter on the priesthood, wherein he describes how his exchanges with Cardinal Sarah gave him the strength to complete what would have gone unfinished.”

Continuing, he says: "Given that, according to Benedict XVI’s correspondence and Cardinal Sarah’s statement, the two men collaborated on this book for several months, that none of the essays have appeared elsewhere, and that a joint work as defined by the Chicago Manual of Style is  ‘a work prepared by two or more authors with the intention that their contribution be merged into inseparable or interdependent parts of a unitary whole,’ Ignatius Press considers this a coauthored publication.”

"Cardinal Sarah indicates the content of the book remains unchanged," the statement concludes. "That content, as noted, includes a coauthored introduction, a chapter by Benedict XVI, and a conclusion coauthored by Benedict XVI and Cardinal Sarah."

Hence there is no question that Cardinal Sarah has spoken truthfully about Benedict's approval and co-authorship of the book, but the question remains as to whether or not Benedict truly denied his co-authorship. Did Benedict XVI shrink or did Ganswein fabricate this concerning him? It appears that the same iron-clad Vatican bureaucracy that forced Benedict's "resignation" in 2013 has now coerced Ganswein into lying to ANSA about Benedict.  

We'll never know for sure until we hear it from the horse's mouth, but will we? The thing that would embolden the enemy to advance such a lie would be the foreknowledge that Benedict will no longer be able to speak about this himself, i.e. that he might be drugged or kept under surveillance. Recent photos of Benedict XVI show that he appears rather dazed.

The other possibility is that Pope Benedict might come forward himself to clarify this latest report. For this we pray, and especially, we pray he assertively go on record as co-authoring this fine book in defense of Catholic truth.




14 comments:

M. Prodigal said...

I read that Pope Bergoglio threw one of his famous fits about this and personally called Gonswein (sp?) to the carpet. So the calumny against C. Sarah started and he is called a liar and deceiver. I think we pretty much know who the liars, deceivers, and heretics are in Rome these days and it is not C. Sarah! Pope Emeritis finally decided to act again as a pope. How we need a true pope! Would that both popes would officially step aside and, if one could be found, a holy--saintly--man elected to begin to clean up the mess. Truly a job for a saint.

Anonymous said...

How does one know this is an opus devil propaganda stunt to blindside the real bombshell (the way deathblindlies and AIDS Virus get their audience to accept every kind of sexual perversion and murder while believing they are protesting it)? Known opus devil propaganda organizations burst a false no shell 'controversy' in HUGE type: "Did Benedict deny co-authoring a book on priestly celibacy?" Then all the protestant opus devil 'converts' start pitchin' in their $3k an article/gig opinions about how Benedict and Sarah are SO FAITHFUL to everything VC2 contra new Francis (while some set up the straw opus devil ganswein as francis' ally--when in actuality all the s/h/its and opus devils are allies). No doubt if you read Sarah Benedict's 'faithful' book (which would have dropped silently into oblivion w/out this fake controversy) you will be brainwashed in VC2 propaganda on the priesthood and celibacy.

new (pr)editor S/H/IT opus devil newmire
http://www.ignatiusinsight.com/features2006/cwr_neweditor_aug06.asp

Ignatius Press, named for Saint Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuit Order, is a Catholic publishing house based in San Francisco, California, USA. It was founded in 1978 by Father Joseph Fessio SJ, a Jesuit priest and former pupil of Pope Benedict XVI. In an interview in 1998, Father Fessio said, "our objective is to support the teachings of the Church".[2] Ignatius Press also produces Catholic World Report, Homiletic and Pastoral Review, Ignatius Insight and the blog Ignatius Insight Scoop.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignatius_Press

Tancred said...

I’m going to join Opus.

JBQ said...

Really reinforces the theory that Pope Benedict was forced out. If this be so, then the election of Francis would be invalid.

Anonymous said...

Given the lies and deceptions told by the Vatican and hundreds of V2 bishops around the world in the sex abuse scandals why would anybody believe their obviously self serving statements in this matter? I guess Cardinal Sarah is getting his hands slapped for teaching Catholic truth.

Ronald Sevenster said...

If one carefully reads Ganswein's statement one can only conclude that if this is what Benedict actually said, it entails no denial of his co-authorship. It only expresses his desire of not being formally mentioned as co-author. To me this sounds like a typical move of the Emeritus to avoid becoming engaged in a controversy, a move perhaps made under pressure from the Vatican. Disappointing it is.

PW said...

Sarah has proven beyond a doubt that he has little or no sense of good judgment or sentire cum ecclesia. In thinking that he had something profound to say, he has nothing. Benedict realized that he was being manipulated so he, with the help of his pragmatist fixer, Ganswein, broke the connection. Sarah is a dud and so too are the vested interest ideologs who went along for the ride and have now found themselves looking more like addled teenagers than ever before.

It is very interesting too, that the subversive mole Burke, is no where to be seen in the neighborhood.

Anonymous said...

"Sarah has proven beyond a doubt that he has little or no sense of good judgment or sentire cum ecclesia. In thinking that he had something profound to say, he has nothing. Benedict realized that he was being manipulated so he, with the help of his pragmatist fixer, Ganswein, broke the connection. Sarah is a dud and so too are the vested interest ideologs who went along for the ride and have now found themselves looking more like addled teenagers than ever before."

This is totally false....a figment of your own rad liberal imagination Buddy Man PW!
I just read that Francis had a temper-tantrum meltdown, ordered Gaswein to have Benedict's name removed from the book, and to say that Benedict never approved it...which is false. Whereupon, Cardinal Sarah produced the written letters between himself and Benedict XVI approving the project. So Gaswein, who was forced to lie by Bergoglio's court, was proven wrong.....and Francis looks more of an asshole than ever.
He will not be able to ok marriage for priests after this....not unless he wants to be seen going up against the constant Church tradition....and Benedict XVI.
I hope Benedict XVI lives long enough to see Bergoglio gone....whichever way that happens.

Damian M. Malliapalli

PW said...

"I just read that..." You would say that, wouldn't you, Damian.
Where exactly did you read that 'Francis had a temper-tantrum meltdown', Damian?
Please share.

Wallsend said...

PW wrote " looking more like addled teenagers than ever before ".

Following your body of comments on this blog, if ever the description "addled teenager" applied, it is to you. I don't know who or what you are, except that you are equally blinkered, ignorant and partisan as the people you identify as such and regularly condemn.

It puzzles me why you follow this Blog, except that you are one of those trolls which enjoys spewing hatred and confusion everywhere.

Get off the internet and read the scriptures instead. Everyone will benefit.

Barnum said...

And Gaybriel has that "sentire cum ecclesia?"

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Provide evidence for your self-serving assertion.

Anonymous said...

Dis is benedikkt 16 here, really it is. I dun no writin with no one on de book. Signed mr benedikt...........you must believe wot I'm sayin or you'll be in trubble.......

Anonymous said...

"Celibacy" vc2 opus devil s/h/it sty(le):
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4691174/Juan-Carlos-5-000-lovers-according-new-book.html

"To get out of the economic crisis, since 1956 Franco has gradually surrounded himself with ministers belonging to Opus. When he thinks about restoring the monarchy so that it happens in the person of Don Juan de Borbón, Opus supports his son, Juan Carlos, who is in the care of a preceptor of the Work: Anael López Amo. In 1969 Franco proclaims Juan Carlos heir to the crown."

https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=https://www.insumisos.com/diplo/NODE/2251.HTM&prev=search

"The sisters were on the runway for a flight from Rome to Munich when Ratzinger himself boarded the plane. Gramick introduced herself when the flight attendants finished serving lunch, and he greeted her by saying, “I’ve known you for 20 years.” He laughed when her supervisor explained she was afraid he would have her excommunicated, saying, “You can’t get excommunicated for what you think about homosexuality.” [but it was the s/h/it gramick was spreding, and she's still spreading it today--to CATHOLIC CHILDREN! But don't let the truth interfere w/opus devil propaganda about the heroic defender of celibacy!]
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/lesterfeder/meet-the-nun-who-battled-one-pope-over-lgbt-ministry-and-now

https://www.newwaysministry.org/2018/11/25/new-ways-ministry-blogger-is-heading-to-world-youth-day-2019/

JBQ said...

@PW" Speaking of "duds" and not dudes, look in the mirror.