On the 8th anniversary of his resignation to the papal throne, Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI, 93, granted an interview to Massimo Franco, of Italian daily Corriere della Sera.
The main responses are available below, but what is truly curious is this passage by Franco:
The sentences come out little by little, the voice is a soft breath, it comes and goes. And archbishop Gänswein in some rare passages repeats and "translates", while Benedict XVI nods in a sign of approval.
Ok, then...
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[On the resignation:] “It was a difficult decision. But I took it in full consciousness, and I think I did well. Some of my slightly ‘fanatical’ friends are still angry, they did not want to accept my choice. I think of the conspiracy theories that followed it: There were those who said it was the fault of Vatileaks, some of a conspiracy by the gay lobby, some because of Richard Williamson. They don’t want to believe in a conscious choice. But my conscience is clear.”
[On Francis' upcoming trip to Iraq:] “I think it’s a very important journey. Unfortunately, it comes at a very difficult time that also makes it a dangerous trip: For security reasons and for COVID. And then there is the unstable Iraqi situation. I will accompany Francis with my prayer.”
[On Biden:] “It is true, he is Catholic and observant. And he is personally against abortion. But as a president he tends to present himself in continuity with the line of the Democratic Party … And on gender politics we have not yet fully understood what his position is.”
