Archbishop Georg Gänswein Reflects on Pope Benedict's Resignation

Archbishop Georg Gänswein describes the experience of Pope Benedict's resignation as an "amputation" in a recent interview with the German newspaper Die Zeit. He says that he still suffers from the loss: "I have to be honest with myself... this is a pain, resigning yourself with the new role." He explained that his fingers are "no longer on the Vatican's pulse" on a constant basis, and that because he is now serving Pope Francis as Prefect of the Papal Household while still serving as personal secretary to Pope Emeritus Benedict, "I have the impression of living in two worlds."

With great candor, Archbishop Gänswein admitted that initially, he was angered by Pope Francis' unconventional style, choosing to live at Casa Santa Marta rather than the papal apartment in the apostolic palace. Although he took it as an "insult" to Pope Benedict at the time, now he and Pope Francis can joke about the controversy.

>His years of service to Papa Ratzinger were intense: "I left eight years of blood and also tasted blood, sometimes." His fidelity to the one whom he still calls "Heilige Vater" remains firm, "in vita et in morte." Nevertheless about one thing he is clear: "There is only one Pope." And tomorrow? Life with Pope Francis is full of surprises. "I'm waiting each day anew, what will be different now." http://www.zeit.de/gesellschaft/2013-12/georg-gaenswein-papst-benedikt-franziskus

i like the thought that many times a future Pope is seen with a present/past Pope.