2006-08-05 15:44:21

Pope Benedict XVI shows that true joy in life comes from the faith, says his personal secretary


(05 Aug. 2006) : A Vatican Radio interview on Thursday with Fr. Georg Ganswein, Pope Benedict’s personal secretary, on the occasion of his 50th birthday revealed that the daily life of the Holy Father is filled with work but that he always has time for prayer and mediation. If there is any one thing that is present in all that the Holy Father says and does, it is his desire to show that only, “the faith makes living joyful and brings joy to life. This is present in everything he says…and this joy of the faith should infect us as well, Fr. Georg said.

The Pope’s day begins with Mass at 7am, followed by Morning Prayer and a period of contemplation and silence before the Lord. Afterwards we eat breakfast together, and my day then begins with sorting through the correspondence, which arrives every day in considerable quantity. The day continues with a brief conversation with the Holy Father and then I accompany him, as is the custom, to the private audiences that take place before midday in the ‘Seconda Logia.’ Afterward we eat lunch together and then take a short walk before resting. The second half of our day begins with perusing correspondence again, and I present to the Pope that which is most important and which requires his signature, or his study and approval. Naturally there are a host of things that come to the attention of the Holy Father but that are not, as such, part of the ordinary routine and that are of a second, third or fourth order,” Father Georg explained. He added that one of his main tasks is to “protect the Holy Father from the enormous amount of mail, papers, and letters so that he can do what truly needs to be done, with due tranquillity.”

Having known the Pope for eleven years, Father Georg says he sees no difference between Joseph Ratzinger the cardinal and Joseph Ratzinger the Pope. “Of course, the office accentuates certain characteristics, but his personality, his friendliness and his brilliance are the same as ever,” he noted.








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