VATICAN CITY — Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is not “jealous” of his successor’s worldwide celebrity, holds him in “high esteem” and is developing an ever closer relationship with Pope Francis through “regular” communications, according to the former pontiff’s private secretary and prefect of the papal household, Archbishop Georg Gänswein.Read the rest here.
In a rare interview with a U.S. media outlet, Gänswein, a Benedict confidant who resides with the retired pope in a remodeled Vatican City convent, suggested that despite their obvious differences, the former pope was not seeking to influence the new pontiff on major church decisions. In addition, Gänswein said, Benedict’s surprise appearance at a swearing-in ceremony for 19 new cardinals this past weekend should not be taken as a sign of his reemergence into public life.
Setting aside the inevitable shot at Benedict's "ponderous conservatism," it's nice that the two men are on good terms and talk regularly. Ex-Pope's are not all that common and historically haven't always fared well.
Since Benedict isn't plagued with Celestine V's fog, he's likely raised a private army, just in case.
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