Freiburg/Rome (AP) – The ex-Benedict confidant Georg Gänswein, who was referred by Pope Francis from the Vatican to Freiburg, wants to meet Archbishop Stephan Burger soon. Shortly after his return to his home diocese, it was still too early to say what this “new life” in Freiburg would be like. “I still have to figure out what I’m going to do first,” the 66-year-old told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera (Sunday edition). Therefore he wanted to meet with the Archbishop of Freiburg.
However, at the moment he is more of a “nuisance” and I am a nuisance in the sense that I am a nuisance. I got into this situation,” Gänswein continued. He emphasized again that he had promised to remain silent and obey. However, he still feels comfortable in Freiburg. “This is a beautiful place, I was here 40 years ago studies, life is good here.”
Pope Francis had transferred Gänswein from the Vatican to Freiburg in mid-June without an important office. As prefect of the Papal Household, the German had already been given a permanent leave of absence by the pontiff in 2020. He no longer had an official position in the Vatican and it is still unclear what his professional future will look like. The transfer creates an unusual situation in Freiburg with two archbishops: Stephan Burger (61) as head of the archdiocese and Gänswein as a returnee from Rome.
Gänswein was private secretary and confidant of the German Pope Benedict XVI for many years. and took care of the emeritus pontiff until his death on New Year’s Eve 2022. The relationship between today’s Pope and Gänswein has been considered strained for many years. The fact that the German published and advertised a book about Benedict shortly after Benedict’s death caused incomprehension and outrage in the Vatican. In the book he also describes conversations with Francis.
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