Pope Francis meets Benedict’s top adviser as the Vatican Memoirs rattles

By Philip Pullella

VATICAN CITY, (Reuters) – Pope Francis met privately with Archbishop Georg Ganswein on Monday. He is former Pope Benedict’s closest aide and has rattled Vatican with a book detailing the strains that he claims were experienced by two white men who lived within its walls.

According to the Vatican, Ganswein was listed in the daily bulletin of the Pope’s schedule of audiences. However, it did not give any details as it is customary.

A publishing house in Italy sent some copies of Ganswein’s 330-page “Nothing BUT The Truth – My Life Beside Benedict XVI” to Reuters hours after Benedict was buried.

From 2003 when Benedict was still Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger’s personal secretary, Ganswein (66) was by his side for almost 20 years, until his death Dec. 31. He was Francis’ gatekeeper up until their falling out.

Francis’ main concern is now to decide what job he will give Ganswein. Many are anxious to see if Francis will be offered another job in Vatican City or assigned anywhere else in the globe.

Because Benedict is now dead, Ganswein may be called upon by conservatives in order to step in as a point of rallying for those left behind by Francis’ reforms, which included cracking down on the Latin Mass.

Ganswein provides an insider’s account of Benedict’s 2005 election and 2013 decision to be the first pope to step down in 600 years.

Matteo Bruni, a Vatican spokesperson, has not commented on the book. It was written by Saverio Gaeta, an Italian journalist, and published in Piemme, an imprint owned by Mondadori.

Unless they are speaking with a head or state, the Vatican does not say what is discussed in private audiences. Ganswein couldn’t be reached immediately for comment.

Since publication of stories on the themes in the book, critics have come to the surface via social media and in Italian newspapers. One cardinal and at most two priests have voiced concern about its timing and allegations.

Although Francis often compared Benedict living at the Vatican to having a grandfather, the book describes some of the more difficult situations.

Ganswein held his jobs for seven years following Francis’ election as pope. One was the Prefect in the Pontifical Household, a gatekeeper for Francis’s public events, and private secretary to ex-pope.

Ganswein wrote that he never was able to establish a “climate of trust” with Pope Francis and that Francis likely allowed him to keep the post of prefect for so long because of Benedict’s respect.

In 2020, Ganswein was involved with a messy episode regarding a book about priestly Celibacy. The two fell out.

(Reporting and editing by Philip Pullella; Editing done by Alison Williams