Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s day “begins with Mass every day at the same time,” said his personal secretary, Monsignor Georg Gänswein. He described, in German, the Pope Emeritus’ “rhythm of life” on Vatican Radio on March 19, 2017. “Pope Benedict is in good humor!” he assured.
Benedict XVI “reads, prays, listens to music, has visitors,” said his secretary. “Every day he also walks a bit (praying) the Rosary.” “The concrete organization of the day is very clear,” continued Monsignor Gänswein, who is also Prefect of the Papal Household.
“Every Sunday” he “gives a good sermon” for his entourage. “He likes to have a notebook of homilies on which he takes notes, but he preaches freely, added Monsignor Gänswein. And we try to keep what he says.”
“From time to time” the Pope Emeritus makes “a visit” and he often has visitors: “persons of different nations, different ages, different professions (. . .) Not only persons he knew in the past, but also others who have met him in the course of the year, or even who have never met him. There are so many questions . . . It would be necessary for him to have supplementary hours!”
In reading, “his interests are very vast,” noted Monsignor Gänswain: “he remains a theologian, but he does not just read theology.” “One of his readings, every day, is L’Osservatore Romano (in Italian), and he also reads other things to be informed and to know what is happening in the world,” he continued.
The Pope also watches television. “When his brother is there, the news is in German. When his brother isn’t there, he watches the news in Italian, as he lives in Italy,” said his secretary.
