Valentina di Giorgio
(ZENIT News / Rome, 06.15.2023).- In a brief press release, issued at midday on Thursday, June 15, the Holy See Press Office notified that Pope Francis decided that Monsignor Georg Gänswein “return, for the moment, to his diocese of origin, from July 1.” Monsignor Gänswein’s diocese of origin is Fribourg.
The same communication specified the Monsignor Gänswein, former Prefect of the Papal Household also during Francis’pontificate, resigned from that position on February 28, 2023. The resignation coincided with the crisis period lived as a result of the publication of his book “Nient’altro che la verità. La mia vita al fianco di Benedetto XVI” [Nothing But The Truth. My Life Beside Benedict XVI].
Despite the brevity of the press release, the message makes possible the reading of many more things: it says that “for the moment” he return to his diocese of origin. But it doesn’t say for what. This is relevant given that Monsignor Gänswein is a Bishop and, consequently, not under the authority of the Archbishop of Fribourg, except if he is elected Auxiliary in the future (currently the diocese has two Auxiliary Bishops).
Given that the date to leave Rome-Vatican is July 1, that period of time, was undoubtedly already communicated in the last private meeting between Monsignor Gänswein and Pope Francis on March 4 of this year. They met previously on January 9.
