German Children Question Msgr. Gaenswein About the Pope

ROME/REGENSBURG. Children ask the best questions. 

 

MZs offer to get them first hand information from papal secretary George Gaenswein about Benedict XVI is the best proof.

 

Originally the Prelate promised to answer the ten most beautiful questions - after all, the Popes trusted friend in the Vatican has his hands full. But when the boys and girls asked well over 150 types of questions, "Don Giorgio" as he is called affectionately in Italy, raised the question contingent to 19. Only one impertinent question what does the Pope wear under his white robes remained unanswered.

 

Thomas Gruber from the 4th grade of the Domspatzen in Pielenhofen was interested in something entirely different. He had two completely different questions about intelligence:

 

Q: What does the Pope do, when he cant solve a problem?

 

Gaenswein: The Holy Father discusses all difficult problems with his closest collaborators. He also always carries all troubles and concerns in prayer to God and asks Him for help and support. After thorough consideration and prayer he then makes a decision.

 

Q: Which grade point average did the Pope have in fourth grade?

 

Gaenswein: Unfortunately, I dont know, but Im sure it was outstanding.

 

Veronika Schmidbauer, 8 years old, from Dietfurt (Lkr. Neumarkt) also has three very good questions:

 

Q: Is the Pope ever homesick?

 

Gaenswein: Certainly, he often thinks of his beautiful Bavarian homeland. He used to spend the month of August and a few days after Christmas in his home in Pentling. Of course he regrets not being able to visit his homeland regularly any more. 

 

Q: Does the Pope read only serious books or does he sometimes read novels too?

 

Gaenswein: His time is so tightly scheduled that the Holy Father doesnt have the chance to read novels. But serious books, definitely.

 

Q: When did the Pope last cry?

 

Gaenswein: I dont know.

 

Julia Schmid from the second grade in the Dietfurt public school, and little Selina Fischer from

Hausen (Lkr. Kelheim), are clearly worried that Benedict XVI could be lonely:

 

Q: Why doesnt the Pope have a wife?

 

Gaenswein: Because heaven wishes it, Catholic priests and the Pope, too, live unmarried, that means that they voluntarily give up marriage and having their own family. It is also a renunciation out of the desire for a greater good. It is nothing negative; to the contrary, its done out of love for Jesus.

 

Matthias Meier, 8 years old, from Dietfurt has a question about the papal election on 19 April 2005:

 

Q: Was Joseph Ratzinger happy when he became Pope?

 

Gaenswein: The Holy Father himself explained that he felt as if he saw the guillotine drop down on him when the cardinals elected him Pope in the Sistine Chapel. He said he was deeply shocked. In the meantime he has reconciled himself to what happened, because he has recognized Gods

will.

 

Andreas Schnberger, 6 years old, from Kleinwinklarn (Lkr. Schwandorf), has a fashion question:

 

Q: Why does the Pope wear red shoes?

 

Gaenswein: That has something to do with the Churchs liturgical practices and also with the different colors of vestments the priest wears during Holy Mass. Its well known that the colors change for various reasons, and earlier years the color of the popes shoes changed too. If the vestments were green, the shoes were also green. With red vestments, they were red. Shoes and vestments had the same color. In the course of time the shoes remained red and thats why the Pope up to the present wears dark red shoes.

 

Seven year old Eliana Abele from Barbing (Lkr. Regensburg), Michael, Florian, Klaus and

Stefan from the fifth grade in the Realschule Berching (Lkr. Neumarkt) as well as Matthias Meier, eight, from Dietfurt had a question in a similar vein:

 

Q: Why does the Pope often wear a white cap?

 

Gaenswein: The white cap is a skullcap and is called pileolus in Latin. The Popes is white because he wears

white robes; the robes are called talar. White skullcap with white robes. This little cap is part of the customary dress; its only removed in the presence of the Holiest. Bishops also wear skullcaps; those are violet, because they wear a violet talar, and the cardinals wear purple ones because they wear purple robes. Robes and skullcaps also have the same color.

 

At the beginning of the summer holidays, Julia Fhrbach, third grade in Alteglofsheim school (Lkr. Regensburg), as well as the entire second grade of the public school in Dietfurt (Lkr. Neumarkt), are concerned:

 

Q: Does the Pope get a vacation too? 

 

Gaenswein: Yes, a little while ago he spent two weeks in the delightful Alps in northern Italy, close by the tallest mountain in Europe, Mont Blanc. There he recovered from the stresses and strains of the last few months. However, his recovery was a bit limited, because every day he was kept informed of the most important developments in the Church and in the world, and that brings work with it even during the holidays.

 

Ramona Hendlmeier from the third grade in Alteglofsheim asks:

 

Q: How many languages does the Pope speak?

 

Gaenswein: The Holy Father knows several languages. Besides his native German, Italian, which he speaks every day, because Italian is the working language of the Vatican. In many daily meetings with cardinals, bishops, heads of government and heads of state and other personalities, who visit the Holy Father from all over the

world, he often has to speak English or French.

 

Anja Ebenhch, also from the third grade, asks this foundational question:

 

Q: How does the Pope know that God exists?

 

Gaenswein: Because God let Himself be known, He revealed Himself. Through His Son, Jesus Christ, He spoke to us. Through prayer, the Holy Father, like every Christian, remains in constant contact with God.

 

Anjas Schulkameradin, Christina Allkofer, want to know:

 

Q: Why does the Pope wear a fishermans ring?

 

Gaenswein: The fishermans ring is actually a signet ring, which once sealed important documents and records, to authenticate them. In the course of time, the fishermans ring goes back, however, to a beautiful part of the Gospel, where Jesus promises to Peter and the other

Apostles that they are supposed to become fishers of men. Jesus means that they are to lead people to Him. In addition, the ring is meant to strengthen the Pope in his loyalty to Jesus and to remind him of his responsibility for the Church.

 

Dominic Schmidt, fourth grade in the Domspatzen in Pielenhofen has a tricky question:

 

Q: Is the Pope ever disappointed in God?

 

Gaenswein: This question isnt asked properly. I can be disappointed by the behavior of people or by myself, but not by God. You cant be disappointed by God, because God cant be put into human categories. Perhaps at the moment I cant understand His actions, dont have the insight, what meaning this and that event has, so that I am sometimes perplexed and also bewildered. But if you trust firmly in God, gradually your eyes are opened to his dealings.

 

Tino Rudolf Spie,also from the fourth grade in the Domspatzen, thinks that the contact between Benedict XVI and his brother Georg who lives in Regensburg, suffers because of the papal job.

 

Q: Does the Pope visit his brother Georg often?

 

Gaenswein: Thats no longer possible, but its the other way around; his brother visits him often in Rome or at his summer residence Castel Gandolfo.

 

Tinos classmate Lukas Merkl follows up:

 

Q: Does the Pope have time to celebrate Easter and Christmas with his brother?

 

Gaenswein: The Holy Father celebrated Easter and Christmas in Rome; his brother was in Regensburg. After Christmas his brother came to visit in Rome.

 

Domspatz Philipp Stumpe, also a fourth grader, wanted to know:

 

Q: Is the Pope looking forward to his visit to Regensburg?

 

Gaenswein: Yes, very much.

 

Domspatz Josef Wendl is obviously already planning further Papal visits. His question: 

 

Q: After the Popes autumn visit in September, when is the next time hell come to Regensburg? 

 

Gaenswein: Invitations arent lacking; fulfilling them is more difficult. It will be some time, however.

 

Ludwig-Maximilian Wolf from the fourth grade in Pielenhofen obviously has something personal he wants to discuss with Benedict XVI. He wants to have the information that many would love to have:

 

Q: What is the Popes telephone number?

 

Prelate Gaenswein unfortunately has to pass: If I disclose the number, the telephone would ring day and night and the Holy Father wouldnt have a moments rest.