Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 12:37, 14 March 2013

The Most Reverend Georg Gänswein J.C.D.
Prefect of the Papal Household Personal secretary of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI Titular Archbishop of Urbs Salvia
Archbishop Gänswein greeting Malteser pilgrims in 2006
Church	Catholic Church
See	Urbs Salvia (titular)
Appointed	7 December 2012
Installed	6 January 2013
Predecessor	James Michael Harvey
Orders
Ordination	31 May 1984
Consecration	6 January 2013 by Pope Benedict XVI
Rank	Archbishop
Personal details
Born	Georg Gänswein (1956-07-30) July 30, 1956 (age 68) Riedern am Wald, Waldshut, Germany
Nationality	German
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Residence	Vatican City State
Occupation	Personal secretary to the Pope Chaplain of His Holiness Archbishop
Profession	Catholic Priest
Education	SSPX Seminary, Écône, Switzerland
Alma mater	Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich
Motto	Testimonium perhibere veritati (Give testimony to the Truth) - John 18:37
Coat of arms

Styles of Georg Gänswein
Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Archbishop
Posthumous style	not applicable

Georg Gänswein (born 30 July 1956) is a German Archbishop of the Catholic Church, Chaplain of His Holiness, Prefect of the Papal Household and the personal secretary of Pope Benedict XVI.

Archbishop Gänswein is fluent in both speaking and writing Italian, Spanish, German and Latin.

Life

Gänswein was born in Riedern am Wald, Waldshut, Baden-Württemberg, a village in the Black Forest and part of Ühlingen-Birkendorf municipality in Germany, as the eldest son of Albert Gänswein, a blacksmith and his wife Gertrud. He has two brothers and two sisters.

Gänswein initially began his seminary training at the International Seminary of Saint Pius X in Switzerland. This was finally reported in 2009 by French magazine L'Express. No one at the Vatican has ever officially denied it. A two-year gap in the biography of Gänswein suggests this ­earlier seminary training was certainly a ­possibility. He has said in interviews that he decided to become a priest in 1974 when he was 18. But it was not until two years later, at the age of 20, that he began his seminary training for the Archdiocese of Freiburg, the local church for which he was ordained on 31 May 1984 at 28.

Upon his ordination, Gänswein dedicated himself to rigorous academic activities. He received his J.C.D. degree from Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich in 1993. In an interview, Gänswein describes the two years he spent in the Black Forest as a curate (assistant pastor) after his ordination to the priesthood. In 1993, he wrote his dissertation in Munich about Ecclesiology according to the Second Vatican Council. He notes that, "After half a year I was so fed up I said to myself, now I'm going to the archbishop and ask him to take me back into the diocese because I can't stand it anymore," adding later in the interview, "I'd always studied gladly and easily, but studying Canon Law I felt to be as dry as work in a quarry where there's no beer — you die of dryness."

In January 2007, Italian artist and fashion designer Donatella Versace used Gänswein as the artistic inspiration for her Fall 2007 "Clergyman Collection", therein boosting popular recognition of Gänswein's nickname as being Bel Giorgio (English: Gorgeous George [). In January 2013, Gänswein, without his consent or that of the Holy See, was on the cover of the Italian version of Vanity Fair magazine.

Roman Curia

Gänswein arrived in Rome in 1995 as an official of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. In 1996 he was invited by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to join the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. After being appointed to Cardinal Ratzinger's staff, Gänswein became professor of canon law at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.

In 2000, Gänswein was elevated by Pope John Paul II to Chaplain of His Holiness. He replaced Josef Clemens as Ratzinger's personal secretary in 2003, upon Clemens's appointment as secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity. Ratzinger was elected to the papacy in 2005 and Gänswein was appointed to the office of Principal Private Secretary to His Holiness. A year later Pope Benedict XVI honoured his secretary with the distinction Prelate of His Holiness.

It was suggested that Gänswein was to replace the aging Cardinal Friedrich Wetter as the new Archbishop of Munich and Freising. However, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Cardinal Reinhard Marx as the new archbishop of the archdiocese in November 2007.

In his private life, Gänswein devotes his time to playing tennis, skiing, and flying airplanes. In an interview in July 2006, he described the Pope's typical day: "The Pope's day begins with Mass at 7am, followed by morning prayer and a period of contemplation. Afterwards we eat breakfast together, and my day then begins with sorting through the correspondence, which arrives in considerable quantity." He said that he accompanied Benedict to morning audiences, followed by lunch together, a "short walk," and a rest, after which he " to the Pope documents which require his signature, or his study and approval."

Prefect of the Pontifical Household

On 7 December 2012, Gänswein was appointed Titular Archbishop of Urbs Salvia and at the same time prefect of the Pontifical Household, replacing Cardinal James Michael Harvey.

He was consecrated bishop on 6 January 2013 along with Angelo Vincenzo Zani, Nicolas Thevenin and Fortunatus Nwachukwu by Pope Benedict. It is the job of Archbishop Gänswein to arrange papal audiences both public and private, regardless of their size or rank of visitors – as well as handling the logistics for most large Vatican events and ceremonies as well as the pope's travels both in Rome and all of Italy. On 12 January Archbishop Gänswein welcomed Albert II, Prince of Monaco and his wife. This is the first time that he has welcomed the head of a foreign state since his appointment as prefect and his consecration.

Indication of resignation of Benedict XVI

Paul Collins, a well connected commentator on Benedict XVI, has suggested that the elevation of the Pope's personal assistant to Archbishop in early December 2012 (he was consecrated as Bishop on 6 January 2013) was an indication of the impending resignation of Benedict XVI. Such elevations of the Pope's Personal Secretary have, previously, normally occurred only shortly before the death of a Pope, but while the Pope is still lucid.

Archbishop Gänswein will move with Pope Benedict XVI when he retires on Feb. 28, but he also intends to retain his role as head of the Pontifical Household. “The Pope will be accompanied to Castel Gandolfo and also to the monastery by Archbishop Gänswein and the Memores Domini, because this is the fundamental nuclear group of the pontifical family.” “He will also remain the head of the Papal Household”. Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told the press on Feb. 14.

Arms

On the sinister side of Archbishop Gänswein's chivalric coat of arms is the draconian serpent that heraldically symbolises the Devil being slain by his patron, Saint George – and, in this instance, has been viewed as a symbol to protect the Pope. The image is superimposed by a seven-point star representing the Blessed Virgin Mary. Gänswein has taken "Testimonium Perhibere Veritati" ("To bear witness to the truth") as his episcopal motto.

Coat of arms of Georg Gänswein

Notes The coat of arms was designed and adopted when he was ordained as Bishop on 6 January 2013. Adopted 6 January 2013 Escutcheon The left side is the Coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI. The right side includes a seven pointed star and a slayed dragon below while the seven-pointed star represents the Blessed Virgin Mary. Motto TESTIMONIUM PERHIBERE VERITATI (John 18:37) Symbolism The right side 7-pointed star represents the Blessed Virgin Mary while the draconian serpent represents the Devil, being slain by his personal patron, Saint George – and, in this instance, has been viewed as a symbol to protect the Pope-Emeritus.

References

1. Within the Roman Catholic discipline, the title P.C. does not vanquish even upon clerical appointment, except in instances when it is absolved canonically by the Pope as Bishop of Rome.
2. SSPX Seminary training in Écône, Switzerland includes a longterm proficiency course and examination on learning the Latin language, both as a written tool and a speaking normative.
3. "Pope appoints Gäenswein Prefect of Pontifical Household and archbishop". Vatican Insider - La Stampa. 2012-12-07.
4. http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/societe/vatican-les-clefs-d-une-crise_740209.html
5. Power behind the papal throne Profile of Archbishop-elect Georg Gänswein
6. http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=7715
7. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1539681/Gorgeous-Georgs-priestly-chic-inspires-a-new-Versace-show.html
8. http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/01/18/gorgeous-georg-popes-private-secretary-becomes-vanity-fair-cover-boy/
9. Owen, Richard (2007-01-16). "Meet the inspiration for the latest Versace look - the Pope's secretary". London: The Times. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
10. Archbishop Georg Gänswein
11. Paul Collins on the implications of Pope Benedict's resignation, Paul Collins on ABC Radio National's "Religion and Ethics Report", Broadcast: Wednesday 13 February 2013 5:50PM
12. [ http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/archbishop-ganswein-intends-to-remain-prefect-of-papal-household/]

External links

• Georg Gänswein at Catholic Hierarchy

Template:Persondata

• 1956 births
• Living people
• German Roman Catholic priests
• Pope Benedict XVI
• Roman Catholic titular archbishops
• Officers Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
• Prefects of the Pontifical Household