Pope Benedict XVI Struggled With Celibacy
AP Press
Benedict
XVI fell in love during his student days in Germany and struggled with
the idea of celibacy, said the author of a new book to be published
Friday.
The
author also reveals that Benedict, 89, remains a "news junkie", likes
to potter around and enjoys watching the "Don Camillo & Peppone"
black-and-white comedy films about an Italian Catholic priest and a
communist town mayor.
The
anecdotes emerged in interviews German journalist Peter Seewald
conducted with the first pope to retire in seven centuries, many of them
published in the book "Final Conversations", to be released in several
languages Friday.
Seewald
told German news weekly Die Zeit, in an article to appear on Thursday,
that the erstwhile Joseph Ratzinger "fell in love... in a very serious
way" as a student, although this episode is not included in the book.
"He struggled with it very much," Seewald said of the man who would go on to be the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.
"He was really a very smart-looking guy, a handsome young man, an aesthete who wrote poetry and read Hermann Hesse.
"A fellow student told me he had quite an effect on women, and vice versa. The decision to chose celibacy wasn't easy for him."
Seewald
believes "there is a close personal relationship" between the
ex-pontiff and his successor, Pope Francis, whose "vigour" he admires.
Benedict
has made only a handful of public appearances since he stepped down on
February 28, 2013 saying he no longer had the strength of mind or body
to carry on.
Asked
whether he would celebrate his 90th birthday next year, the retired
pope who uses a walking frame and is blind in his left eye, reportedly
said "hopefully not".
"You
realise he has lived his life," said Seewald. "I don't want to say he
is tired of life, but that he has simply given all he's got to give."
Seewald added that Benedict "himself never expected to live very long after his resignation".
"But
Ratzinger has an ability to bounce back. One day you think, this was
the last visit. The next time you realise he has gathered new strength."
Benedict XVI is still Pope
