Benedict XVI Latest News

Read the latest news regarding the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, his life, and his legacy.

The Latest

Pope Benedict XVI, pictured on Aug. 28, 2010.

Benedict XVI distances himself from embattled Catholic community

Oct 25, 2020

Benedict XVI has distanced himself from a Catholic community with which he had maintained close ties for decades.   Read more

Professor Tracey Rowland, St John Paul II Chair in Theology at the University of Notre Dame (Australia).

Australian professor and French philosopher win Ratzinger Prize

Oct 2, 2020

An Australian professor and a French philosopher were named the winners of this year’s Ratzinger Prize Oct. 1.  Read more

Fr. Paschal Uche at his ordination in Brentwood Cathedral, Essex, England, Aug. 1, 2020. Ordination photo

Young Catholic who greeted Benedict XVI in Britain becomes a priest

Sep 18, 2020

Ten years ago, Paschal Uche greeted Pope Benedict XVI on behalf of young people in his country. Today, he is... Read more

Archbishop Georg Gänswein, pictured March 12, 2016.

Archbishop Gänswein ‘better’ and grateful for prayers after hospitalization

Sep 17, 2020

Archbishop Georg Gänswein is expected to leave hospital Thursday.   Read more

Archbishop Georg Gänswein, pictured March 27, 2019.

Archbishop Gänswein hospitalized ‘with severe kidney problems’

Sep 11, 2020

Archbishop Georg Gänswein, prefect of the papal household and personal secretary to Benedict XVI, has been hospitalized in Rome.   Read more

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, pictured in St. Peter's Basilica Oct. 3, 2015.

Cardinal Parolin stresses ‘spiritual consonance’ between Pope Francis and Benedict XVI

Sep 1, 2020

By Courtney Mares

Cardinal Pietro Parolin has written an introduction to a book describing the continuity between Pope Francis and his predecessor Pope... Read more

Benedict XVI prepares to board a plane at Munich airport, June 22, 2020.

Archbishop Gänswein: Benedict XVI’s 'illness is subsiding'

Aug 11, 2020

By Courtney Mares

Benedict XVI’s personal secretary Archbishop Georg Gänswein has said that the pope emeritus’ illness is “subsiding.”  Read more

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI.

Vatican: Benedict XVI health 'not serious' concern

Aug 3, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

The Vatican said Monday the health problems of Benedict XVI are not serious, though the pope emeritus is suffering from... Read more

Benedict XVI prepares to board a plane at Munich airport, June 22, 2020.

Benedict XVI is ill since visit to Germany

Aug 3, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI is sick with a bacterial infection and “extremely fail,” according to a German newspaper report.  Read more

Pope Benedict XVI on Aug. 28, 2010.

Benedict XVI praises “glorious music” of Bach in festival message

Jul 28, 2020

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI has praised the “glorious music” of Johann Sebastian Bach in a message to a festival in... Read more

Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer stands before a portrait of Msgr. Georg Ratzinger at Regensburg Cathedral July 8, 2020.

‘Heart speaks to heart’: Benedict XVI sends message for his brother’s funeral Mass

Jul 8, 2020

By Courtney Mares

Benedict XVI watched his brother’s funeral via livestream on Wednesday as his secretary Archbishop Georg Gänswein read the pope emeritus’... Read more

Pope Francis greets Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI Dec. 21, 2018.

Pope Francis offers condolences to Benedict XVI following his brother’s death

Jul 2, 2020

Pope Francis offered his condolences to Benedict XVI Thursday following the death of his brother.   Read more

Msgr. Georg Ratzinger.

Benedict XVI’s brother Georg Ratzinger has died 

Jul 1, 2020

By Courtney Mares

Benedict XVI’s older brother Georg Ratzinger died Wednesday, just a little more than one week after the pope emeritus’ visit.  Read more

Benedict XVI prepares to board a plane at Munich airport, June 22, 2020.

Benedict XVI returns to Rome after visiting ill brother in Germany

Jun 22, 2020

By Courtney Mares

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI arrived back in Rome Monday after a four-day trip to Germany to visit his ailing brother.  Read more

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI.

Benedict XVI to return to Rome June 22 after visit with ailing brother in Germany

Jun 21, 2020

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI will return to Rome and the Vatican on Monday, according to the Diocese of Regensburg.  Read more

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI.

Benedict XVI to pray at his family's gravesite in Germany

Jun 20, 2020

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI will visit his family’s gravesite and his former home in Pentling, Germany, in the afternoon on... Read more

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI.

Benedict XVI celebrates Mass with his ill brother on feast of the Sacred Heart

Jun 19, 2020

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI will celebrate Mass with his ailing brother on the feast of the Sacred Heart during his... Read more

Msgr. Georg Ratzinger.

Benedict XVI visits his ailing brother in Germany

Jun 18, 2020

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI is making a private visit to Germany to see his ailing brother Msgr. Georg Ratzinger.  Read more

 Pope John Paul II in 1996.

Full text: Benedict XVI's letter marking St. John Paul II's birth centenary

May 15, 2020

The full text of Pope emeritus Benedict XVI's letter marking the centenary of the birth of St. John Paul II. The... Read more

Pope John Paul II greets Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger during his inauguration October 22, 1978.

Benedict XVI hails John Paul II as ‘liberating restorer’ of Church

May 15, 2020

John Paul II was a “liberating restorer of the Church” in the turbulent years after the Second Vatican Council, Benedict... Read more