Francis is cold caller while Benedict prefers to write

(Benedict taking off his zucchetto acknowledging Francis is in charge.)

“There is absolutely no doubt regarding the validity of my resignation from the Petrine ministry.  The only condition for the validity 

of my resignation is the complete freedom of my decision. 

Speculations regarding its validity are simply absurd.”

- Joseph Ratzinger -

Francis calls people out of the blue while his predecessor prefers to write letters.  Having recently written his friend Hans Kung, Benedict took pen to paper in the Mater Ecclesiae monastery and wrote to Italian reporter Andrea Tornielli the other day. Turns out Benedict wanted to put the kibosh on rumors that his resignation wasn't valid.  Is Resignationism dead?  For more on Resignationism see: Italian Journalist Antonio Socci: Ratzinger Resignation "May Not Be Valid"  Andrea Tornelli writes about this letter from Benedict XVI in an article posted today at La Stampa.

- Links to the full article by Andrea Tornielli -

In Italian, Ratzinger: la mia rinuncia è valida, assurdo fare speculazioni

In English, Ratzinger: “My resignation is valid. Speculations are simply absurd”

In Spanish, Ratzinger: mi renuncia es válida; hacer especulaciones es absurdo

 - Some of the more interesting quotes of the letter -

"I do not return to private life, to a life of travel, meetings, receptions, conferences, and so on. I am not abandoning the cross, but remaining in a new way at the side of the crucified Lord. I no longer bear the power of office for the governance of the Church, but in the service 

of prayer I remain, so to speak, in the enclosure of Saint Peter”

“I continue to wear the white cassock and kept the name Benedict for purely practical reasons. At the moment of my resignation there were no other clothes available. In any case, I wear the white cassock in a visibly different way to how the Pope wears it. This is another 
case of completely unfounded speculations being made.”

“I'm grateful to be bound by a great identity of views and a heartfelt friendship with Pope Francis. Today, I see my last and final job to support his pontificate with prayer."  

- from letter to Hans Küng -

“Professor Küng quoted the content of my letter to 

him word for word and correctly.”
- commenting on Hans Küng's interview -

for more on Hans Kung's interview about the letter Benedict XVI wrote him see :  Francis' Enabler

(Francis & Benedict  XVI, two modernist peas in the same pod.)