Thanks to Emma in the main forum for providing this item from Corriere Romagna, a newspaper in central Italy. The item appeared 4/21/05.
--------------------------------------------------------------
“I am sure that the name Benedetto is a homage to St. Benedict of Norcia, founder of Western monasticism, who brought this continent together in the Christian faith. He formulated the rule ‘Ora et labora’ (prayer and work), which the new Pope incarnates to perfection, as A ‘simple worker in the vineyard of the Lord.’”
This was the testimony of Don Giorgio Sgubbi, professor of Theology in the University of Emila-Romagna in Bologna, who also serves as priest in the diocese of Imola. Don Giorgio spent 8 months with Joseph Ratzinger when both were lodgers at the Collegio Teutonico in Rome in 1991-1992. They talked to each other in Italian as well as in German.
“He is a gentle man, warm and welcoming, never impulsive, with a highly-developed sense of justice,” says Don Giorgio. But how did he, an Italian, get into the German seminary in Rome? “In fact, I was the only Italian there at the time. I was recommended by the Bishop of Stockholm, under whom I had studied in Tuebingen. But I had no problems. The rector said I was a Prussian!”
Ratzinger was lodging at the Collegio because his sister, who had taken care of him, had just died.
“We celebrated Mass together several times, “ says Don Giorgio. “And we often engaged in long conversations. I was left with the impression that he wished above all to reconcile transcendence and daily life. For him, the faith is not a matter of looking up at the heavens. According to him, theology should be able to see the presence of God in everything. I admired above all his ability to focus sharply on any topic.”
It is an admiration that has persisted through the years. “From that time on, we have been in touch every so often. We have exchanged letters. Every time he had a new book, he would send me a copy. I did the same. We have never failed to exchange greetings at Christmas.”