A controversial book by Cardinal Robert Sarah about priestly celibacy has come out in France with former pope Benedict XVI's name on it as co-author. Benedict requested his name be removed from the book after it caused a furore for saying that celibacy is of "great significance" as it ensures clergymen can focus on their job.
Pope Francis is considering a proposal to allow married men to be ordained in the Amazon region. ANSA could testify that the book, From the Depth of Our Hearts, was on the shelves of France's biggest book chain, FNAC, on Wednesday.
Another book trader said that the second edition will come out differently, stating that it was produced "with the collaboration of Benedict XVI". Benedict XVI's personal secretary Georg Gänswein told ANSA on Tuesday that "the pope emeritus knew that the cardinal (Sarah) was preparing a book and he sent him a text on the priesthood authorizing him to use it as he wanted. "But he did not approve a project for a co-authored book and he had not seen or authorized the cover". Benedict became the first pope to resign in almost 600 years when he stepped down in 2013. At the time the 92-year-old German said he would remain "hidden from the world" during his retirement.
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