Brother of Benedict XVI, Fr. Georg Ratzinger, dies in Regensburg

Brother of Benedict XVI

Fr. Georg Ratzinger dies in Regensburg

Fr. Georg Ratzinger, the brother of “Pope Emeritus” Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger), has died at the age of 96.

Ratzinger, the former long-time director of the world-famous Regensburger Domspatzen cathedral choir, passed away in Regensburg, Germany, on July 1, 2020. This was being reported earlier today by various highly reliable news outlets, and has now been confirmed also by the Vatican:

• “Georg Ratzinger, brother of Pope emeritus Benedict, dies in Regensburg” (Vatican News)
• “Msgr. Georg Ratzinger Dies at 96” (National Catholic Register)
• “Monsignor Georg Ratzinger, Rest in Peace” (Rorate Caeli)
• “JUST IN: Georg Ratzinger Has Passed Away at Age 96” (Zenit)

On June 18, Benedict XVI had surprisingly left the Vatican enclave for an emergency trip to see his brother one last time, whose health had seriously deteriorated. Speculation was high as to what this trip might mean for Benedict, whom an increasing number of Novus Ordo adherents and recognize-and-resist traditionalists believe is “still the Pope” due to an invalid attempt at resignation in 2013. We have nicknamed such people “Resignationists.”

Without doubt, Br. Alexis Bugnolo, leading Resignationist commentator, will interpret Fr. Ratzinger’s passing — as he does with anything else that happens — as yet further evidence that his brother is the true Pope.

The Ratzinger brothers were always very close. On June 29, 1951, both of them were ordained priests together by Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber in Munich:

As he is 93 and the passing of his brother will surely weaken him greatly, it may be surmised that Benedict XVI, the last surviving member of the Ratzinger family, will now himself pass away very soon.

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