Readers have asked me to revisit this compelling and yet overlooked piece of evidence, which might be the single most compelling in the whole set of “visible manifestations” of Pope Benedict’s conscious retention of the Petrine Office.  Pope Benedict XVI still gives the Apostolic Blessing, and folks, he does it IN WRITING, when there is absolutely ZERO situational pressure upon him to do so.

Here is the closing of the ARSH 2017 letter from Pope Benedict XVI Ratzinger to an unnamed German Cardinal that leaked last year.

“Let us pray, as you did at the end of your letter, that the Lord comes to the rescue of His Church. I bless with my apostolic blessing,

Yours,

Benedict XVI”

Folks, the Apostolic Blessing is the PAPAL BLESSING.

“I bless with my apostolic blessing.”

And then signed with his Papal name.

But I’m the crazy one, and the Barnhardt Thesis is nothing more than the uneducated rantings of a “dippy” “convert”.

Youbetcha.

Pope Benedict XVI Ratzinger, whether he likes it or not, is the one and only living and reigning Pope, having invalidly attempted to “partially resign” the Papacy these six years ago.  The Papacy can not be bifurcated nor fundamentally transformed into a “collegial, synodal office” by anyone, including the Pope himself, because the Papacy was established by Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Himself and is thus immutable.  For a Pope to attempt such in a resignation of only the administrative/governance component of the Petrine Office, but NOT the Office in toto would render such resignation invalid per the “substantial error” clause in Canon 188, forcefully affirmed by Canon 332.2 which demands that the Roman Pontiff, if he should resign, resign the OFFICE (muneri), not merely a ministerial component or components of said Office.

I would, at this point, bless you all with my Apostolic Blessing, but I can’t, because I’M NOT THE POPE.

So, I’ll just wish you a very good evening, and assure one and all of my continued prayers.