SAINT DOCTOR EMERITUS

Sure enough, Pope Emeritus kicks the bucket, and SVD savant, Vincent Twomey, pops up out of the woodwork.

There was a time when I thought Vincent might have a great future.

In a current piece in The Catholic World Report he describes the teacher Ratzinger when he studied under him at Regensbug university and how he was influenced by him in his own teaching career. The Ratzinger he describes is a million miles away from the Prefect of the CDF that we came to know in latter years. Vincent was subsequently a member of Ratzinger's Schülerkreis and remained so with Pope Emeritus.

He was a mighty editor of The Word and its farewell issue.

And today he appears to be campaigning for the canonisation of the late Pope.

At one time I imagined he might have ascended to the highest office and put an official stamp on his already well honed infallibility.

But, alas, it was not to be.

A consolation prize in the offing?

Vincent is currently in Rome for Pope Emeritus's funeral. When asked about Benedict he said he had seen him in September and given him a copy of his latest book.

Seriously, this man would be a catch for a PR job any day.