Pope seeks quiet retirement, brother says

Speaking to reporters at his home in the southern German city of Regensburg, Monsignor Georg Ratzinger, who was ordained on the same day in 1951 as his brother Joseph, said he didn't expect Benedict's continued presence in the Vatican to intimidate the next pope.

"It's possible he (the next pope) may ask for advice," said Ratzinger. "I think it's quite likely they will talk."

It is the first time in nearly 600 years the Catholic Church is faced with the problem of how to deal with a former pope living on into his successor's term.

"We have no experience with a retired pope," said Rudolf Voderholzer, the bishop of Regensburg who is also in charge of the institute that publishes the pope's theological works.

Voderholzer said that even if Benedict does continue to write — as he did prolifically before and during his papacy — no new works would be published during his lifetime that might be seen as speaking directly to the faithful.

"Anything he published could be conceived as interference in the work of the next pope," he said.

The 85-year-old Benedict shocked the world Monday by announcing that he planned to step down from the papacy at the end of the month.