Benedict’s resignation an example for future Popes: Frederico Lombardi (Vatican spokesman)

Benedict XVI’s decision to resign in February, paving the way for the election of Pope Francis, has

set an example for future pontiffs, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said Friday. 

The German-born Joseph Ratzinger, whose papacy was tarred by cases of child sex abuse by priests and other scandals, was the first leader of the Roman Catholic Church to relinquish his position in over 600 years.

 Benedict, who turned 86 in April, said he was too old to carry on. “It is a choice that left a mark on this year and will continue to leave a mark on the Church’s future epochs. Indeed, I think it will have consequences for future pontificates. It opened a way, let’s say a possibility,” Lombardi said on Vatican Radio.

 He said Benedict acted with “great lucidity and great humility” to give the Church a leadership of “renewed vigour,” which under Francis “actually happened in an impressive and unexpected way.” In the first nine months of his papacy, Francis has laid the groundwork for major financial and administrative reforms and worked hard to present the Church as compassionate and forgiving, rather than punitive and doctrinarian.

 Lombardi said that Francis’ style of preaching should “expand and become the norm throughout the Church,” whereas ” for the moment it is something that we see in Rome and that is very concentrated around his person.” 

 The Vatican said the number of followers across Francis’ nine Twitter accounts in various languages now exceeds 11 million. As of next month, small groups of Roman parishioners will be allowed into the Vatican to attend the pope’s morning masses in the Chapel of Santa Marta.

 -Sap

http://www.thenewage.co.za/115065-1020-53-Benedicts_resignation_an_example_for_future_Popes_Frederico_Lombardi_Vatican