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| Vatican adjusts to new era | |
| 2005-04-21 | |
| VATICAN CITY - The Vatican started Thursday to adjust to a new era under Pope Benedict XVI as the wider world took a first measure of the man who has emerged from the shadow of his charismatic predecessor. As theologians analysed his first homily as the head of the Roman Catholic Church, the cardinals who elected him sought to tone down his image as a harsh champion of "He is extremely friendly, very warm, very humble and open, and I think he will win the hearts of young people," Portuguese Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins said. "Although he may come across as a bit distant, in reality he is not. Those who know him personally know that it is a great pleasure to be with him because of his good humour, joy and friendliness." France's most senior cardinal, Jean-Marie Lustiger, said Benedict XVI would not seek to imitate his predecessor John Paul II but still act in a way consistent with the late pontiff's work. He said Joseph Ratzinger's former post as head of the Vatican's top doctrinal body had led to a false perception of him as overly authoritarian. "People only remember his condemnations, but forget that he also stimulated reflection on difficult, even burning, topics," he said. "If you call it conservative and traditional to proclaim the Church's true faith, as all bishops and all Catholics are supposed to do, then yes, he is a conservative and traditionalist."
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| Posted by:Steve White |