A much younger new Pope, one possibly coming from Africa or South America, may well result from the surprise resignation yesterday (Monday) of Pope Benedict XV11.
That is the view Edwina Fogg, Marlborough’s Mayor, who is a Catholic and a former head of religious studies at St Mary’s School, Calne, where she took students on trips to Rome on three occasions.
“I would not be at all surprised if that happened,” she told Marlborough News Online. “It is something that has been speculated on in the past.”
“There has been an enormous growth of Christians in Africa and other burgeoning populations. So, yes, it is quite likely.”
“As well as being a sad time, it is also one of challenge.”
“It is always an extraordinary occasion when the Cardinals come together and everyone waits for that white smoke coming out of the chimney. It’s a very dramatic moment when we have a new Pope.”
Mrs Fogg was equally shocked when Pope Benedict made his announcement – in Latin – at a meeting of the Cardinals in Rome, no suggestion that it was going to happen being leaked in any way.
“Most people felt that shock because not only hasn’t it happened in one’s lifetime, but it is something that hasn’t happened in 600 years,” she said.
“The papacy has been so transformed since Pope John Paul. People want to see them – and images of them – in their own countries round the world. The present Pope has travelled and been on Twitter.”
“At the age of 85, he has just been an extraordinary Pope. He had a hard at to follow the previous Pope. And he has done it extremely well.”
“He has held things together – he was previously known as the Rotweiller. He has had awful things to combat like the sex abuse scandal. He has obviously thought about his position and realises that modern Catholics probably demand a lot more than ever before.”
The Mayor added: “In the past, you could just sit there in the Vatican amid all your officials and you could do all the masses, even if you were old and doddery.”
“However, what is required now is something very, very different. He was certainly the caretaker Pope. So I imagine we might be looking for a younger candidate for the next one.”
“Someone from Africa or South America is very likely to be a possibility.”
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Prayers for Pope Benedict at St Thomas More, Marlborough Marlborough’s Catholic priest, Father John Blacker, praised Pope Benedict as a man of faith and courage who had taken a brave decision. Prayers were said for him at St Thomas More, Marlborough, and special services are to be held there and at The Holy Family, the Catholic church in Pewsey – the two churches have a combined congregation of 180 — to recognise his papacy. Father Blacker revealed too that he had lobbied Claire Perry, the Tory MP for Devizes, who is a committed Christian and has given her support to the government’s legislation for gay marriage. “We wish the MPs hadn’t voted that way,” he said. “We believe marriage is between a man and a woman and you can’t change the holy scriptures and the meaning of language in that way.” |
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