Salzburg, December 31, 2022 (KAP) Although the current Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who died on Saturday at the age of 95, differ in style, the two “are in great agreement” on Church doctrine. This was underlined by the Archbishop of Salzburg and president of the Austrian Bishops’ Conference, Franz Lackner, in a studio interview on the federal state program ORF “Salzburg Today” on Saturday evening. In this Lackner also recounted a last meeting with the deceased Pope Emeritus after the ad limina visit of the Austrian bishops to Rome 14 days ago.
“On Saturday, after the end of the ad limina visit, I was able to visit Pope Benedict and celebrate Holy Mass with him,” Lackner said. Although he was “very tired” and spoke in a low voice, he was able to talk with the pope emeritus about topics such as philosophy, theology and people’s beliefs, Lackner said. What will shape him in a special way is a cross that Benedict gave him during the visit. He wanted to wear it from now on, the archbishop said.
At the end of the meeting, the Pope emeritus blessed him and the archdiocese of Salzburg, with which he had a “very special relationship”, said the president of the Bishops’ Conference. According to Lackner, it was not the scandals that caused Benedikt to resign from office on February 28, 2013. Rather, Benedict recognized that the forces were no longer sufficient. Knowing the time had come, Benedikt “humbly resigned,” Lackner said.
