- Title: Mixed feelings in France about former pope Benedict's legacy
- Date: 31st December 2022
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (DECEMBER 31, 2022) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SAINT AMBROISE CHURCH IN 11TH DISTRICT PEOPLE IN FRONT OF CHURCH PEOPLE ENTERING CHURCH SIGN READING (French): "HISTORICAL MONUMENT - SAINT AMBROISE CHURCH 19TH CENTURY" PEOPLE WALKING PAST (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH CATHOLIC, CELESTE DURAND SAYING: "I think he (ex-Pope Benedict) was a religious and a bit of a political figure who was inspiring. And for the Catholic population, he symbolised and represented a lot of things. Even in history, I think he was a huge figure." DURAND AND COMPANION TALKING AT CHURCH DOOR AND ENTERING (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH CATHOLIC, SUZY (REFUSED TO GIVE LAST NAME), SAYING: "He (ex-Pope Benedict) was very solid, he was someone who had a lot of certainty, on theological doctrine and all that. You know, we always criticise popes for being against abortion and against homosexual marriage, things like that. But I think all Catholics are in agreement on this matter. It's in the Gospel, we cannot go against it. It's our faith, we cannot contradict it, whether it's the pope, the bishop, or laymen. Of course we can be welcoming to everyone, we can understand those who live difficult lives. But we cannot say we are for abortion. It's always a failure, always a tragedy." (SOUNDBITE) (French) PARISIAN, MARIE (REFUSED TO GIVE LAST NAME), SAYING: "I think he was a thinker, an intellectual, I don't think it was a good idea for him to be pope. I'm sorry that he's dead, it's everybody's fate. He was surely a very strong thinker, but the positions he took on abortion and homosexuality were really of a different age, I think. His dogma -- he was not living in the same world. He lived in a protected world, not real life. He was far from reality. I hope he goes to paradise anyway." PEOPLE IN FRONT OF CHURCH
- Embargoed: 14th January 2023 13:46
- Keywords: Catholic church French catholics Pope Benedict
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Europe,Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001969431122022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: French Catholics expressed mixed feelings over the legacy of former Pope Benedict following his death on Saturday (December 31).
Some outside a Catholic church in Paris' 11th district admired his tough stance on abortion and homosexuality while others saw him as too much set in the past.
Benedict, who in 2013 became the first pontiff in 600 years to resign, died on Saturday aged 95 in a secluded monastery in the Vatican where he had lived since stepping down, a spokesman for the Holy See said.
For nearly 25 years, as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Benedict was the powerful head of the Vatican's doctrinal office, then known as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF).
A church-goer, Suzy, said Benedict may have been criticised for his strong stance against abortion and homosexual marriage, but "all Catholics are in agreement" with him.
But a Parisian, Marie thought otherwise, saying Benedict his positions on such issues were "of a different age".
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