- Title: VARIOUS: Latin America reacts to news of Pope Benedict's upcoming resignation
- Date: 11th February 2013
- Summary: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (FEBRUARY 11, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF STREET SCENES (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BOGOTA RESIDENT CLAUDIA CANO SAYING: "The thing is that he a bit old and he wants to rest. It is too much, he has had to deal with too much, the parents of children who were molested. I think that that has left him really tired." STREET SCENE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BOGOTA RESIDENT ALICIA GOMEZ SAYING: "The Pope also has the right to get sick. If he is sick to the point where he cannot carry out his functions, then he should resign." LA PAZ, BOLIVIA (FEBRUARY 11, 2013) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF CHURCH INTERIOR OF CHURCH VARIOUS OF MILIXA RIVERA PRAYING GENERAL VIEW OF IMAGE OF GOD (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MILIXA RIVERA SAYING: "I think the Pope has been very brave in stepping down. He knows his health is very bad and he won't be able to continue as the years go on while another pope in better (health) conditions may be able to do it." PEOPLE WALKING IN STREETS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ANDRES IVANOVICK SAYING: "I completely agree that we need strong, healthy, wise and saintly men to lead the church." LILIANA VASQUEZ SITTING IN PARK (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LILIANA VASQUEZ SAYING: "It's a shame what has happened to the pope, right when the world needs peace and we all need to be feeling well. We hope the Vatican announces something as soon as possible and we have a new pope." HAVANA, CUBA (FEBRUARY 11, 2013) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF CITY CUBAN FLAGS VARIOUS OF CITY (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) 71-YEAR-OLD RETIREE GEORGINA GONZALEZ SAYING: "The world is very complex and turbulent right now, and this could be because of internal and external pressures because it really, truly surprising." VARIOUS OF PAINTER CARLOS MARTINEZ WORKING ON CATHEDRAL (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PAINTER CARLOS MARTINEZ SAYING: "With Pope John Paul things were better. That's what I think. It's just my opinion. This Pope Benedict is our pope, and if he steps down that doesn't mean we step down from Christ." VARIOUS OF PIGEON ON CROSS
- Embargoed: 26th February 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Cuba
- City:
- Country: Cuba
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAAV7SF0UYGDL1STQQNNBER1E8W
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: Latin American reacted on Monday (February 11) to Pope Benedict's stunning announcement that he will resign later this month as rumours circulate the Roman Catholic Church may elect its first non-European leader-- and it could be a Latin American.
The region already represents 42 percent of the world's 1.2 billion-strong Catholic population, the largest single block in the Church, compared to 25 percent in its European heartland.
In Colombia and across the region, local airwaves were buzzing with the news of Benedict's resignation.
Bogota resident Claudia Cano suggested the ongoing saga of child molestation charges against the Catholic Church had rendered the Pope 'tired'.
"The thing is that he a bit old and he wants to rest. It is too much, he has had to deal with too much, the parents of children who were molested. I think that that has left him really tired," Cano told Reuters Television.
In La Paz, Bolivia, Catholics flocked to local churches after hearing the news.
Among the faithful was Milixa Rivera, who said she feels the Pope made a wise decision.
"I think the Pope has been very brave in stepping down. He knows his health is very bad and he won't be able to continue as the years go on while another pope in better (health) conditions may be able to do it," she said after praying at a local altar.
Out on the streets, Bolivian Andres Ivanovick also thought the pope was running out of strength to complete his duties.
"I completely agree that we need strong, healthy, wise and saintly men to lead the church," he said.
However, Liliana Vazquez lamented the resignation, hoping the Church would name a successor soon.
"It's a shame what has happened to the Pope, right when the world needs peace and we all need to be feeling well. We hope the Vatican announces something as soon as possible and we have a new pope," she said.
In Cuba, where both Benedict and Pope John Paul have visited in the past years, residents reacted with surprise.
The papal visits to Cuba are credited for drawing a veil off Catholicism on the island after Fidel Castro's communist government officially banned organised religion.
Georgina Gonzalez, a 71-year-old retiree, was shocked at hearing the news, and chalked it up to a 'turbulent world'.
"The world is very complex and turbulent right now, and this could be because of internal and external pressures because it really, truly surprising," she said.
Carlos Martinez, a painter working on a Havana cathedral, didn't sound heartbroken about seeing Pope Benedict be replaced.
"With Pope John Paul things were better. That's what I think. It's just my opinion. This Pope Benedict is our pope, and if he steps down that doesn't mean we step down from Christ," he said.
After Pope John Paul and German-born Benedict, the post once reserved for Italians is now open to all. Who gets the nod depends on the profile of the new pope that the cardinals who elect him at the next conclave think will guide the Church best.
Two senior Vatican officials recently dropped surprisingly clear hints about possible successors. The upshot of their remarks is that the next pope could well be from Latin America.
If the next conclave really is Latin America's turn, the leading candidates there seem to be Odilo Scherer, archbishop of the huge diocese of Sao Paolo, or the Italian-Argentine Leonardo Sandri, now heading the Vatican department for Eastern Churches. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
