Paul KeenanFormer Pope offers frank interview
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has spoken of the clear sanctity of his predecessor Saint John Paul II Pope during his pontificate.
In an interview conducted with Spain’s La Razon newspaper, the Pope Emeritus recalled his time serving as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith during the John Paul II pontificate, stating: “In the years in which I collaborated with him, it was ever clearer to me that John Paul II was a saint.”
Offering an invaluable insight to an historic papacy, the Pope Emeritus summed up his predecessor’s style as a “courage for truth”.
“John Paul II did not ask for applause nor did he look around worried about how his decisions were going to be received,” the Pope Emeritus stated. “He acted based on his faith and his convictions, and he was also willing to take hits. The courage for truth is, in my view, a primary measure of holiness. Only by looking first at his relationship with God is it possible to also understand his unfailing pastoral determination.
“My memory of John Paul II is filled with gratitude. I couldn’t and shouldn’t try to imitate him, but I have tried to carry forward his legacy and his work the best that I could,” Benedict XVI said.