The Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) has described Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation as an honest expression of how he feels at 85.
ZEC president Ignatius Chama, who was commenting on the decision by Pope Benedict XVI to resign from the papacy after over seven years as the head of over one billion global Roman Catholic Church community, said that being 85 was not a joke.
“The responsibilities that he has need somebody who has both physical and spiritual strength. He realises that his physical health cannot be sustained and as you know he has been reflecting,” the independent Post newspaper Wednesday quoted Chama saying.
“The Church provides for that (resignation). There is a provision in the Church law,” Chama of Zambia’s Kasama Archdiocese further said.
The Archbishop said Pope Benedict worked very hard during his tenure and that his papacy had brought honour to Zambia, following the appointment of the country’s first indigenous Cardinal, Joseph Medardo Mazombwe.
“He has come out being very honest of what he is going through at 85, We should pray for him that wherever he is going to spend his life, he is going to remain valuable to the Church.”
Pope Benedict, in his resignation notice, said he no longer had the strengthen to fulfil the duties of the papal office.
Pana 13/02/2013