Posted on 03/14/2021 6:23:11 PM PDT by marshmallow
Rome Newsroom, Mar 10, 2021 / 04:30 am MT (CNA).- Cardinal Robert Sarah on Wednesday rejected claims that he and Pope Francis are enemies, in his first interview since stepping down from his Vatican post.
In an interview with an Italian newspaper published March 10, the Guinean cardinal said he has “tried to be a loyal, obedient, and humble servant of the truth of the Gospel.”
“Even though some journalists continually repeat the same nonsense,” he told Il Foglio, “I have never opposed the pope.”
An English translation of the cardinal’s interview was published by the National Catholic Register March 10.
On Feb. 20, Pope Francis accepted Cardinal Sarah’s resignation as prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Sarah had submitted his resignation to the pope when he turned 75 in June 2020, as Church norms dictate.
Before his resignation, Sarah was the most senior African prelate at the Vatican, appointed head of the liturgy department by Pope Francis in November 2014.
Sarah said in his interview that when Pope Francis told him that he had decided to accept the resignation, “I immediately replied that I was happy and grateful for his decision.”
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicnewsagency.com ...
Was Sarah expected to resign?
Sarah had submitted his resignation to the pope when he turned 75 in June 2020, as Church norms dictate.“
That’s the usual cover story. I would have expected that his resignation would have been declined.
Well, it isn’t a cover story— that is an established norm in the Church. However, the fact that Pope Francis accepted Cardinal Sarah’s resignation when he isn’t required to, I’m sure there’s more there than meets the eye. I follow Cardinal Sarah’s career closely, and there has been no indication that he had any intention of retiring if he had a choice.
We agree on Cardinal Sarah: an excellent candidate.
“I follow Cardinal Sarah’s career closely, and there has been no indication that he had any intention of retiring if he had a choice.”
Really sad to see him gone, he was the best hope for the Vatican. Perhaps there are others like him, out there, some place.
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