Cardinal López Rodríguez: “Election of Benedict XVI means hope for the Church”

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Apr 26, 2005 / 22:00 pm

The Archbishop of  Santo Domingo, Cardinal Nicolás de Jesús López Rodríguez, pointed out that "Pope Benedict XVI’s election means a moment of great hope for the Church”.

“The Holy Father, having known John Paul II so closely, and having been the man on whom he placed his total confidence in these 22 years as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, will guarantee total faithfulness to the Gospel” he assured.

The Purpurate pointed out to Fides Agency that the election of the Pontiff opens a series of expectancies, because he clearly said that he will work for the sake of Reconciliation. “The reason to choose his name indicates his will to commit himself to the reconciliation among the peoples, as Benedict XV did, who lived the days of World War I, and had to work hardly for reconciliation and peace”, he said.

Cardinal López Rodríguez showed his total confidence that, according to Vatican II, the path of dialogue and the ecumenical effort might be important missions of the Pontiff. “In the person of the new Pope –he added- everything fits properly, because he is a man of deep faith, a man of the Church, and a man who feels with the Church”.

Finally, Cardinal López Rodríguez exorted all dominicans to pray for the new Pope, because he is a “true gift that the Lord has granted us”.