Reactions after the advertisement of the election of Benoit XVI

This article aims at collecting an anthology of international reactions after the advertisement of the election of Benoît XVI, occurred Tuesday, April 19, 2005 in the Vatican.

International organizations

United Nations

Kofi Annan, general secretary of the United Nations, congratulates Benoît XVI. " The general secretary congratulates His Holiness the pope Benoît XVI for his election with Papacy. Its Holiness brings a very great experiment to this function élevée".

the Council of Europe

Rene van der Linden, president of the parliamentary Parliament of the the Council of Europe: " I congratulate Benoît XVI very cordially for his élection". It expresses " confiance" in the capacity of the new pope with " to promote the fundamental values of our organization which are the human rights, the democracy and the State of droit".

European Union

Jose Manuel Durão Barroso, president of the European commission: " I delighted personally by the choice of the conclave and remain convinced that your Holiness will continue with determination and force the work of its famous predecessor Jean-Paul II in favor of comprehension between the people and peace in the monde". " In the name of the Commission, I would like to express enthusiastic wishes so that a length and happy pontificate make it possible Your Holiness to work for the dialog between the religions and the universal values and for the defense of the human rights and the dignity of the person humaine". " I request Your Holiness to condescend to approve the homage of my very deep respect".

Europe

Germany

Gerhard Schröder congratulates Benoît XVI, describing it as " worthy successor of Jean Paul II". " It is an great honor for Allemagne" , the chancellor added.

Joschka Fischer, minister German ecologist of the Foreign affairs, indicates that the advertisement of this election is " accommodated with a great joy interfered hopes in the whole world and well beyond the Catholic church. I delighted particularly that a pope of our country was élu".

Hans Kueng, theologist German protestor, estimates that the election of Joseph Ratzinger is " an immense disappointment for innumerable personnes" , but that nevertheless " is needed; to give a chance to new the pape" Benoit XVI.

the German Episcopal conference: " Much did not believe that can be possible after the cruel events which one can still feel and who started from Germany to the 20th siècle". " That falls although, nearly 60 years after the end of the Second world war - we think particularly of the day of the German capitulation (May 8th) -, a German cardinal can after so much of time being elected with this high load of Église". " We want to thank the cardinals who elected it for this important sign. That can encourage our country in many aspects".

Wir sind Kirche, German catholic protest movement: " We would have hoped that the cardinals deliberate longer and found somebody who is not such clear preserving line, such as it was expressed Monday by the Ratzinger" cardinal;. " The task which it has in front of him is very heavy and one can only hope that it remembers that it took part in the Council the Vatican II, and that he realizes in his new task and with the wisdom of the age which he cannot control only such a task, and which he has need to adopt a style of dialog within the Church catholique". " That the Holy Spirit gives him courage so that its decisions are not dictated by the anguish, but that it has confidence in an evolution of the Church of the third millennium towards an opening towards the women, a new attitude with respect to sexuality, an opening towards the œcuménisme".

Horst Köhler, German president: " That fills us of joy and a little pride that one of our compatriots became pape". He thinks persuaded that the new pope " will continue to engage like its predecessor for dignity of the man and peace in the monde".

Spain

Jose Shine Rodriguez Zapatero, chief of the Spanish government, addresses its " more cordial félicitations" with the new pope.

Josep Ignasi Saranyana, ready and Spanish theologist of Opus Dei: Benoit XVI, " will launch a mission towards the outside and the interior of Église". He will have in heart of " to promote the institutional presence of the Church in the monde". This pope goes " to find the missionnaire" spirit; and " to launch a mission towards the outside and the interior of Église" , which supposes an action towards " the countries which do not know Christ" but also " évangéliser again the world occidental". Lastly, it will have in heart of " to dialog with the culture moderne" and of " to foment the participation of the catholics in the political life, economic, on all the levels of the société".

France

Jean-Marc Ayrault, president of the socialist group to the National Assembly: the election of " Benoit XVI, obviously, it is not a sign of ouverture" but " one will see, one will judge on parts, one sometimes had surprises". " I do not know if Benoit XVI will be before all the chief of an apparatus as in a political party, or it will be capable of conversions prophétiques". " It was seen that Jean XXIII had been capable". If " each one must remain in its place, I am an political official, in laic France, which respects the convictions of those which believe or do not believe, the election of a pope it is also a fact politique". " Beyond the religious convictions, it is true that the word of a pope counts on the scene internationale".

Christine Boutin, appointed of Yvelines and president of the Forum of the social republicans (associate in UMP), expresses his " confiance" in the new pope, seeing in the choice of the first name of Benoit, " patron saint of Europe, the strong concern of Europe réconciliée". It is " the pope that it us faut" , it estimates.

Jacques Chirac, president of the Republic " addresses to the pope Benoît XVI my most cordial congratulations and my very sincere wishes for the high mission which comes from him to be entrusted to the head of the Church catholique".

Jean-François Cope, government spokesman: " The president of the Republic addressed a message of félicitations" with the new pope who was " the occasion to recall the very intense dialog which had proceeded throughout the pontificate of Jean Paul II between France and the Vatican in particular, with regard to peace, the respect of the man and human rights on the whole of our planète". “All that has vocation with poursuivre". " There is some spirit of continuity: it is the wish of France".

Jean-Marie Le Pen, president of the National front, wishes " long vie" with the pope and " long life with the chrétienté". In an official statement, it is made the interpreter of the whole of the movement of the National front.

Bruno Mégret, president of the National republican movement (MNR) is delighted by the election of Joseph Ratzinger, who " denounced always the misdeeds of the materialism and defended with strength the family and the identities nationales".

Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Prime Minister " form the wish which the pope lately elected can prolong the work and the action of Jean Paul II for fraternity and the paix". It " wish that the relationships of trust and of respect which link the pope and the Holy See be able to be expressed fully in the high mission of the pope, with the service of peace and dignity humaine".

the abbot Pierre estimates that " the men change with the functions that they occupent" and that " could not; not to envisage what will be this pape". The abbot, 92 years, also affirmed to want " to document itself on the personality of Benoit XV because, if the Ratzinger cardinal took the name of Benoit XVI, it is that he wants to take as a starting point sound prédécesseur". Benoît XV, who was pope of 1914 to 1922, has much work for peace and the Pierre abbot thinks " that there is a message".

Dalil Boubaker, vice-chancellor of the mosque of Paris wishes that the pope Benoît XVI, forget " the conservatism of the Ratzinger" cardinal;. " I hope that the new pope will forget the conservatism of the Ratzinger cardinal to the profit of a highly spiritualized vision, highly open, exceeding the framework of the dogmas and the doctrine".

Roger Cukierman, president of the Representative council of the Jewish institutions of France (CRIF): the cardinal Joseph Ratzinger " was very close to Jean Paul II whose work for a bringing together between Jews and catholics was considerable, I deduce from it that Benoît XVI will continue the work of Jean Paul II and will continue to treat the Jews in frères".

Pasteur Gill Daudé, person in charge of the oecumenical relations at the Protestant federation of France (FPF), affirms that it " show the coup". " One shows the blow, the Ratzinger cardinal was the man who refused to recognize other Églises" , explained Pasteur Daudé." " It can surprise us, it is the positive glance which I can porter" , he affirmed, while recalling that the Protestants " will make with the pope who is to them donné".

Jean-Arnold de Clermont, president of the Protestant federation of France receives " with inquiétude" advertisement of the choice of the cardinal Joseph Ratzinger like new pope. " The Protestant federation remembers that Joseph Ratzinger is the man (...) of the not-recognition of other Églises". " We await new pope an oecumenical sign of opening in the spirit of the council of the Vatican II". " We form the wish which the Holy Spirit, which accompanied the conclave, inspires Benoît XVI in the control of its Église".

the abbot Antoine de Rochebrune, vicar of Opus Dei in France: " The election of Joseph Ratzinger is a blessing for the Church (...) the new pope knows well the problems of the Church universelle". " During his pontificate, Jean Paul II had evoked on several occasions the signs of a new spring of the Church. With Benoit XVI, the “new Evangelization” will carry on its way in the heart of the men of good volonté".

Philippe of Chalard, president of the association of the defense of the identity catholic (Adic, integrist), estimates that Benoît XVI " a rigor of théologien" has; and that it there " will not have surprise with lui". Affirming " satisfait" , he added that the cardinal Joseph Ratzinger " will go right in the lines of the Church and will be firmer on the oecuménique" question;. " Will it be able to keep the same line as Pape? future us it dira" , he concluded.

Daniel Duigou, priest reformist and French psychoanalyst said his fear that the election of Joseph Ratzinger does not precede a " revenge of overcome of the Vatican II". " My fear, it would be that one directs oneself towards a church of combat, with a return to fundamentalism and dogmatism in an urgent need reassure itself vis-a-vis a modern society which makes peur".

Mgr Roland Minnerath, archbishop of Dijon: " Any pope is preserving, it must take care of the doctrines. But Benoît XVI therefore is not closed with the société". Joseph Ratzinger is " a man fine, intelligent, very simple".

Haïm Musicant, managing director of the Representative council of the Jewish institutions of France (CRIF), wish that the new pope " keep the positive heritage of Jean Paul II" , by preserving " a strong dialog and a respect mutuel" with the Jewish community.

Odon Vallet, specialist French in the religions, qualifies Benoît XVI of " shining reactionary but not preserving who will react to the evolutions modernes". It " will be Magpie IX of the 21e siècle". " The cardinal Ratzinger, man brilliant and tempting, has to be combined the voices of the cardinals of the countries pauvres". " Its election, added Odon Vallet, will give pleasure with Bush US president because it is close to its positions on the religious plans and profane". " The dialog, concluded Odon Vallet, will be difficult with the orthodoxe ones and even more with the protestants". (Declarations, Tuesday, April 19)

Mgr Andre Vingttrois, archbishop of Paris says " very heureux" that Joseph Ratzinger was elected because " he has eminent qualities which will develop in its new mission pontificale". Mgr Vingttrois also said " very happy of the speed with which the conclave has abouti" to elect the new pope Benoit XVI, showing that the " cohesion had been fast with faire" on a name to bring its sincere and subsidiary congratulations to the Holy Father Benoit XVI".

Mgr Jean-Pierre Ricard, president of the Conference of the bishops of France, is delighted and says " thank you for any heart to the ground of Germany which gives one of its sons to Rome and the whole world! " " The Catholic church has just received new Pasteur, Pape Benoît XVI. We are delighted and we return grace: God does not give up his Church! " he added.

Frère Roger, the founder and prior of the ecumenical community of Taizé (Saône-et-Loire) made of its hope that " the new generations are constant to live Gospel aujourd'hui". " The first words of Benoit XVI were for “the large pope Jean Paul II”, him which raised such a hope in the humaine" family;.

Mgr Hippolyte Simon, bishop of Clermont-Ferrand, delighted by the election of the pope Benoit XVI, a " new pasteur" that it accommodates " in the confiance". " Like successor of the Pierre apostle, it is charged to strengthen us in the faith with Christ and to serve the unit of all the Church. We accommodate it in the confiance". " At the same time as it is established to serve the intimate union with God, the Church has to work with the unit of all mankind. With Benoit XVI (...), we will continue to contribute our share for the service of the fraternité". " We entrust this pope to God so that its ministry bears fruits of spiritual life and paix".

Jean-Luc Sheep, director of the weekly magazine protesting Reform: " One is not especially enthusiastic, the sign given by the Catholic church is the most preserving example, hardest in the field of the doctrine". " But one is trustful in the understanding of the cardinals who named this man: perhaps this is that which it was necessary to ensure a certain continuity with Jean Paul II". " This election is the reaffirmation of the unicity of the Catholic church and its exceptional character, the other Churches being regarded by it as secondaires". The cardinal Joseph Ratzinger " is a man intelligent" who, because it is German, " is accustomed to the Churches protestantes" , but " he evolved/moved in his intellectual, spiritual advance and became the spearhead of an identity reaffirmation catholique".

Christian Terras, editor association of the catholic magazine Golias reformist, marked on the left: " It is a test for the Church to have Ratzinger. The work of restoration will find there a man even more radical than Jean Paul II. One will attend a resumption in hand of the government of Église". It ensures that the site of Golias was " flooded emails of people, including priests, who wonder whether they remain in the Catholic church or pas". " One is at the edge of a rupture".

Italy

Silvio Berlusconi greets " with dévotion" Benoit XVI, and addresses to him its wishes for a pontificate " fécond" with the service of all humanity. " Saint Father (...), I wish to forward to you the most enthusiastic wishes of the Italian government like mine. In this so important moment for Christianity and the whole world, I express with Your Holiness the wish of a fertile and wise Apostolate for the good of humanity all entière".

Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, president of the Italian Republic: " It is one moment of great joy for all Italiens". The Head of State stresses that Italy and the Vatican were committed " in the defense of common values: the family, solidarity, justice, the liberté".

the the Community Sant' Egidio of rite catholic and Italian, known origin for its diplomatic actions in several contemporary conflicts, is " moved by the election by a new pope and a new bishop by Rome". " The conclave immediately and unanimously decided for a man who comes from the Concile Vatican II and for a son from pontificate from Jean Paul II". " The conclave also chose a man who enracine deeply in the great lessons of the XXe siècle". " The name of Benoît XVI points out the memory of Benoît XV, which tried to solve the First World War, but it refers also to Saint Benoit, owner of Europe".

Arcigay, the Italian main association of defense of the homosexual ones: " These last years, the Ratzinger cardinal offended several times the homosexual people and transsexuelles". " Inside the Church, it reduced to silence any voice being dissociated from a medieval vision of the faith catholique". " It is about the author (...) of the documents offensive and disparaging against the homosexuels".

Daniele Capezzone, general secretary of the party of the Italian Radicals: " That the Saint Spirit us protège". The last homélie pronounced by the German cardinal Ratzinger of " testimony impressive, anti-modern, absolutist, fondamentaliste".

Monaco

Albert II, prince of Monaco, addressed its " respectful félicitations" with the new pope Benoit XVI in a message returned public Wednesday by the press service of the principauté." At the time of the rise in Your Holiness to the Papal Throne, my family and myself let us ensure It of our enthusiastic prayers for the size of Its Pontificate and let us request It to condescend to accept our respectful félicitations" , the new sovereign of the principality writes, where Catholicism is religion of State. " With the population of the Principality, this text adds, we form the very deferent wish that the achievement of this eminent and heavy spiritual mission of universal range is marked out very many satisfactions".

Poland

Lech Wałęsa estimates that the election of Joseph Ratzinger is " a good choice. The historical leader of the Polish trade union Solidarity, a close relation of the pope Jean Paul II, adds: He will continue the mission of our Jean-Paul II ".

Aleksander Kwaśniewski, Polish president: " We accommodate with confidence and hope the choice with the head of the Church of a representative of the German people, with whom we proceeded to a historical reconciliation and build Europe commune" together;. " We see in the election of your holiness the will to continue the work of the large popes of the last decades, consisting in reinforcing the values such as peace, justice and the réconciliation".

Romania

the Rumanian orthodoxe Church, greets the new pope Benoît XVI. " Considering the good knowledge which the pope Benoît XVI has of the Eastern churches, we hope that the good relationships with the orthodoxe ones will continue at the time of sound pontificat".

The United Kingdom

Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of the 70 million Anglican, estimates that the election of Joseph Ratzinger is " of great importance for all chrétiens". " He is a theologist of large stature, which wrote major reflections on the nature of God and Église".

the Council of the Moslems of Great Britain (MCB), main organization representing Islam in the country, congratulates the new pope and ensures it of the support total" Moslems on the " social questions, morals and politiques" , which is to them " communes".

Tony Blair, British Prime Minister: congratulate the German cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and ensures it of all its " better wishes for the success of sound pontificat". He says ready " to continue (its) co-operation with the Holy See on subjects of great international importance like Africa and Développement".

Elizabeth II, Queen of England and temporal chief of the Church Anglican of England, and her husband the duke of Edinburgh addresses to Benoît XVI a " personal message with their best vœux".

Russia

Vladimir Poutine, the Russian president, congratulates the new pope. " Russia wishes the continuation of a constructive political dialog and an united action with the Holy See, in order to help to solve the world problems and to reinforce kindness, justice and humanisme".

the deacon Andrei Kouraïev, theologist of the Russian orthodoxe Church: Benoit XVI " is an honest man, of principle, intelligent, a man with whom it is very interesting to have a dialog, and even the dissensions with him can appear interesting and utiles". " It is a man open to the creative dialog with the Church orthodoxe". It " was the thinking head of the Vatican, at least during the last décennie".

Switzerland

the Conference of the Swiss bishops calls upon God " so that the ways of the unit of the Christians can converge still more in the confession of the common faith as a Jesus-Christ and the conscience of our mutual enrichissements". " In the person of the new Holy Father, the bishops and the catholics in Switzerland recognize the 264e successor of Saint Pierre. According to the mission entrusted by Jesus to this last and like its predecessors, it will confirm his sisters and his brothers in the foi".

Africa

Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the Algerian president: " It is with joy that I learned your election with the head from the Catholic church, thus succeeding Its Holiness the Pope Jean Paul II, who contributed much to encourage a true dialog between the religions and the cultures". " I am convinced that, under your pontificate, this dialog will be reinforced to lead to a better comprehension between the people and to a reinforcement of peace in a world more disturbed than ever and in the search of its balance and its sécurité". The Algerian president is ready to bring his " full support with such a démarche" and its " contribution (...) to help to alleviate the conflicts and to make prevail peaceful solutions based on comprehension, the equity and the respect of the autre".

South Africa

Desmond Tutu, archbishop Anglican: “We would have loved somebody more opened on the most recent developments of our world, on the question of the ordination of the women, somebody having a position more judicious about the condoms and the VIH-AIDS”

America

The United States

the the United States greet the election of the pope Benoît XVI and are stated in a hurry to work with him, indicates the State Department in an official statement. " We are in a hurry to work with Its Holiness and the Holy See to reinforce our already excellent bilateral collaboration and to promote human dignity in the monde".

Asia and Oceania

Afghanistan

Hamid Karzai, the president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan: " I congratulate the cardinal Joseph Ratzinger for his accession with the papauté". " In the name of the Afghan people, I wish with his holiness all success in his news fonctions". I " also congratulate the Vatican and the conclave on the cardinals who took part in the vote".

India

catholic Union of India: " The catholic community of India is delighted, with the Christian community of the whole world, to have a successor appropriate to Jean Paul II". " The pope Benoît XVI is a strong man, a strong figure and I am sure that it will have an impact of size on international peace and the cause of the poor in the monde". " Its vigorous support for the life and human dignity, the human rights and the freedom of religion give the rules of substance for a spiritual and religious democracy in the world and the bases for total peace and the équité".

the rabbi of Tel-Aviv, Israel Lau, an survivor of the Shoah, estimated that new sovereign pontiff " is not known to be a friend of the people juif" and still " Like child of the Nazi Germany and former member of the Youths hitlériennes, a fact for which it never publicly repented, we exhort the pope with (...) making sure that the future generations will remember the lessons of Holocauste"

Iraq

Yonnadam Kanna, the only Christian deputy of the Iraqi Parliament: " We are frankly very content with the fast nomination of Benoît XVI and hope that it will continue on the way of Jean-Paul II. We hope that it will continue the policy of peace, safety and stability in the world, particularly for our country where violence is if grande". According to him, " a Christian important delegation, directed by the patriarch (chaldéen Mgr Emmanuel) Delly, will go to Rome to celebrate the election of new the pape" and churches in Iraq " will hold of the special services for the pape".

Japan

the Japanese government " express its sincere félicitations" , with new sovereign pontiff. " With our new Pope, we them catholic let us must face several challenges like helping the poor, the children and the refugees, making respect the women's rights and the life humaine".

Syria

Bachar el-Assad, the Syrian president, presents to sovereign pontiff his " better wishes of health and bonheur". " That God supports your mission in the interest of the humanité". " We are attached to continue the work started with your predecessor Jean-Paul II (...) with which we had agreed to work for peace and justice in the world, and for the friendship and the dialog between the religions and the civilizations". " The relations had been reinforced between Syria and your predecessor, the pope Jean-Paul II, which had gone in pilgrimage in our country on the traces of Paul" Saint;.

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