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Pope emeritus Benedict XVI. / Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk.Rome Newsroom, May 2, 2022 / 07:08 am (CNA).
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI reportedly commented on the consequences of the Ukraine war during a meeting with Germany’s Bavarian minister of the interior on Sunday.
According to German media, during a conversation about the war, its refugees, and the role of the Catholic Church, Benedict said: “Only through the joint cohesion of state, society, and churches, with the personal commitment of thousands of women and men, can we prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and alleviate the suffering of the people.”
The statement was reportedly made during a private meeting between the pope emeritus and Joachim Herrmann, Germany’s minister of the interior of Bavaria, at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery in the Vatican on May 1.
Herrmann visited Benedict XVI to deliver the greetings of the people of Bavaria for the retired pope’s 95th birthday, which was on April 16.
“On behalf of the Bavarian state government and the Bavarian Prime Minister, I bring you the very best congratulations from my homeland in Bavaria. You can look back on your life’s work with great gratitude,” Herrmann told Benedict XVI, according to the German Press Agency (DPA).
The politician wished Benedict XVI “all the best, above all good health and of course God’s blessings. I can assure you that many people in Germany and especially in Bavaria are with you in their thoughts and prayers.”