Surprises may lie ahead but rushing to conclusions a 'terrible pity'

Cardinal Connell: Cardinal Desmond Connell was clearly a happy man yesterday. "I am delighted," he said, describing his reaction to the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI, writes Patsy McGarry

"He has been a friend for 12 years," he said, referring also to his own period of membership of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) which had been headed by Cardinal Ratzinger from 1981 until the death of Pope John Paul.

Cardinal Connell recalled how the new Pope had always been "most attentive" in his former role whenever he had to bring Dublin diocesan matters to his attention.

While acknowledging Benedict had been something of a disciplinarian in his CDF role, he emphasised, "I would never see him as an aggressive man". He was "always most respectful" and Cardinal Connell had "never seen any evidence of divisiveness in Cardinal Ratzinger's dealings with the congregation".

On the contrary, the new Pope was "a man of extraordinary serenity". This quality had been evident at "the most testing moment of his life, when he was elected Pope . . . He wasn't crushed by the weight of the responsibility entailed, but seemed close to God".

He had "no doubt there will be surprises" under the new papacy and felt it would be "a terrible pity to rush to conclusions.

"Let the Pope have a chance," he said. We were now "going to see him in a new role" and "though he will not go back on what he has defended, I have the greatest confidence in Pope Benedict's vision as Pope." He had great admiration for him, he said.

The new Pope was "not simply a man of extraordinary weight within the church but outside as well".

He was "an outstanding European intellectual" who had received recognition in France, Germany and many other countries, he said.

He said the election of Benedict would be "a lift for the people of Germany. For the last 60 years they have been condemned". The new Pope's visit to Cologne for World Youth Day in August would be particularly significant and help "give new confidence" to the German people.

He hoped Benedict would visit Ireland, and recalled how, when his turn came to pay the Pope homage in the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday, he had conveyed to him "the loyalty and prayers of the people of Ireland", and it had been in his mind that the Pope might visit.

However, as he was no longer a member of the Irish Bishops' Conference, he did not feel free then to extend the invitation on their behalf.

Cardinal Connell welcomed the Pope's emphasis on collegiality in his address at the end of his first Mass as Pope in the Sistine Chapel yesterday morning. He noted Benedict spoke of "communion with the bishops" and commented "he would not have said it if it was not very important for him".

He felt similarly about the Pope's references to ecumenism. Addressing the description of reformed churches as "not churches in the proper sense" in the Dominus Iesus document, published by Cardinal Ratzinger in 2000, Cardinal Connell, who also helped prepare that document, said the phrase had been "an unfortunate translation".

The original Latin phrase had referred to "communio imperfecta", which he translated as "incomplete communion. 'Imperfecta' has its roots in Greek philosophy . . . It was never the intention of the congregation to be dismissive of the Anglican communion," he said, adding that "Rome has to be very careful about how documents are translated".

Speaking of this week's conclave he said the cardinals had been "pretty well prepared going in". It had been " a very prayerful, very serious task" and they had got to know each other so much better in their meetings since Pope John Paul died. "It was why the result came so quickly."

Speaking on RTÉ radio yesterday from Rome, Dr Connell agreed with the Pope's reported remarks when a cardinal that rock music was "a vehicle of anti-religion".

"You cannot deny that there is stuff out there in the rock area that is absolutely, incredibly poisonous. I have seen some of the lyrics and so forth. Honestly!" he said.

When asked about the Pope's attitude to Buddhism, Dr Connell said: "There is no doubt about it. The difference between Christianity and Buddhism is that Buddhism tends to be very self-centred whereas Christianity is an opening out to Christ who is not of the self."