Pope Benedict XVI is leaving the Roman Catholic Church in terrific shape and has paved the way for a smooth transition for his successor, the Catholic Association says.
“Pope Benedict was a great reformer and he has left the church in great shape as far as housekeeping,” Maureen Malloy Ferguson, the group’s senior policy advisor, told Newsmax.
Ferguson said the 85-year-old pontiff wasn’t afraid to tackle tough issues, including the exploding priest sex scandal, during which he spearheaded sweeping reforms designed to further protect children.
Now that he is stepping down, the pope will lead a cloistered life in Vatican City, but there’s a good chance we’ll be hearing from him in the future, thanks to his love of writing.
“He has said he would like more time to write, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he continued writing,” she said.
The Catholic Association, dedicated to uniting Catholics and spreading the word of Catholicism, isn’t speculating on who will be the next Pope, but he will most likely be a much younger man who could serve longer.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case,” Ferguson said.
But she said she doesn’t see radical policy changes ahead, noting there will continue to be a “consistency in church teaching,” the same as it has been for 2,000 years.