Aboard the flight to Africa Pope Benedict was asked:
"Many newspapers speak of the 'solitude' of the Pope.
What is your view on this?
Do you really feel alone?"
"Many newspapers speak of the 'solitude' of the Pope.
What is your view on this?
Do you really feel alone?"
Pope Benedict XVI replied:
"To tell the truth
this myth of my solitude makes me laugh.
I do not feel alone at all.
Every day I hold meetings with my closest collaborators, first among them the secretary of State. I see all heads of the dicasteries regularly, each day I receive bishops on their ad limina visits: lately all the visits have been bishops, one after another, from Nigeria and from Argentina. We had two plenary assemblies --one of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the other of the Congregation for Clergy. We had some friendly discussions, we are a network of friends. Besides, my Mass companions from Germany came recently for a day to talk to me."
"Truly, I am surrounded by friends in a marvelous collaboration with bishops, with my collaborators, and with lay people, and I am grateful for this."
"Truly, I am surrounded by friends in a marvelous collaboration with bishops, with my collaborators, and with lay people, and I am grateful for this."