Pope Benedict XVI, a saint and a friend of the people of Sri Lanka

(Feb. 27, 2013) Pope Benedict XVI is "a saintly man and a friend of Sri Lanka who on several occasions came out against the cruelty of war and the dangers of terrorism" said Fr Benedict Joseph, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Referring to the pope's decision on 11 February to give up the Petrine Ministry, Fr. Joseph said "We in Sri Lanka have great respect for him and feel close to him as a spiritual leader and as a friend,"
For Fr Joseph, Pope Benedict XVI was unique in many ways. He was a great thinker, a great theologian, a saintly pope who had to face many situations. His pontificate was not without conflicts and crises, but he had the endurance and ability to meet them with serenity. He really knew the heartbeat of the young and used social media to connect," he added.