Kindness, joy and humility

On 19 April 2005 at 6:44 pm, Joseph Ratzinger, who had turned 78 three days earlier, was elected 265th Pope with the name he chose: Benedict xvi . We all remember the few but charged words with which he introduced himself from the Loggia of Blessings: “Dear Brothers and Sisters, after the great Pope John Paul ii , the Cardinals have elected me, a simple and humble labourer in the vineyard of the Lord. The fact that the Lord knows how to work and to act even with inadequate instruments comforts me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers. Let us move forward in the joy of the Risen Lord, confident of his unfailing help. The Lord will help us and Mary, his Most Holy Mother, will be on our side. Thank you”. In 1981 he was appointed Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and thus began working with tireless ...