Pope Benedict XVI “a symbol of peace and harmony,” says CBCI

New Delhi – Welcoming the news of the election of the new Pope, Benedict XVI, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), the apex body of the Catholic Church in the country, has announced in a statement that the election of Cardinal Ratzinger as the new pontiff will aid speed up the peace process in the world.

Calling Pope Benedict XVI “a symbol of peace and harmony,” Father Babu Joseph, the CBCI Spokesperson and Director of Media/Information Office, said that more than one billion Catholics in the world are overjoyed, for “with the demise of His Holiness Pope John Paul II, the universal Church was in search of a shepherd” and Cardinal Ratzinger had filled in that position.

“The Universal Church looks forward to his effective and dynamic leadership in the coming years,” he said.

Father Joseph said that archbishops and bishops from 149 dioceses of India along with 16 million Catholics of the country rejoice at the election of the new Pope.

“They pray for him as he assumes his new responsibility as Pope Benedict XVI,” he said.

The CBCI Spokesperson said that Pope Benedict XVI is deeply spiritual person and an accomplished thinker and at the same time a humble and charming personality.

Pope Benedict XVI is the 8th German to serve as Pope and the first since the 11th century.