We have an excellent relationship. As soon as Pope Francis) hears that we are in Rome, he opens all doors for us. He often offers us his help, even in minor matters. Once he said to us: ‘I have problems when I do something good for you. I help Protestants and Anglicans... why shouldn't I also help Catholics?’ Some want to prevent reconciliation. We are a disruptive factor in the Church.

The demand for justice, rising from the families of the victims of paedophile priests in America and beyond, must be answered. And the Church itself in the past has not done everything possible to punish and prevent, sometimes preferring to hush up and cut short. But if there is one Pope who has not hidden in silence and embarrassment, but has strongly denounced crimes and omertà, it is Pope Benedict XVI. His ‘Letter to the Catholics of Ireland' is the most courageous document the Vatican has produced on the subject in its history.

And that is all the Pope is saying to another human being. God made you the way you are, and loves you for it, and wants you to be happy as yourself. How much agony and pain has there been across so many centuries because we could not open our hearts to this truth? It is so strange to me how so many nonbelievers can see in this Pope’s interaction with others the spirit of Jesus, and how so many of the most devout seem terrified by it.

Abbiamo un ottimo rapporto. Appena [Papa Francesco I] viene a sapere che siamo a Roma, ci fa aprire tutte le porte. Ci offre spesso il suo aiuto anche in questioni più piccole. Una volta ci ha detto: "Io ho problemi quando faccio qualcosa di buono per voi. Aiuto protestanti e anglicani...perché non dovrei aiutare anche i cattolici?". Alcuni vogliono impedire la riconciliazione. Noi siamo un fattore di disturbo nella Chiesa.

I thank everyone, priests, religious and laity for the affection towards our Pastor, and especially you children, who are the loving face of Christ for the world.

La richiesta di giustizia, che sale dalle famiglie delle vittime dei preti pedofili in America e non solo, deve trovare una risposta. E la Chiesa stessa in passato non ha fatto tutto il possibile per punire e prevenire, preferendo talora sopire e troncare. Ma, se c'è un Papa che non si è nascosto nel silenzio e nell'imbarazzo, ma ha denunciato con forza i crimini e l'omertà, quello è papa Ratzinger. La sua «Lettera ai cattolici d'Irlanda» è il documento più coraggioso che il Vaticano abbia prodotto al riguardo nella sua storia.

Without denying the scandal of the abuses committed by some, the pastoral shortcomings of others, and the limits of human nature, I am happy to see how much priests and deacons, religious men and women, lay Christians, women and men, are committed to the service of the Church. I thank them for supporting each other in the mission.

I like highlighting a specific charism of this theologian pope: his ability to communicate important issues of the faith in a language accessible to all the Christian people. This specific characteristic makes the most of the spiritual and cultural training of this Pontiff and is also a particular gift for all believers, who look to the Pope so they may feel steadfast and directed in their faith, and that happens when the Christian people hear words accessible to all.

Un capitolo della storia della Chiesa è stato chiuso. Se parliamo del pontificato, ci sono diverse opinioni. È unanime l’apprezzamento per l'impegno di Francesco con i migranti, i poveri e per superare le divisioni tra il centro e la periferia; dall’altra parte, però, in alcuni momenti è stato un po’ ambiguo, ad esempio quando con Eugenio Scalfari ha parlato di resurrezione. Con papa Benedetto abbiamo avuto la chiarezza teologica perfetta, ma ognuno ha i suoi carismi e le sue capacità e penso che papa Francesco li avesse più nella dimensione sociale.

We need to become more aware of the intrinsic treasure in the magisterium of the Church, which throughout the centuries has been enriched and has given life to our community. And today the Pope, together with the bishops, is trying to make it even more vibrant for society today. To be ready to listen, that to me is very important. Then we need to respond in such a way that our language can be understood by the people.

La sintonia è profonda. Il Papa riesce ad arrivare a tantissime persone, tocca il cuore, riscalda, fa sentire amati, fa sentire la Chiesa vicina alla gente, una Chiesa che ti ascolta, che si appassiona al tuo problema. Il Papa ha una grande visione pastorale e annuncia nella lingua e con le categorie di oggi le verità di sempre. Oltre tutto ci aiuta a capire che il sociale e lo spirituale sono intimamente uniti. E guai a dividerli.

This situation leads me to reflect more and more on the message of Our Lady of Fatima, who warns us against the evil—one even more serious than the very serious evils suffered because of the propagation of atheistic Communism—of apostasy from the faith in the Church. Paragraph 675 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that ‘Before Christ’s second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers,’ and that ‘the persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth will unveil the ‘mystery of iniquity’ in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth.’ In such a situation, the bishops and the cardinals have the duty to proclaim true doctrine. At the same time, they have the duty to lead the faithful to make reparation for offenses against Christ and for the wounds inflicted on His Mystical Body, the Church, when the faith and discipline are not preserved correctly and promoted by her pastors. If the Pope does not perform his duty for the good of all souls, it is not only possible but also necessary to criticize the Pope. This criticism must follow Christ’s teaching about fraternal correction in the Gospel (Mt. 18:15-18). First, the lay person or the pastor must express his criticism privately, which will allow the Pope to correct himself. But if the Pope refuses to correct his seriously defective way of teaching or acting, the criticism must be made public, because the common good in the Church and in the world is at stake. Some have denounced those who have addressed their criticism to the Pope publicly, as though it were a display of rebellion or disobedience, but asking him—with due respect for his office—to correct confusion or error is not an act of disobedience but rather an act of obedience to Christ and therefore to His Vicar on earth.

I do not see anything bad here. It is legitimate in terms of doctrine to turn to the pope and express an opinion – and it is also just that he would respond.

Interviewer: That’s in fact what the pope is reported to have said in an interview published this morning in La Repubblica when asked before the elections what he thought about Donald Trump. “I do not pass judgement on persons or politicians, I just want to understand what are the sufferings that their way of proceeding causes to the poor and the excluded,” the pope is quoted as saying. Cardinal Cupich: That’s right, and I think before an election it is important that we do not single people out and speak about them in a personal way. That has never been our our way of acting, and it is disturbing that some have deviated from that tradition and practice. We need to return to speaking about these issues without speaking directly about individuals and criticizing them personally.