NORTHERN IRELAND
News Letter
By Aine Fox
Published on Monday 11 February 2013
THE mood in Rome following the shock resignation of Pope Benedict XVI is one of complete surprise, a Northern Ireland-born priest there said.
Fr Aidan McGrath, from Banbridge, said that, although the news was totally unexpected, he saw it as a positive thing that retirement is still an option within the church.
The 58-year-old, who works in canon law and is Secretary General of the Order of Friars Minor in Rome, checked the Internet on Monday morning after someone said there was a rumour circulating that the Pope – who was elected in 2005 – was to retire.
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