AUSTRALIA
Advertiser
By NICK MILLER
Feb. 12, 2013
THE surprise resignation of Pope Benedict XVI – the first by a pontiff for almost 600 years – has led to calls for his replacement to be the Catholic Church’s first black leader.
In a letter to his Catholic brethren Pope Benedict, 85, said his advanced age and the pace of change in the modern world had left him unable to “adequately fulfil the ministry entrusted to me”.
Tributes have poured in from religious and political figures around the world – but many also expressed their shock at the news.
Some commentators argued that the Roman Catholic Church should take the opportunity to modernise, after eight years under Pope Benedict in which it was accused of being overly conservative, and hobbled by sexual abuse scandals.
Cardinal George Pell, born and educated in the Victorian town of Ballarat, has long been touted as a candidate for Pope.
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