Although Cardinal Hollerich was never close to the former head of the Catholic church, he still has some vivid memories of him, including the simplicity of his sermons and the softness of his voice.
When asked about opinion differences between him as a more liberal-leaning catholic and the more conservative pope from Germany, Cardinal Hollerich argued that it is healthy for people to disagree, but said that they were still connected by their faith.
He also addressed accusations against the late pope, who is said to have helped cover up cases of abuse during his time as archbishop of Munich: “One has to set it in the context of a time when every bishop around the world did the same thing.”
Today the situation is different, argued Cardinal Hollerich, who also thinks that it should be investigated whether similar abuses occurred in schools and sports clubs over the years.
Cardinal Hollerich sees himself much closer aligned with Pope Francis and denied recent rumours about a decline in health and potential retirement of the head of the Catholic church. Hollerich hopes that the course set by Pope Francis will continue and that the hierarchy will slowly be dismantled.
This represents a big step forward for the Catholic church, noted the Cardinal. When asked about rumours that he himself might succeed as pope, Hollerich explained with a smile that other cardinals are much more suited to the position.
