A Fresh Face in the Vatican: Initial Take on Leo XIV - "Quite Charming"
Archbishop Finds Pope Francis' Impression to Be 'Quite Appealing' - A Clergyman's Perspective: Leo XIV Described as an Enticing Male Figure
The Catholic Church in Germany gazes upon the papacy of the new Pope Leo XIV with a mix of hopefulness and anticipation, as per Berlin's Archbishop Heiner Koch. His initial words? "We'll chat with him pronto, we're feeling pretty optimistic." Unabashedly confident, Koch believes sharing the plight of the German Church - its strengths and pitfalls - can be effectively communicated to the Pope. His first impression of the new Pontiff? Quite charming.
Koch couldn't contain his delight that "the cardinals struck gold on a Holy Father so swiftly." While he anticipated a smoke signal by Friday, he's now glad "things wrapped up swiftly for the Church worldwide."
- Vatican
- Heiner Koch
- Leo XIV.
- Catholic Church
- Germany
- Pope
- Berlin
Additional Insights:
Interestingly, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne, another key figure in German Catholicism, has expressed his feelings about the new pope. Cardinal Woelki seemed surprised by the election of Pope Leo XIV, praising the new pontiff's "warmth and empathy" and expressing hope for theological clarifications on synodality[1]. Furthermore, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz extended his congratulations to Pope Leo XIV on his election, indicating a positive reception from the political sphere[4]. However, specific reactions from Archbishop Heiner Koch regarding the new Pope can be found in additional sources or statements from him or related news outlets. The overall sentiment in Germany appears to center around the Pope's potential role in bridging social divides and fostering Church unity, as highlighted by Cardinal Woelki[1].
- Archbishop Heiner Koch, from Berlin, shares the sentiments of the Catholic Church in Germany towards Pope Leo XIV, expressing optimism and hopefulness about their new Pope.
- Cardinal Heiner Koch finds Pope Leo XIV to be quite charming in his initial encounter with the new Pontiff.
- Surprised yet pleased, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne praises Pope Leo XIV for his warmth and empathy, and anticipates theological clarifications on synodality.
- The European Parliament, amidst concerns over the Middle East, has not yet issued a statement expressing confidence or addressing the election of Pope Leo XIV, unlike Archbishop Heiner Koch, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
