Pope Benedict admitted to asking himself why so many children had to suffer in natural disasters such as the Japanese earthquake.
The admission came on a television programme the pontiff participated in. Pope Benedict went on to say “We don’t have the answers, but we know that Jesus suffered as innocent children suffer.”
The pope’s comments on suffering came in response to a question from a seven year old Japanese girl about why so many children had to suffer in natural calamities. It was one of seven chosen from more than 3,000 submitted in the last month.
One of the most moving questions was put by the parents of a 40 year old man who has suffered from multiple sclerosis since 1993 and has been in a vegetative state for the last two years.
Francesco and Maria Teresa Grillo asked Benedict whether the soul of their son Francesco remained within his body or was elsewhere given his degenerating mental state.
The Pope told them: “Certainly his soul is still present in his body.”
“The situation is a little like a guitar which has had its strings broken and can no longer be played….the soul cannot be heard but it remains within.”
“I’m also sure that this hidden soul can feel your love, even if it cannot understand the details, the words. But it feels the presence of love.”
The parents’ round-the-clock care for their son was “a testimony to faith in God, to respect for human life,” the Pope said.
Benedict also responded to questions about the civil war in Ivory Coast, calling for greater dialogue between Islam and Christianity, and the dangers endured by Christians in Iraq.
The programme, “In His Image,” was the first time a pope appeared on TV to answer questions.
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News category: World.
