Looking Back at 2010, Vatican Radio, January 1, 2011

Looking Back at 2010

Vatican Radio
January 1, 2011

http://www.oecumene.radiovaticana.org/en1/Articolo.asp?c=450284

[with audio]

As 2010 draws to an end, we look back at the past 12 months to revisit some of the main events and highlights of this past year for Pope Benedict and the Vatican.

John Allen is senior correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter in the U.S. and is one of the world’s best known commentators on Vatican affairs. He is also the author of several books on the Catholic Church. Susy Hodges began by asking him whether he felt Pope Benedict and the Church had come out stronger after being buffeted by the clerical sex abuse crisis during the first half of 2010.

Whilst acknowledging that the abuse crisis clearly "made the first half of 2010 an extraordinarily difficult period for the Church" Allen believes that Pope Benedict has emerged from it with "a profile as a reformer on this issue" ..and "has always been on the side of those pushing for a more aggressive response." At the same time, he also believes that the Church has "not yet rounded the corner" and says "the fallout from this crisis is with us for some time to come."

Allen goes on to comment on Pope Benedict's very successful visit to Britain in 2010 describing it as "a breakthrough" and "a real watershed moment" in terms of helping to change peoples' opinions.