Card. Bassetti: Pope had “courage”, he “believes in the ability of the elderly to dream”. “Most important thing” is the call from the youth of “Mondo x”

“Having learned the news of my appointment as president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI), my first grateful thought goes to the Holy Father who has had the courage to entrust me with this responsibility at the twilight of my life”.

Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti said this to the press, following Pope Francis’ recent decision to appoint him as the new president of the CEI. He was chosen by the Pontiff to succeed Card. Bagnasco from a list of three candidates submitted by the Italian Bishops. “This is truly a sign that he believes in the ability of the elderly to dream”, the Cardinal said, citing the Book of Revelation: “Even elderly people will have dreams and visions”. “Now that something has happened beyond my expectations, there is something that gives me great joy, a small thing which means a lot to me”, the Cardinal revealed: “a phone call from the youth of ‘Mondo X’ of Fr. Eligio, who told me: ‘Do continue to be a father to us’. This was the most important thing to me”.