And now, to what do you wish to dedicate yourself?
I will finish a book I have already begun on the ancient Gregorian Rite and the several conferences and seminars regarding this theme. And I will return to parish work, which is most gratifying.
And where will you live?
I will remain here in the Vatican. I remain a Cardinal, what happens is that I no longer have to "clock in". I will remain in Rome, but I will have more time to go to Colombia.
And how do you feel?
I am happy that the Lord has allowed me to reach this age in good health. I feel happy with the projects which I advanced. I do not think about the past quarter hour, I think of the upcoming quarter hour. One never retires who is comitted to Christ.
And what projects were these?
In Ecclesia Dei, I set three goals for myself, and I could accomplish them. First, that all priests of the world could be able to celebrate the Mass freely, that the ancient Rite were freed without opposition to the new one, and not being obligatory. Second, to make the richness of this rite known; and, third, to remove the excommunication of the Lefebvrian bishops, and to bring them closer to the Church once again.
How did the scandal due to this last issue end?
It was temporary, but it caused much damage. They (the Lefebvrians) were excommunicated because they were ordained without an authorization, not fot anything else. When the excommunication was lifted, the declarations, erroneous, of Bishop Williamson, who denied the Nazi Holocaust, appeared. But one thing was unrelated to the other.
It was speculated, at that moment, that the relation with the Pope was fractured...
Not at all! My relationship with the Holy Father has always been very good, and it remains so.
Thank you, dear Cardinal, for your great service to Holy Mother Church!
