Reactions from the Vatican - Maltese Cardinal says Pope's decision courageous

Maltese Cardinal Prospero Grech believes the Pope took an “honest and courageous step” when he announced his retirement on Monday. “Like everybody else it came as a surprise, though looking back we should have had some sort of inkling. In some of his speeches and writing he had at least spoken theoretically of a Pope abdicating... Except at the time it didn’t cross anybody’s mind,” Mgr Grech told The Times.   Mgr Grech, 87, spoke to Ariadne Massa. (See video).