On Benedict XVI, Newman, and Pushkin (the Cat)

One of the lesser known, but cooler bits of the Papal visit to Britain:

It's no secret that B16 is a cat-lover -- the residence Joseph Ratzinger built on a cul-de-sac outside Regensburg in the 1970s (and still owns) is famously decorated with porcelain felines, the stories abounded shortly after his election of how, on his walks home from the Holy Office, the former CDF prefect would be followed by a single-file line of seemingly every stray in Rome, and in 2008 an unusual papal bio hit the shelves: a children's book on Benedict's life... "as told by a cat" (its foreword penned by none other than the Pope's private secretary, Msgr Georg Ganswein)...

After private prayer in Cardinal Newman's room the Pope descended in a lift. As the door opened, right on cue, he heard a cat mewing, and looked pleasantly surprised. The Provost ran after the Vatican TV crew and photographer who were exiting down the road and they rushed back to record the historic encounter.

Fr Anton Guziel, one of the community, went and fetched the half Persian black cat into the papal presence. The Pope was delighted to meet the cat sporting the Papal colours, with a yellow and white ribbon about his neck. He inquired as to Pushkins' age - he is ten years old – and told the delighted feline in German, that he was very pretty. Pushkin extended a paw to the Pope who took it smilingly. He stroked him under the chin and tickled his ears whilst Fr Anton held him. According to Fr Anton, Pushkin maintained “a dignified and prayerful silence” throughout the encounter....

Pushkin now expects to be placed on the Papal Christmas card list.

That's rather cool.