Reactions to the death of Pope Benedict XVI

OTTAWA — The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops remembered Pope Benedict XVI for his work in dealing with abuse by members of the clergy and for reaching out to Indigenous people affected by residential schools.

“As Canadians we are especially grateful for his efforts to heal the wounds of our past,” the bishops said in a statement.

Benedict was praised for being the first pope to meet victims of abuse by members of the clergy.

“He publicly acknowledged the scourge of abuse by these clergy, apologized for it, and strengthened church processes to respond to allegations,” the statement said.

Benedict also invited a Canadian delegation, made up of representatives of indigenous communities, Catholic dioceses and religious communities across Canada, to a meeting in April 2009 to discuss residential schools.

“During this meeting, the pope listened to their stories and expressed his regret and sadness for the sorrow suffered by many Indigenous people in the residential school system,” the statement said.

— UNITED NATIONS — U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres paid tribute to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI as “a humble man of prayer and study.”

Guterres said the late pontiff was “principled in his faith, tireless in his pursuit of peace, and determined in his defense of human rights.”

___ LONDON — Britain’s King Charles III said he received the news of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s death “with deep sadness,” saying he fondly remembers meeting with the former pontiff during a visit to the Vatican in 2009.

“I also recall his constant efforts to promote peace and goodwill to all people, and to strengthen the relationship between the global Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church,” Charles said in a message to Pope Francis.

___ MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin described Pope Benedict XVI as “a prominent religious figure and statesman (and) a staunch defender of traditional Christian values.”

A telegram to Pope Francis published on the Kremline website said that, during Benedict’s papacy, full diplomatic relations were established between Russia and the Vatican “and relations between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches were developed.”