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**Cardinal Ratzinger asked to resign in 1997, become Vatican librarian **
When Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger turned 70 in 1997, he asked Pope John Paul to relieve him of his duties as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and permit him to become archivist of the Vatican Secret Archives and librarian of the Vatican Library, according to Cardinal Raffaele Farina, who has held the latter two positions since 2007.
In May 1997, Father Farina was appointed prefect of the Vatican Library-- a position just below that of the cardinal librarian. Later that year, he met with Cardinal Ratzinger.
Cardinal Farina’s recollections add new details to remarks made by Pope Benedict in 2007. In an address to the staff of the Vatican Apostolic Library and the Vatican Secret Archives, he alluded to his desire to become Vatican librarian.
Interesting insight into our Holy Father.“I confess that, on reaching 70 years of age, I would have liked for beloved John Paul II to permit me to devote myself to study and research into the interesting documents and materials that you carefully conserve, true masterpieces that help us to review the history of humanity and of Christianity,” the Pontiff said.