She added: “I think he is very interested in bringing women to the Vatican, which is scary for Benedict XVI’s old guard.
“They don’t really like the idea, but Francisco is aware that things have to change, otherwise the church will sink.”
Cardinal Grech praised Francis’ decision, saying he “emphasized the need for the whole Church to reflect on the place and role of women within the Church”.
The alleged dispute between the two popes started after Benedict XVI controversially left office in 2013, paving the way for Francis to take over.
It was the first time since 1400 that a living pontiff resigned, and Benedict XVI’s presence continues to be felt throughout the Vatican.
Although Benedict XVI promised to allow Francis to do his job, opponents of 93 years were trying to silence him in a German biography last year.
He claimed in ‘Benedict XVI – One Life’ that he was at the center of the dispute and was the victim of an “evil distortion of reality” as a result of his attempts to intervene in religious debates.
In the book, he said: “The spectacle of reactions that come from German theology is so wrong and malicious that I prefer not to speak of it.