pope benedict XVI

it is interesting to learn that Cardinal Ratzinger, before being elected Pope, headed the office in the church which would correspond to the office responsible for great inquisition during the medieval ages. a great number of people consider him as an ultra-conservatist and his homily during the burial mass of the late pontiff john paul II reflects his theological standing.

but it is equally interesting to know that he was one of the chief liberal intellectuals that entered the Second Vatican Council in the 1960's. perhaps, this fact can either be taken as a good sign or a grimly omen to what is ahead in the next decade or so. one may say that inside that facade of rigidity and frightening firmness burns the heart of a temperate tolerant. or, God forbid, one can say that the church has been successful in demonizing his freethinking spirit making it cold, impersonal and obstinate for the sake of the law. it's hard to say, really. and so with a weird sense of amusement, i say this cliche: only God knows.

during the time of the early christians, peter and paul took on complementary tasks of leading the people in setting up the church. peter to whom the key of heaven was said to have been handed to by jesus, was more of the policy-maker. on the other hand, paul who was originally a persecutor of the christians was the evangelizer to the gentiles.

from this, it is not surprising that based on their names, john paul II and Benedict XVI will trudge / have trudged a similar path from that of their predecessors in building the church in the 21st century. john paul II was the envangelizer, having traveled the most of all the popes in history, having canonized one of the greatest number of saints (i have to check on this one), and having pushed for ecumenism. and from the looks of it, benedict XVI is going to be peter. to give a little background, benedict XV was the pope during world war 1. although he did not have the power to dictate the outcome of the war, his role as a diplomat was instrumental in saving the lives of many soldiers and civilians in a divided Europe, constantly negotiating with the different parties to save one human life at a time. now, benedict XVI"s main challenge is to unite a divided church through diplomatic discussions with the other cardinals, congregation leaders and other important religious. issues like situational ethics (liberal theology), scarcity of priests (corollary to this is the admission of women to the priesthood and lifting the vow of celibacy), and other internal matters. as one journalist said, "benedict XVI will likely be a house-pope."

again, we can only speculate.

i have always considered myself as a left-wing catholic. and the news of having not only a conservative pope but also a distant one, is less than settling. but just the same, i'm thankful that there is a new pope. watch the reruns of his first address / blessing to the world. the sight of the people rejoicing in saint peter's square is really moving.

rejoice! we have a pope!