Pope Benedict XVI.

Following Sean Corfield’s post about Pope John Paul II…

I just learned that the new pope is a German – after ca. 480 years of absence from providing the head of the Catholic Church.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, which was used to be his name in the real and legal life up to now, is expected to follow the ideas and the plans of John Paul II., so what one might see in the mid-term future is again a very conservative Catholic Church and probably just a few reforms. The first reactions over here in Germany were very mixed. Some hardliners really appreciated him to be the new pope but a lot of groups interested in a modernized Catholic church were really disappointed, even the word “catastrophy” came up in the press.

It’s going to be interesting, I’m one of the guys who just can remember to John Paul II. as being “the pope” as I was four years old when he was elected. I’m no Catholic and not even a Christian, so I don’t have to deal with the religious implications this election might result in. Nevertheless I grew up in the Christian-influenced culture, so he was present all over my life. However: It’s hardly deniable that the Catholic Church still is a global player in politics also and the words of Benedict XVI. will probably have some weight in this world – despite a lot of people leaving the Catholic Church during the last years.