I was just curious what everyone thought about the appointment of the new Pope?
From watching the news there seems to be many questions as to being 78 and being appointed.
Then his older brother made a statement about his failing health. This is what his brother quoted..


Pope's brother 'concerned'
From correspondents in Regensburg, Germany
20apr05

THE brother of Pope Benedict XVI was "very concerned" and "shocked" upon hearing Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger had been elected as head of the Catholic Church, because of his age and frail health.

"I am very concerned," Georg Ratzinger, 81, said in a German television interview after the election of his 78-year-old brother.

"I would have thought his advanced age and his health which is not very stable would have been reason enough for the cardinals to pick someone else."

"But the cardinals made their decision and that is the will of God."

Mr Ratzinger, himself a prelate, was "shocked" upon hearing the news his younger brother had been elected pope.

"I got used to the idea during the night but it is still overwhelming," he said.

Mr Ratzinger said he had not spoken with his brother following his election, and expected to see him less often as he took on the job as leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics.

"We will still have close ties but we will be much less in contact," he said.

Mr Ratzinger said last month that he did not believe his brother had a chance at being elected pope because of his advanced age and his German nationality.
© Herald and Weekly Times

I guess Pope Benedict XVI has proved himself over the years to be chosen for this.

By Kaye on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 09:57 am:

I heard that part of why they chose him was because of his age. They didn't feel like it is the right time to have another pope for 30 years. Since things are in such transistion it would be easier to have a transistion pope.

I have found the whole pope process to be very interesting.

By Amecmom on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 11:29 am:

It's a sad day for the church. I was hoping for change - for a little more social progress. I just pray this guy doesn't take his time - however short it may be - to bring the church to an even more conservative and rigid postition. He's a hardliner and extremely inflexible.
I wonder how much of his indoctrination in the Hitler Youth has to do with his attitudes ...
Let's just hope we don't see pre Vatican II attutudes again - especially toward women.
Ame

By Kaye on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 12:15 pm:

What type of change were you hoping for Ame?

I remember a show talking about choices and as American's we have a whole list of ideas, but truthfully they are so different than the rest of the world.

By Ginny~moderator on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 02:06 pm:

While I am disappointed in the election of Ratzinger, I am not surprised. Let's remember that John Paul appointed over 80% of the cardinals of the conclave, and just like any other person making appointments, he would not have appointed people who did not generally agree with him.

I do view this as an "interim" appointment. I have heard much talk on the radio that many in the Church structure hope that the new Pope will travel less and pay more attention to administrative matters and structural issues.

I did hear one U.S. Bishop on NPR this morning, who said that he often reminded his flock that Catholics in the U.S. are about 6% of the entire Church, which is a nice interest rate but not by any means the largest part of the Church.

I read a lot of history. While I often disagree with the church, past and present, I will point out that over time (of which it has aplenty) the church has changed, and in this country and in most of the world it has been on the forefront of significant struggles for the rights of the oppressed and in caring for those who are otherwise outside of society, such as the homeless. On the whole, I think the Church comes out on the positive side in any balance. (And I say that as a person who is pro-Choice, mother of a gay son, pro gay rights, feminist left liberal.)

By Breann on Friday, April 22, 2005 - 10:21 am:

I heard on the news that they planned to select an older pope so that he wouldn't be pope for as long as Pope John Paul was. I guess 26 years under the same leadership was a little long?
I'm not sure how it works as I am not a catholic or a Pope follower, that is just what I saw on CNN.

By Dana on Friday, April 22, 2005 - 09:18 pm:

Breann, I was thinking the same thing. Not exactly with the same tone, but wondering why they would choose someone so old. Guess they already had it figured out.

By Mommmie on Friday, April 22, 2005 - 11:09 pm:

Well, he was the favorite so I'm not surprised he was the one elected. I'm not bothered by the youth Hilter association since I understood his membership to be compulsory and brief. Like y'all I understood them to desire a transitional Pope. Our local Bishop is a friend of this new Pope, he's German also, so he was all excited about this selection. Maybe the next Pope will be from another continent. But I think the chances of there ever being a Pope from the USA is slim to none.

By Bea on Sunday, April 24, 2005 - 11:47 am:

I was also hoping for the Catholic Church to move into the 21 century with a new Papacy. I guess the old boy's club has too firm a grasp on it. Sad.

By Missmudd on Monday, May 2, 2005 - 02:12 pm:

How fast do you really want the church to change? This is a huge organization spanning 2 centuries. I understand some of the misconceptions that have floated around but some of them are just plain crazy. Is the church ever going to give the ok to abortion or euthanasia? Of course not, I dont even understand why anyone would think that, or if you are catholic are actually pushing that. Birth control? Well I think that at some point there may be a loosening of that but only involving barrier methods. The pill, IUD, and female sterilization are potentially abortive in nature and I doubt will ever be OK'd. Married priests? Maybe, maybe not, but there is something very final about someone making that total sacrifice to hand over their entire lives to God. Not I am a minister today and when that pales a used car salesman tomorrow. A young priest on CNN said something like that he gave up the chance for biological children to spend his energy raising his spiritual children, his parish. I think that says it pretty well. Women in the priesthood, I dont know, call me oldfashioned but I doubt I would want a female priest. In my parish I am a lector, ran for our parish council (lost, but we have more women than men on the council), I dont feel marginalized as female, I can become a eucharistic minister if I chose. If I have a beef I talk w/ our priest and he listens to my concerns and acts on them if it is necessary. I worry that by watering down catholism to what everyone wants it to be that we will end up with nothing but water.