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There has been a mixed reaction to the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as Pope. The news was warmly received by practicing Catholics while persons who hope to see reform in the Catholic Church gave lukewarm greetings or were visibly upset. From outside the Church especially in northern Europe, an irreverent hostility has marked the first moments of his papacy. His image is that of a man of the mind rather than of the heart, a man who destroyed liberation theology and who has been the standard bearer of the traditional doctrine of the Church.
Essentially a conservative, he has opposed the ordination of women priests, the life style of gays, while championing priests' celibacy. Many are questioning whether his rigid doctrinaire stance contrasts too vehemently and harshly with the lifestyle of an ever-growing secular society. Many are asking whether as a rigid conservative he is out of step with the times.
In contrast to his predecessors Pope Benedict XVI is a known quantity, his beliefs are transparently expressed in his writings, he does not mince his words and much to his credit, he made known especially, during his homily to the late Pope John Paul, where he stands prior to his election by his peers. In electing him the cardinals knew who they were choosing, they chose for both continuity with his predecessors rule and conservation. His declaration about the dangers of the dictatorship of relativism and the individuality of truth, though shocking in the secular world are music to the ears of practicing Catholics who seek certainty. To this extent he is a rock. His message is clear, being a member of the Catholic Church involves difficult choices. No space for a la carte personal decisions. He believes in substance and disdains appearances. The Church will be asking its faithful to look inwards and to ask the most pressing questions about their faith. The Church will ask for commitment rather than succumbing to calls for it to change. To this extent we believe he will win the respect of many, but risks alienating too, especially those in post-modern secular societies. The Church's ultra-rigid stand on contraception, HIV and AIDs risks marginalising many people especially the young in the Church. It would be a pity, if these condemnations were not rethought. This is most unlikely to be the Ratzinger way.
Having said that, in his first days he is softening his image. His warm praise of his predecessor, his public appearances, his reaching out and commitment to work for dialogue both within the Church and with other Christian dominations are most praiseworthy. This willingness is symbolised in his choice of name Benedict, the patron Saint of Europe and the believer in the unity of Christian churches.
The election of a person of his age, the oldest in the last three hundred years was a clear message in favour of continuity and for placing the challenges of modernity on the back-burner. The Church can delay hard decisions but with the passage of time - it is unlikely any radical changes will be introduced before the election of the next Pope - questions must eventually be placed on the Vatican agenda. Rigid dogmas that demonise certain aspects of modern lifestyles risk marginalising a growing number of people who yearn for understanding from a compassionate church. This is the challenge facing Pope Benedict XVI. Time will tell whether his humanity and compassion will reign over his strict defence of Catholic orthodoxy. Ratzinger's position since his election as Pope has changed. He is no longer exclusively the prefect of the congregation of the doctrine of the Church. He is now the head of the Church which places upon him the responsibility to deal with the concerns and problems of all his flock. He is the bonus pater familias of the church. He cannot simply ignore the concerns of some of his flock. His greatest challenge and indeed his legacy may turn out to be the way he tackles secularisation, especially in Europe.
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