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Recently, very unexpectedly, Pope Benedict XVI Ratzinger announced that he’s going to resign. Now, the world’s guessing who’ll be the next Pope of Rome and what the destiny of the Roman Catholic Church in the rapidly changing world may now be. Quite a few analysts predict that, most likely, the next pope would be of Latin American origin, and that he’d conduct a very tolerant policy towards Muslims.
Now, Benedict XVI is 85 years old. His tough attitude towards homosexuality, abortion, and the Harry Potter book series is well-known. Besides that, he’s made several tough statements against Islam during his pontificate. He’s always sharply condemned those ensnared in paedophile scandals. Considering all this, some analysts now suppose that the pope’s decision to resign wasn’t really of his own volition. They suspect, probably, that Curial factions forced him off the Fisherman’s Throne. If this supposition were true, any new pope would have to be more liberal and tolerant than the elderly Benedict. However, John Moody, a former correspondent for Time magazine in Vatican City, believed that, for all his conservatism, Benedict XVI prepared the grounds for radical reform in the Roman Catholic Church.
As was said above, quite a few analysts are predicting that the new pope will be from Latin America. After all, more than 40 percent of all Roman Catholics live there. However, about 50 percent of the cardinal-electors in the next conclave are from Europe. Amongst possible candidates, analysts name Archbishop Odilo Pedro Scherer of São Paulo in Brazil, Archbishop Angelo Scola of Milano, and Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson of Ghana.
Most likely, one of the main criteria for choosing the new pope would be his ability to defend the interests of the Roman Catholic Church in the modern world. Vyacheslav Kostikov, former Russian ambassador to the Vatican, said, “This is a very acute problem for the Catholic Church. At present, Europe is full of Islamists, and their influence on the Christian world is becoming stronger every day. The task of the new pope will be to resist this onslaught of Islamists, being at the same time tolerant and friendly towards peaceful Muslims. On the other hand, for all this tolerance, the pope should firmly stand for Christian values, because these values are traditional for both Europe and America”.
As for the new pope’s domestic policy, analysts also have practically no doubts about what it most likely will be. The new pope would have to take the mistakes of his predecessor into account, having an ability to make compromises. Theologian José Manuel Vidal said, “Today, it’s no secret that the Roman Catholic Church is losing popularity among European young people. To bring young people back to the Church, the church leaders should now be more flexible. Too many problems now need new approaches… the problems of women, of sex freedom, of contraception, of prostitution, and so on”.
The election of the new pope will take place on 24 March. Who will it be… an Italian or a Latin American? On the one hand, the world is changing, and the Church should, to a certain extent, change with it. On the other, the role of the Church is to stand for traditional values. The new Pope of Rome, whoever he’d be, would have to be very wise to find a compromise between these two opposite trends.
13 February 2013
Daria Manina
Voice of Russia World Service
http://english.ruvr.ru/2013_02_12/Who-will-be-next-Pope/
Editor’s Note:
Do note WHEN Benny made his surprise abdication announcement. He made it during the canonisation ceremony of the Martyrs of Otranto… who suffered martyrdom for refusing to convert to Islam in 1480. Remember, not only is the content of a statement important, so is the setting. Firstly, this was a personal statement of the Pope of Rome; its shock flabbergasted Rome, coming completely out of the blue. That militates against it being a Curial intrigue… such things always lead to “whispers in the loggia”… there was no hint of such prior to B16’s announcement.
If the statement were made in the context of canonising a group of martyrs whom the RCs beatified as far back as 1771 means that Benny meant it to be a sign to those in the know. If he announced his resignation in the context of “sainting” those killed by Muslims, I don’t think that he meant to promote a more tolerant or conciliatory policy towards Islamists. Rather, it smells like divide et impera to me. The RCs would talk and interact civilly with reasonable Muslims whilst waging war on Islamists (that’s what the MP does, by the way).
The real danger to the Catholics (and to us, too) are the twin and related foes of Militant Secularism (anti-religion per se, not mere irreligion) and Evangelical Anti-Christianity (excluding Classical Reformation Low Churches). Firstly, most secular people aren’t militant attackers of religion… don’t go after false targets. Most are people who simply aren’t believers, full stop. In like manner, most Evangelicals (which would include Mormons, Adventists, Pentecostalists, and JWs) are simply dupes… they aren’t aware that their “faith” has NO resemblance to Classical Christianity in the least. They’ve never heard of the Second Great Awakening, William Miller, Charles Parham and Agnes Ozman, Charles Taze Russell, or even the notorious polygamist Brigham Young. Both Militant Secularists and Evangelical Anti-Christians are obdurate and unceasing proselytisers. Both are equally dangerous… Christians have to oppose both, for both are enemies of Christ. Again… be careful! Most secular people aren’t attackers of religion… don’t be misled. Also, most Evangelicals are unaware that their pseudo-religion isn’t the Christianity of the Ages. Be discerning in your opposition.
That is, Benedict sees the threat to Catholicism coming from three sources:
- Islamism
- Militant Secularism
- Evangelical Anti-Religion
Watch for the next Pope of Rome to tackle these three problems, whoever it is. Also note well that Benny intends to live in Castel Gandolfo, which the new pope will go to in the summer, I’m sure. This smells as if Benny’s trying to stage-manage his succession as much as possible. Remember, he’s German… Germans plan… Germans plan THOROUGHLY. That doesn’t mean that his plans will work… but it DOES mean that they’re well-organised and well-thought-out, probably, with several different scenarios catered for. We’ll have to see, no?
However, here’s the oddest detail of all… the conclave is to begin on 24 March… Catholic Palm Sunday. That’s highly unusual; it appears to be a goad to a “fast” conclave. SOMEONE is anxious… VERY anxious. Is B16’s health that bad or does he fear an open rebellion amongst some of the RC hierarchy? I think that it’s a combination of the two.
By the way, I checked patriarchia.ru… HH has NO official comments on B16’s resignation… there’s only the usual boilerplate bullshit from the Blunder.
BMD
Voices from Russia 
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