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VATICAN CITY - Joseph Ratzinger of
Germany is the new pope, the 265th leader of the Roman
Catholic Church.
NEW POPE'S NAME IS BENEDICT XVI
Joseph Ratzinger, the new pope, has chosen the name
Benedict XVI.
NEW POPE'S BIO
Following is a brief sketch of Joseph Ratzinger, the
new Benedict XVI.
The white-haired Bavarian, who turned 78 on Saturday,
is arguably the best-known cardinal in the world. As
Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the
Faith, the Vatican's doctrinal watchdog, he was John
Paul II's chief theological advisor for over 20 years.
He has been the driving force behind crackdowns on Liberation
theology, religious pluralism and challenges to traditional
teaching on homosexuality and women's ordination. Vatican-watchers
said he could be relied on to stick to John Paul's firm
doctrinal line. But despite his reputation as a fierce
enforcer of orthodoxy, and nicknames such as Der Panzerkardinal,
he is said to be a gentle, caring soul. With his piercing
blue eyes and utter conviction, he also has considerable
charisma. He was born into a poor family in southern
Bavaria, where his father worked in the local police
and as a teacher. He doesn't like rock music, calling
it the "expression of elementary passions"
and a hot house for anti-Christian sentiment. He is
known to be worried about the state of the Church. On
Good Friday he bemoaned how much "dirt" and
"arrogance" there was in it. At a pre-conclave
mass he warned of the dangers of moral relativism, calling
on cardinals to choose a pope who would guard the Church
against the fickle winds of ideological fashion. As
dean of the College of Cardinals, he had a high profile
in the days after the death of John Paul II. He presided
over the late pope's funeral and led his colleagues
into the Sistine Chapel for the conclave yesterday.
He was always seen as a strong contender for the papacy.
NEW POPE BLESSES CROWD
Joseph Ratzinger, 78, the Catholic Church's new pope,
appeared at the main balcony of St Peter's Basilica
and gave his first Urbi et Orbi (To the City and the
World) blessing. "After the great pope John Paul
II, the cardinals elected me, a simple, humble worker
in the vineyards of the Lord," said the new pope,
who has chosen the name Benedict XVI. "It consoles
me that the Lord is able to work with inadequate instruments
and above all I entrust myself to your prayers,"
he added, speaking Italian.
19/04/2005 Jorge Arturo
Medina Estevez: «Nuntio
vobis gaudium magnum, habemus Papam»
Benedetto XVI si è
affacciato dalla Loggia
Joseph Ratzinger , la biografia
08/04/05 GIOVANNI
PAOLO II: ALZATEVI E ANDIAMO
IL TESTO INTEGRALE DEL
TESTAMENTO DI PAPA WOJTYLA
IL TESTO INTEGRALE DELL'OMELIA
DEL CAR. RATZINGER
Vedi la sezione dedicata al
Santo Padre
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