I do not think the new Pope is a true believer, and I do not think that he is following the teachings of Christ simply because Jesus taught that we should have unconditional love for all people and not judge them. Jesus taught that if you have a lost sheep, you should do everything you can to get them back with the flock. However, this pope does not want to welcome gays and lesbians in the Church, which goes directly against the teaching of Jesus. And if he doesn't know that, he isn't reading the same Bible that I am reading.
Kevin R. Howell
Nashville, Tenn.

I think we should give our new Pope a fair chance. If the late Pope had trust in him for 20 years, why are we jumping to negative conclusions so soon? I think he must have had some influence over his decisions. I think if we want to sin, if we want to use birth control, if we want to have an abortion, if we want homosexuality, we can't expect the Church to accept it and say it's okay. If our priests want to marry, then they shouldn't be priests at all. We need people to pray for the sins of the world, and we need guidance from a strong leader like the great Pope, and I think Benedict XVI will do fine. If not, the Cardinals would not have voted for him so quickly.
Cecile Jane
Victoria, Seychelles

As a victim of childhood sexual abuse, I am deeply appalled and offended at the selection of the new pope, who's even worse than the previous one. I and all of my six brothers and sisters went through 12 years of Catholic education and not one of them, not one, is giving their children a Catholic education, and only one sister attends church sporadically. Now that the abuse of myself and my brother as altar boys IN CHURCH at the hands of a foul-mouthed, slovenly 300-lb. priest have come to light, even my mother won't set foot in the church. Catholicism has completely lost touch with the needs and hopes of its people, and is only interested in perpetuating itself by denying its members the right to birth control (further subjugation of women) in order to produce more Catholics. You think I got issues? You bet I do! For shame.
John P.
Sherman Oaks, Calif.

The Holy Spirit has blessed our Church by giving us another Pope who won't succumb to the whining of feminists and pleasure-seekers for pleasure's sake. Put the Lord first in thoughts and actions, and obeying His laws is not a call for dissent.
Joan Reuss
Wallis, Texas

The newly elected Pope Benedict XVI will be humbled by this great honor of being the "Good Shepherd" for Catholics worldwide. My prayers are for his wisdom to grow as a humble servant of our Church and its people. I feel that he will reach out to all people of our planet and speak of God's love and mercy for all to embrace. Led by John Paul II's example, he will unite all faiths through the gossip of Jesus Christ's life and resurrection.
Chris Broussard
Baton Rouge, La.

To think that the new Pope used to be the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith or as it was known before "The Inquisition", tells you how dogmatic this Pope will be. Forget any reforms from the Second Vatican Council, and condoms will continue to be evil. The cardinals lost a huge opportunity to choose somebody who would care not only for the unborn, but also someone who cares about the living. The third world will continue to have to look somewhere else for leadership.
Philip Rasena
Houston, Texas

Three cheers for Benedict XVI! Here is a man who is not about to knuckle under to the equivocators who would change the Catholic Church into some kind of a new-age social agency. The Church by definition is about values that do not wither over time. I wholeheartedly agree with his notion of a smaller but purer church. Don't like Catholic doctrine? The door is wide open ... for those who want to leave and those seeking values that last.
Stephen Verry
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

He manned an anti-aircraft gun in World War ll. He never fired a shot in anger, he said. I remember many American air crewmen who didn't come home. I was a pilot in B-17s. What do you think I think?
Dewayne Bennett
Tucson, Ariz.

He was the right-hand man of Pope John Paul II—I am a little concerned considering he is 78 years old and, if I remember correctly, the rules state that anyone can become Pope upto the age of 80, [so this is] cutting it a bit close. As I'm sure others have mentioned, to me he feels like this a transitional Pope. I just hope we don't get a situation [like] when Pope John Paul I died in office.
Joshua Selig
Portsmouth, U.K.

I was raised Catholic but am offended by the Pope's "dictatorship of relativism" comments. What would be the alternative? Has the pope a "dictatorship of faith" in mind? This election from another era proves once again that the Catholic Church is out of touch with our times.
Christian Massire
Carlsbad, Calif.

I am so grateful to God for the election of such a holy man who has spent his life for the sake of the Gospel. May he have many blessed years.
Sr. Seraphina
Kentucky

As an African and a woman, I believe the Holy Spirit has blessed us with a desperately needed pope who will help care for our souls and not our passing pleasures, nor will he cave under man's "open-mindedness". I have no doubt that many Africans will continue to love the pope and not falsely blame him and the Church for the terrible effects of AIDS or all of our problems. May God bless him!
Adeola Omosola
Athens, Ga.

He is obviously a man who sees the Church's problems and has ideas on how the Church should address them. Any one who has read his work knows that his ideas are bigger and more attractive than the role his former job required of him. I think a lot of people are too quickly underestimating the possibility that this papacy holds any surprises. And I think a lot of people are going to be surprised.
Kim D'Souza
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

I believe that the Holy Spirit guided the Cardinals to pick Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as our next pope to give clarity to the many issues that confront our Catholic Church. He will be a rock and will surely give direction to lost flock who are willing to be guided to the right path. I am looking forward to the Papacy of Pope Benedict XVI with enthusiasm, just as I did with our beloved Pope John Paul II.
Nilda Pascual
Azusa, Calif.

Will he finally heal the sins of this church by excommunicating the priests who molest children? Will he acknowledge that women should play a pivitol role in the church, and are not second class citizens? If not, Women SHOULD finally stand up against this child and female abuse, remove their invisible berkas along with their checkbooks and go elsewhere for the safety of their own kids!
Beverly H.
Denver, Colo.

One of the fundamental distinctives that makes a person Catholic is the belief that God Himself actively protects the successor of Peter from teaching falsehood on questions of faith and morals. My role as a sheep in the flock is not to politick for my pet opinions about what doctrine should be, but to just relax in peace and trust in the shepherd Christ gives us. If I didn't have this faith in the nature of how Christ shepherds us, why would I want to remain in the Catholic Church? At this point no one knows where or how Pope Benedict will lead us. My plan is to just enjoy the peace of trustful obedience and be quiet (except for a contented "Baaaa" now and then).
Frank Pfaff
Boca Raton, Fla.

The values of the Church under Cardinal Ratziner represent the eternal truths and not the passing fancy of [what is] currently politically correct. Valuing innocent life in all its manifestations and hewing to the Biblical injunctions on proper human conduct will be important to Benedict XVI and all humanity. Good for him. An excellent choice.
David B. Mitchell
Coral Gables, Fla.

As a woman, an American and a Catholic I praise the Cardinals for their choice. We needed a Pope that would continue to care for our souls and not cave to our perceived desires. Pope Benedict XVI will follow John Paul II in tending his flock's souls.
Mary Kemp
Salt Lake City, Utah

What a lost opportunity! The church had a chance to pick someone with vision for the future, but instead chose someone who is entrenched in the past. I hope God talks to him quickly about the future, the world needs visionary leadership from the Vatican to protect working and poor people around the world. Birth control and married priests would be the least of the problems facing his flock.
Carol Andrew
Springfield, Ill.

Whether he was the pit bull enforcer of conservative doctrine at the side of John Paul II, or whether in the end he was making medieval decisions in place of the ailing Pope, the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as Pope bodes ill for the unity of the 21st century Catholic Church.
Ken Scott
Madison, Wis.

He is a transition Pope, 78, preparing the Church for the change to a younger Pope with new ideas. He won't have a long lifetime and will let the Church adapt to the loss of John Paul II.
Jose Tello
Spain

Most women I know have ignored Rome on anything gender-related (women priests, gay rights, etc) since the illogical Humanae Vitae forbade birth control, and I doubt anyone will pay attention to this guy either.
Mary Schultze
Northbrook, Ill.

Of course he is a good pick for the Papacy. He was the right hand of Pope John Paul II. That means he influenced all decisions that John Paul II made, and we were happy with all those decisions, so why wouldn't we be happy with him? He has been living in Rome for many years, he has experience, is intelligent and has almost the same thoughts as Pope John Paul II!
Ingeborg Becker
Bonn, Germany

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