Mulling over LEE LOFASO to ALL 19 Apr 2005

G'day Lee,

 LL> White smoke!  White smoke!  The bells are ringing, and the crowd is
 LL> cheering!  A new pope has been elected!  Viva il Papa!  Long live
 LL> the Pope!

 LL> Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, from Germany, has been elected pope. No
 LL> longer a cardinal, he has taken the name Benedict XVI.

 LL> What kind of pontiff will Pope Benedict XVI be?  Here is a short
 LL> quote of what then Cardinal Ratzinger had to say on Monday, while
 LL> addressing the other cardinals just before being sequestered in the
 LL> Sistine Chapel -

 LL> "We are moving toward a dictatorship of relativism which does not
 LL> recognize anything as for certain and which has as its highest goal
 LL> one's own ego and one's own desires."

I have a feeling we are moving toward a dictatorship of another kind,
and that Pope Benedict XVI may be central in bringing it about. After
his election comes the analysis of his ambitions, such as his pledge
to work to unify all Christians and reach out to other religions.
("New Pope Vows to Work to Unify Christians" - Associated Press)

What will become of those Christians who do not unify with Rome?
Revelation 17 gives a clue.

 LL> Continuing, Ratzinger insisted the modern world had gone "...from
 LL> one extreme to the other: from Marxism to liberalism, even to
 LL> libertinism; from collectivism to radical individualism; from
 LL> atheism to a vague religious mysticism; from agnosticism to
 LL> syncretism."

 LL> Fighting words, to be sure.  But what does it all mean?  Ratzinger
 LL> apparently believes that Catholics are fighting a war against the
 LL> "dictatorship of relativism", and will seek to make that war
 LL> central to his mission, as well as the mission of Catholics
 LL> everywhere. 

 LL> Unlike the late John Paul II, this new pope does not have a sunny
 LL> disposition.  The gift that Pope Benedict XVI has is the gift of
 LL> polemic - if one can call that a gift.  Yes, this new pope will act
 LL> the part of tough cop versus dissent.  While the late John Paul II
 LL> was never a disciplinarian, Pope Benedict XVI will be a stickler,
 LL> and crack down hard on those who break the rules.

 LL> Pope Benedict XVI is a very serious man, and also a great worrier.
 LL> But it fits his German nature.  While the late John Paul II said
 LL> "Be not afraid", this new pope says the church has much to fear. I
 LL> dearly hope he was not referring to himself.

 LL> In any event, it will be interesting to see how Pope Benedict XVI
 LL> leads his church through that time of fear.  After all, these are
 LL> very trying times.  For the whole world.

It is not described as "great tribulation" for nothing.

Cheers, Steve..

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