Pope Benedict XVI

The newest Pope is Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now named Pope Benedict XVI. He is the 265th Pope according to the records of Roman Catholic Church. John Paul, who preceded him died April 2, 2005, and was buried on April 8th.

The process of finding a successor to John Paul...not the first, but the second, began when the College of Cardinals began meeting April 18th to do just that.  Many of the Catholic faithful gathered in Rome to see who would be selected as the next head of the church. There would be a srot of election behind closed doors and they would know if a new pope had been chosen by the color of smoke that they saw rise from the Sistine Chapel chimney. It took a while, but eventually white smoke rising from the chimney gave the first indication that someone had been chosen; his name was Joseph Alois Ratzinger, who upon being selected as Pope, then became Pope Benedict XVI.

Ratzinger said he was surprised, but the waiting watching world wasn’t. Many people believed he was a “shoo-in” for the job, as he was not only close confidant to John Paul II, but he had all the credentials to the the next Pope.

As early as November 1981, Cardinal Ratzinger had been summoned to Rome by Pope John Paul II, and named "Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, President of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, and President of the International Theological Commission." In addition Ratzinger had published several best-selling books which have served to clarify the catholic faith, practice and doctrine for today's Roman Catholic faithful. His works include, The Ratzinger Report, (1985) God and the World, (2002) Truth and Tolerance: Christian Belief and World Religions, (2003) Fellowship of Faith: The Church as Communion, (2005) and God’s Revolution (2006.)Honoring Ratzinger, Catholic publisher, Ignatius Press president, Mark Brumley said, “He staunchly proclaims the universal call to holiness of Vatican II…. He understands the importance of dialogue among Christians and dialogue with world religions and seekers, while he upholds the integrity of Catholic faith and insists on a renewed missionary drive to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world."

Now that he is Pope, he no longer goes by the title of Ratzinger.  He has chosen to be named Benedict, like sixteen other Popes before him, who presumable take their name from St. Benedict,the founder of twelve communities for monks which used what is called Benedictine rule.  .

You and I may address Pope Benedict the Sixteenth as "His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI,"  but his official title as Pope is, "His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Providence, Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City, Servant of the Servants of God."  And as note, the term "Patriarch of the West" (which also used to be part of that title) has been omitted with no explanation for the change, the Vatican only says that this change made in March 2006 was done at the request of Pope Benedict himself.