Pope Benedict XVI succeeds John Paul II

By TASHA GALLEGOS

Bells tolled, and emotions poured out as white smoke came out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday morning as a new pope was elected. Cardinals ended the conclave that began Monday morning.

At 6:45 p.m. local time, Senior Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estivez appeared on a balcony at St. Peter’s Basilica to announce to the world that a pope had been chosen.

After greeting the crowd in Italian, Spanish, German and English, Estivez announced Joseph Ratzinger, of Germany, as the newly elected pope. Ratzinger, 78, chose to take the name of Benedict XVI.

Ratzinger, the Catholic church’s 265th pope, is known for his conservative style and enforcement of the church’s traditional doctrine. Ratzinger appeared on the balcony minutes after he was announced as pope. With German flags waving below he said, “My dear brothers and sisters, after the great Pope John Paul II, the cardinals elected me, a simple and humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord. I am consoled by the fact that the Lord can work and act with insufficient means consoles me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers.”

It was not a big surprise that Ratzinger was chosen because he has been such a well-known papal candidate. Ratzinger was considered one of John Paul II’s closest theological advisers.

He also delivered the eulogy at John Paul II’s funeral mass.

Shortly after the announcement, Fresno Bishop John Steinbock issued a statement, saying; “we give thanks to God for the cardinals as they were led in their decisions by the light of the Holy Spirit to bring us Pope Benedict XVI as the new vicar of Christ.

We express our loyalty, our love, our union with our new holy father and, above all, we pledge our prayers that he may fulfill the awesome role and ministry that God has now called him faithfully and lovingly.”

A special Mass celebrating the election of the new pope will be held today at St. John’s Cathedral at 8 p.m. The English mass at 8 p.m. will be followed by a Spanish mass at 9.

Ratzinger is the first German pope elected since the 11th century.

Ratzinger called for the church to stay in the traditional ideology and many see him as having similar thinking to that of John Paul II. His election could cause controversy since he has often been seen as a feared conservative who may alienate liberal Catholics.

One thing’s for sure: The new pope definitely has some big shoes to fill after the much-beloved John Paul II, who is credited with being charismatic and striving to bring all religions and nationalities together in peace.