Word: pontiff
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...will not let “his own light” become the focus, but rather that he serve single mindedly as a benefactor for humanity and use his office for the greater good of mankind. Benedict has sounded a tone of humility in his first hours as pontiff, a tone that accords well with a church accustomed to the example of John Paul II. If he succeeds in these tasks, he will not only be a worthy successor or a mere transition figure, but an excellent Pope in his own right...
...matters of doctrine that Benedict, in his role as Prefect of the Doctrine of the Faith, has been so adept at elucidating must be left to Catholics to determine. It makes little sense for non-Catholics to criticize matters of religious faith. In terms of political power, though, the pontiff has an ability to raise awareness that is unmatched by any other religious figure. We are hopeful, then, that Benedict will show clear leadership and conviction in dealing with many pressing political problems that his unique role enables him to confront: the global AIDS epidemic, Islamic fundamentalism, and religious conflict...
...matters. Father Edward Schillebeeckx, a liberal theologian in the Netherlands, whose theology has been investigated by the doctrinal commission, predicts that there will be attacks against Ratzinger at the synod because, he says dryly, "it is always easier to voice criticism to a cardinal than to a Pope." The Pontiff does not necessarily share all of Ratzinger's views. During an August plane trip returning from Africa, John Paul told reporters that Ratzinger's plea for reconstruction is "his personal opinion ... However, it must not be interpreted in the sense that the council has caused damage to the church...
...funeral will take place Friday at 10 am, local time. On Thursday night, they'll clear St. Peter's Square to prepare it for the funeral, and also ready the pontiff's body for burial. Archbishop Dziwisz will place a white silk veil over the pope's face, and his body will be placed in a simple cedar coffin, which will be put into a zinc coffin and then into an oak coffin, which will then be covered in marble and placed in the flat tomb inside the crypt. Inside the cedar coffin will be a small bag containing silver...
...intense curiosity among the journalists over the details of the conclave at which some 117 cardinals - at least those of them healthy enough to make the trip to Rome - will choose a successor to Pope John Paul II. That event will begin some fifteen to twenty days after the pontiff's death, meaning one week from next Sunday at the earliest. But it is held in the deepest of secrecy, with the cardinals sequestered far more tightly than any jury in a celebrity trial in the U.S. A special hotel has been built inside the Vatican to house them during...