Posted on 04/20/2005 3:05:34 PM PDT by quidnunc
Brussels, Belgium – While most of Europe's political and spiritual leaders welcomed the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as the next pope, most of the continent's newspapers Wednesday reacted with unconcealed dismay at the choice of the hard-line German theologian as the Vatican's new head.
Many op-ed pieces referred to Benedict XVI as a reactionary dogmatist who would do little to stem the slump in support for the Catholic Church in Europe and even less to help the plight of the poor in Africa and Latin America.
"His is a name that will clamp the cold hand of foreboding round the hearts of all who care about the developing world," said a leader in Britain's left-of-center Guardian newspaper, describing the Bavarian as a "theological pugilist who is willing to sacrifice popular appeal in the cause of doctrinal purity."
John Paul II's right-hand man already has a serious image problem in Europe after 24 years as head of the Doctrine of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith — a position he used to denounce contraception, gay marriage, women priests, homosexuality, abortion, Marxism, modernity, radical pastors and other religious faiths.
La Derniere Heure and several other Belgian papers referred to Benedict XVI as "The Iron Pope" on their front pages, while most European dailies recalled Ratzinger's reputation as the "Panzerkardinal," the "Great Inquisitor" and "God's Rottweiler." Under the headline "A transitional Pope" — the former Dean of the College of Cardinals is 78 — Belgian's leading daily Le Soir shrugged: "Well, fear and tradition won out."
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(Excerpt) Read more at upi.com ...
It's interesting that you support the Vatican after Pope John Paul II was very anti-Iraq war. The new Pope was the JP2's closest friend and confidant, so he will be the same.
You support the Late John Paul 2 and Vatican on this?....
“What are we to say of the threat of a war that could strike the people of Iraq, the land of the prophets, a people already sorely tried by more than 12 years of embargo?” the pope said. “War is never just another means that one can choose to employ for settling differences between nations. As the Charter of the United Nations Organization and international law itself remind us, war cannot be decided upon, even when it is a matter of ensuring the common good, except as the very last option and in accordance with very strict conditions, without ignoring the consequences for the civilian population both during and after the military operations.”
http://www.natcath.com/NCR_Online/archives/012403/012403g.htm
I'd love to know which cardinal (or cardinals?) actually supported the war. I acknowledge that the catholic church opposed the war but their reasons were (in hindsight, anyway) rather less loathesome than those of certain crapweasels.
For the record, I'm not catholic, and in fact, not religious at all. But it is kind of fun to watch the left squirm as time after time they get shafted.
It seems to me that this is exactly the same list the Imams denounce.
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