EDITORIAL
Cardinals signal conservative path

In quickly selecting Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as the next pope of the Roman Catholic Church, the cardinals of the church signaled they wanted to continue the traditional orthodoxy of Pope John Paul II but were looking for a transitional papacy.

A man known for his intellect and, his friends say, his humility, Ratzinger at 78 is 20 years older than John Paul II was when he became pope. He also is steeped in the inner workings of the Vatican. That guarantees continuity and perhaps reflects the cardinals' desire for a pope who concentrates more on church governance than a global pastoral role.

But Ratzinger, as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, also has been a polarizing figure in the church, which has 1 billion adherents around the world.

In predictable fashion, conservatives applauded his selection, while the church's liberal wing — hoping for a more moderate choice — was more guarded. And, Catholics in Asia, Africa and Latin America who hoped for a pope from one of their areas were disappointed.

Ratzinger certainly sent a strong message in his homily during Monday's Mass at the start of the conclave to elect a pope. He delivered a stern sermon denouncing all that he saw as a danger to the church, including sects, liberalism, agnosticism and relativism.

As head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he also fought dissent and was inflexible on many issues, including married priests, contraception and the ordination of women.

Still, many saw a message in his choice of papal name: Benedict XVI. The previous Pope Benedict (1914-22) was known for reaching out to Muslims and an effort to heal the break with Christian Orthodox churches. Benedict XV also was viewed as less doctrinaire than his predecessor.

Each pope defines his own reign, but Benedict XVI is assured a central role on the world stage as the successor to the charismatic, world-traveled John Paul II.

In speaking to the world after his election, Benedict XVI said he was "a simple, humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord."

His message struck a pastoral chord, but the fact remains that his new role as leader of a worldwide church with a complex set of problems is anything but simple.

John Paul used his papacy to change the course of history.

Benedict XVI faces perhaps more daunting challenges —leading a church divided in its reaction to his election, the need for dialogue with Islam, restive Catholics in the developed West, and serious issues facing Catholics in the developing world, including poverty, violence and AIDS.

Just as each pope defines his papacy, the burdens and responsibilities of being pontiff also shape the man.

Benedict XVI's chapter in the church's history is as yet an unfinished one.