Cardinals choose guardian of continuity over agent of change

THE crowds still gathered at the Vatican yesterday, trying to soak in the afterglow of Tuesday evening’s happenings.

In St Peter's Square, they pointed to the first-floor balcony of the cathedral with its elegant ruby drapes, where the immortal words 'Habemus Papem' were uttered on Tuesday.

They scanned the square with their cameras, taking in the bells, the ramshackle chimney above the Sistine Chapel, and the third-floor windows of the papal apartment.

Below ground, in the cathedral's great crypt, a long line of pilgrims queued for hours to pass the tomb of John Paul II blessing themselves as they passed, or pausing to take a photograph.

The symbolism of the Vatican and of its elaborate ceremonies and rituals carries the weight of history, tradition, power and continuity. Watching the announcement of Benedict XVI and his celebration of his first Mass as Pope at the Sistine Chapel yesterday morning you were left with the inescapable thought that save for the presence of TV cameras, things had hardly changed

since the election of the previous Benedict, almost a century ago.

As the world attempted to grasp the significance of Cardinal Ratzinger's elevation, the strongest theme that resonated over the first 24 hours of his papacy was continuity.

In his Mass yesterday, Pope Benedict XVI lent his own words to that theme. He said he had the strong sense John Paul was holding his hand and guiding him as he faced the challenge of the papacy.

The 115 cardinals chose as Pope a man who was so closely identified with his predecessor that their names were inextricably linked anytime there was mention of issues of faith, theology, doctrine, morality, of what was and was not permissible within Catholicism.

Indeed, for such a shy and retiring man "a simple, humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord", as he described himself Ratzinger was the only cardinal who came close to being a household name in the Vatican of John Paul II.

In many ways, his theological views seemed indistinguishable from his predecessor.

As head of the powerful congregration of the Doctrine of Faith, Cardinal Ratzinger was said to have borne huge influence on John Paul's hardline views, on many issues that define the problems of our age.

His powerful sermon on Monday (just before the cardinals sequestered themselves to choose the new Pope) was likened to a manifesto by a political leader in an election. His condemnation of modern relativism in that sermon was yesterday portrayed by many as a driving force behind his success. If his powerful rhetoric swayed his fellow cardinals, it also sent out a strong signal about the Ratzinger papacy there will be no change.

"We are moving towards a dictatorship of relativism which does not recognise anything as definitive and puts as its highest value the ego and desires of the individual from Marxism to free-market liberalism to libertarianism, from individualism, from atheism to a vague religion, from agnosticism to syncretism and so forth."

It signalled the Vatican will stand firm on its condemnation of homosexuality, of the use of condoms to combat Aids, on its ban of women priests, on its portrayal of all other faiths as defective, to any variance on its rigid line on Catholic teachings and morals.

However, while he may share to a huge extent the centralist and orthodox stance of John Paul II, Ratzinger could not be more different in manner.

John Paul II leavened some of his more irredentist views with a human warmth and charisma that drew millions of Catholics to him.

Ratzinger is a rather more austere and shy character. As he faced the highly-charged crowd in St Peter's Square as Pope for the first time, his features and expression betrayed a fear, of him being overwhelmed. His wave and blessing almost seemed like a recoil action.

Yesterday morning, he acknowledged that: "On one hand I have a sense of inadequacy and human turmoil at the responsibility entrusted to me."

But he went on to said that on the other hand, he felt living within him "a profound gratitude to God who does not abandon his flock but always guides them".

Those who have met the German cardinal speak of his personability, intellect, warmth and self-effacing manner. But the humility of personality does not extend to his views nor to his position as 'God's Rottweiler', where dissent was not tolerated.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern expressed this view yesterday. He said: "From what I understand, he will follow the line taken by his predecessor in most doctrinal issues."Among those who expressed disappointment was the controversial Jesuit theologian Hans Kung, whose licence to teach was withdrawn by the Vatican during John Paul II's Papacy. Kung, a graduate of the same university as Ratzinger, however,

referred to the US, where judgment is reserved on an incoming president until

after his first 100 days in office.

While Ratzinger's prodigious output has been consistently hardline, some have pointed to signs that may show a slight moderation, or departure from John Paul II. They have pointed, for one, to his choice of name Benedict over John Paul.

"The fact that he has chosen a different name may suggest that he will take a different line," said Mr Ahern.

In his sermon delivered to fellow cardinals in the Sistine Chapel yesterday he said his first job was to unify Christians. He also said he was committed to "open a sincere dialogue with followers of other religions".

This was being read a straw in the wind perhaps a softening of the line that Catholicism is the one true faith and all other religions are flawed.

His predecessor was completely unknown to the wider world when he became Pope in 1979. The only thing that remains in any way unknown about the new Pope is how his pontificate will develop.

But it is inconceivable it will become a papacy of change and reform, rather than one of strict orthodoxy and continuity.