(19th April 2005)
The 78-year-old German —
forced into the Hitler Youth
as a boy - waved as 100,000
in St Peter's Square chorused: "Papa! Papa! Papa!"
There were also football-style
chants of "Ratzinger! Ratzinger!"
for the ex-World War II enemy
soldier who will be known as
Pope Benedict XVI. He emerged
on to the balcony of St Peter's Basilica with his
hands aloft and flanked by
red-hatted cardinals.
He won their vote on the
second day of the conclave
to find a successor to the
late John Paul II.
White smoke from the
chimney of the Vatican's
Sistine Chapel trumpeted
the election, although initially there was confusion.
For more than ten minutes it looked grey. Black
means no successful vote.
The pealing of St Peter's
bells just before 5pm (6pm
Italian time) ended the
uncertainty. Nuns raced to
join the throng — habits
flapping behind them.
The 265th pope told
Catholics: "The cardinals
have elected me — a simple, humble worker in the
Lord's vineyard."
The Queen and Tony
Blair last night sent their
best wishes.
Staunch conservative Ratzinger was born in the Bavarian village of Marktl-am-Inn, where last night an
oompah band played and
free beer flowed.
He was 14 when forced
to join the Hitler Youth. He
later manned a German
anti-aircraft battery —
before deserting.
Proud Line of Leaders
(19th April 2005)
Born into Roman nobilny
in 480, he lived as a mountain hermit before founding
the famous monastery at
Monte Cassino, Italy.
He founded 11 more while
surviving an assassination
attempt by blessing a
poisoned cup.
Benedict I, the 62nd Pope,
came to power in the year
575 but his
four-year
reign was
troubled by
war and
famine.
Benedict
was strangled by a
mob in 974.
The last
namesake,
Benedict XV, suggested a
Christmas truce during the
First World War in 1914 —
accepted by the Germans
but snubbed by the Allies.
In 1917 he called on all
nations to end "the futile
slaughter". He died in 1922.
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Born 1960 Journalist
The Odious One
Benedict XVI | John Paul II
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SMILING new Pope
Joseph Ratzinger greets
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Benedit XV
THE new Pope takes his
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Odious | Cristina Odone
- Ah, yes, Ms Rent-A-Quote. For a fee, Cristina Odone fills our TV boxes with her politically correct views on why the Pope, the Holy Father, has got it all wrong even though he's only been in the job for a couple of days. Not very Christian you would have thought! But hey, that doesn't stop Odone from espousing her take on how perfect the world would be if the Pope got groovy!
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Why, oh why, do we in the UK put up with such rubbish? Why are our airwaves filled with the Hampstead or Chelsea mafia of talking heads who haven't a clue what those outside their politically correct little world really think? Because the silent majority have to worry about the mundane everyday things like getting through the day, paying the bills, dreading the next hefty council tax bill
thundering through the letter box, to even have the energy to say: "No more, I just don't want to hear what this woman has to say".
So Ms. Odious receives the next fee for the next soundbite and all is well in Chelsea. Amen.
But wait a sec. I've a few moments. The next exoribitant water bill isn't due in for minutes: I'll use that time to fight back against the gospel according to Odone.
Who is she to begin with? Who is this special one who is arrogant enough to state how and why the Holy Father has got it so wrong? She's a professional Catholic and was the editor of the Catholic Herald and deputy editor of the seldom read outside of Chelsea New Statesman. That's it. Oh, and she likes Prada bags and wears fur coats. Qualifications a plenty then to advise the Pope on how his predecessor, the greatest man of the 20th century, got the big issues so wrong because, basically, they don't correspond with hers. So, apparently, the last Pope's views which oppose abortion, homosexuality and women priests among other things, are the reasons why the Catholic Church is in decline. And looking into her crystal ball she can already see the new Pope making the same 'mistakes' in the future. But hold on, new Pope: super-odone is here! Give me strength!
Jean Paul's death were, er, quite sizable to say the least. As were those who witnessed the new Pope introduced to the world. Hardly bears out her argument, does it?
Don't get me wrong: I don't agree on the Catholic church's views on the above mentioned subjects (though I wouldn't want an Odone clone giving me communion) but I don't see why it has to change to fit my views. Faith is an individual thing; it's not a football for the politically correct to kick around; neither is it a thing that should be used for financially rewarding tv appearances cos the God I believe in isn't short of cash. I choose what I believe in, what faith means to me, and I chose the Catholic church because it is the nearest approximation to my faith that I know. That's what a religion is: a neareness to our beliefs because we all are different. Moreover, I don't reproach the Church because it doesn't mirror everything I may think is right. If I felt that then I would be the most arrogant person that walked this earth. And why try to be that when others fill that role like a glove?
The Church isn't here to pander to the latest trend, or to those who subscribe to somthing because they believe it is right. It is there for those who believe faith is an individual thing and, consequently, something that guides us on the journey to the next world which we all make alone with our faiths. It just doesn't matter what someone in the media thinks will suit us; it's what we believe will suit us because the journey is our own, each and every one of us. As a consequence, surely it is time to stop listening to such people? Or indeed to give them airtime unless they accept that their views are not any better or worth hearing because they have the platform on which to say them.
In conclusion, you can rest assured that the Catholic church, with us for 2000 years, will still be going strong long after we have shuffled off this mortal coil. And the Holy Father will still lead us, we loose band of men and women, and we will love him even though we don't agree with everything he says or believes because the ability to disagree in human nature is our ability to be one.
Perhaps if Odone had that same generousity of spirit and perception she would leave us be to travel the journey to our own fates and believe in what we want to believe in whether it is politically correct or not.
Somehow I doubt it.
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