Liz,

Sorry to say it, but just a continuation of the reign of Pope John Paul II. I would have like to see someone that moves to a more realistic today reign, moving with the times and thinking of the world at large, not staying back in the days of the past.

I know you won't agree with me on that one, but this is the 6 Pope for me, and would think it would be a similar figure for you as well, in our life times.

I think, until there is some dramatic change from the strong conservative mainstream line there has been for the past 50 years or so, and the move into the 21st Century, things in the Catholic church won't change and the decline will continue.

I'm not saying dramatic changes, but there needs to be constructive thinking on the ideas of contraception, birth control etc, to combat the growing poor depressed population explosions that are continuing in underdeveloped contries and the growing rate of communicable diseases that are occuring in the same areas of the world as well.

Sexual preferences aside, which are always going to be a heady discussion area, disease, famine, the poor are the areas that the church is most active in, in my opinion, on the world stage today. You can see that by the amount of distribution of flock, compared to developed contries around the world.

It was interesting that it took very little time for them to make a decision, which leads me to believe that their was a stop gap thinking in place as Cardinal Ratzinger's age is not a young one and he had already contemplated retireing 2 times before but stayed on at the previous Pope's behest to do so. He seems in good health as well, but at 78, it probably will be a conservative reign as Pope as well, which should be a good thing, as Cardinals retire (and by the look of the group there, it shouldn't be long for a few of them), and new younger (hopefully) Cardinals are moving up as time goes by.

Interesting the name choice, Benedict, founder of the Good Samaritans, so reading into that, maybe there might be some changes happening for the good as well.

I would like to see the decedance of the Vatican, move from there, back to the rank and file of the little churches and maybe the decline in catholic numbers within the clergy might start to improve in a positive way instead of priests etc, having to look after 2 parishes where there used to be 3 priests to do the work that 1 is asked to do now.

Just my thoughts as a Catholic.