The selection of Cardinal Josef Ratzinger as the new pope does not seem to be a welcome change. Ratzinger's proclaimed conservatism will likely mean a Catholic Church remaining steeped in orthodoxy. As John Paul II's right-hand man, he was the driving force behind the crackdown on liberation theology, ordination of women and any moves towards accepting homosexuality.
The choice of name, Benedict XVI, could even be indicative. It was Pope Benedict XV (September 1914 to January 1922) who reaffirmed the condemnation of modernism in the Church.
Check these reports from Inter Press Service:
LATIN AMERICA: New Pope a Disappointment to Progressives, Women
By Mario Osava
RIO DE JANEIRO - "Today was a sad day," Maria José Rosado Nunes, head of the Brazilian branch of Catholics for the Right to Decide, said in response to the selection of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as the new pope, a decision that in Latin America also disappointed progressive members of the clergy and married priests.
http://www.ipsnews.net/new_nota.asp?idnews=28377
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RELIGION: We Have a Pope, and a Potential Rift
By Sanjay Suri
LONDON - The election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as the new pope Tuesday has dismayed progressive groups within the Catholic Church. They had hoped a new pope would bring a change from the conservative traditions of John Paul II.
http://www.ipsnews.net/new_nota.asp?idnews=28376
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RELIGION: Disputes Grow Around Ratzinger
By Elisa Marincola
ROME - Cardinal Josef Ratzinger is emerging as the most talked about, and the most controversial candidate in the selection of a new pope.
http://www.ipsnews.net/new_nota.asp?idnews=28311
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