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  A New Guide
North Texans Appreciate the Opportunity to Witness History

By Darren Barbee
The Star-Telegram [Fort Worth TX]
April 20, 2005

The introductions were swift Tuesday morning -- white smoke rose, and Pope Benedict XVI appeared on television saying he would entrust himself to the prayers of the faithful.

Many North Texans said they were joyful to be a part of history unfolding, even from afar. Some believe they already know what kind of pope Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger will be -- conservative, strong, a leader. Others say they feel uncertainty and misgivings about the election of Benedict XVI.

But in time, the questions will be answered, said Don Weber of Pilot Point. Ratzinger's persona will transform into Pope Benedict XVI, just as Pope John Paul II's changed.

"You keep your arms open and embrace it and take part in it," Weber said.

Though many Protestants and Catholics may not know his name or face, the German-born Ratzinger, 78, who visited Dallas in 1991, has made his influence felt in the United States.

As a cardinal, his role in the church's sexual abuse crisis has been criticized by victims. He has been a leading voice on theological issues such as the sanctity of marriage and maintaining celibacy for priests. And in the 2004 presidential election, he advised bishops to deny the Eucharist to abortion-rights politicians such as Sen. John Kerry, the Democratic candidate.

The Rev. Joseph Schumacher, vicar general of the Fort Worth Roman Catholic Diocese, said Ratzinger has come to serve the needs of the people as Jesus did.

"I'd imagine because he was such a confidant of Pope John Paul, he'll follow in his footsteps," Schumacher said. "But that doesn't mean he'll be exactly the same."

Leaders of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said they hope that Benedict XVI will discipline bishops who were complicit in the U.S. sex abuse scandal. Since 1950, about 4 percent of priests have been accused of abuse, according to a report by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Kristopher Galland, director of the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of SNAP, said he had wanted a pope who would put in place a less arrogant leadership in the U.S. church. He said he doubts that will happen under Benedict XVI.

"I'm not very hopeful that anything is going to change in this papacy," Galland said.

As the new pope greeted well-wishers at St. Peter's Square, Catholics in Tarrant County celebrated.

Justin Fischer, 13, a student at All Saints Catholic School in Fort Worth, watched news of the pope's election on television. John Paul II was the only pope he and his peers had known.

"It was amazing because I had never seen anything like this," Fischer said. "You could tell that the spirit of God was moving."

At St. Maria Goretti Catholic School in Arlington, eighth-grader [Redacted], 13, said she was expecting a younger pontiff to be named.

"He's so old we'll probably get to see a new pope elected soon," [Redacted] said.

Others said they hope the pope will follow his predecessor's policies.

Outside St. Patrick Cathedral in Fort Worth, Maggie Mikolojczak said she was rooting for Ratzinger because he was such a close ally of John Paul II.

"My prayers were answered," said Mikolojczak of Fort Worth. "On issues of abortion, gay marriage and priests marrying, it can't be changed."

Eduardo Garcia, a deacon at St. Matthew Catholic Church in Arlington, said the new pope should follow John Paul II in "working for the poor, for women and Christian families."

Ed Lozano, who coordinates St. Matthew's youth ministry, said he hopes Benedict XVI's conservative views will not stall the church's outreach to other religions and its strong stances on social justice.

"I wouldn't want to see us step back into the past," he said. "I wouldn't think that's where he'd take us."

Joe Barnhart, a philosophy and religious studies professor at the University of North Texas in Denton, said Catholics should not expect the pope to make great changes.

The Rev. Richard Flores of St. Rita Catholic Church in Fort Worth said Ratzinger is a brilliant theologian and teacher but that the election of a pope with traditional views may disappoint some people.

"It's one thing to be a professor and a scholar and another to lead an entire church," Flores said. "We have to have time to see what his goals and visions are for the church."

Elaine Robinson, assistant professor of theology and Methodist studies at Texas Christian University's Brite Divinity School, questioned whether the new pope will reach out to poor countries.

"My disappointment is there was not a pope elected from Latin America because of the sensitivities that would come from someone from an impoverished part of the world," said Robinson, who regularly participates in dialogue with Catholic leaders. "Will the new pope take seriously the economic imbalances that exist in the world and how we can work to rectify them?"

Andrew Davaloz, 56, of Mansfield said he knows little about the new pope. He wants the new leader to aggressively address sex scandals in the church and to help rebuild the damaged image of the Catholic Church.

"He needs to look into rebuilding the strength of our faith so that we can stop all these things from happening in our parishes with our priests," he said. "Maybe he can put an end to this and we won't have such a negative image."

Helen Alvare, a law professor at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., said Cardinal Ratzinger talked in a 1996 interview about overcoming the sense that the Catholic tradition is stale. Alvare said that likely means he will continue John Paul II's evangelistic efforts.

"I think there will be a tremendous openness to this dear friend and close colleague of John Paul II," Alvare said. "I think that's all one can say for now, until we hear more from him."

 
 

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