Staff Writers
If you’re waiting for a great schism in the Catholic church following the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to the papacy, don’t hold your breath. The schism in political verdict has certainly been predictable. One camp views Ratzinger’s election as a marked shift rightward, while the other is best exemplified by Gerard Baker’s April 21 London Times headline: “Shock! New Pope a Catholic.” But in the midst of all this, American Catholics themselves aren’t as polarized along political lines as people seem to think. Many are reserving judgment and maintaining hope for dialogue within the church under the new Pope Benedict XVI.
It’s a smart move, and not only because Catholics ought to have faith that God has guided the papal election process; it’s simply the most prudent way to look at the situation. Although the former cardinal is considered conservative, assigning political labels to theology is overly simplistic. Progressives remember that he was a driving force behind Vatican II and a voice in the anti-Iraq war movement, and traditionalists know that he was a main backer of John Paul II’s theological positions on sexual mores and church orthodoxy.
According to an April 25 Washington Post/ABC News poll, more than eight in 10 Catholics broadly support the selection of Cardinal Ratzinger to replace Pope John Paul II. Pleased or not with the election, they are willing to give the new pontiff a chance regardless of their own political affiliation. Lynn Neu, pastoral associate from the Newman Center Catholic Community at UCSD, mirrors this sentiment. “People have some concerns, but let’s wait and see,” she said.
UCSD alumnus Octavio Garcia is with the majority who are not yet alarmed by the choice of Ratzinger. “I am content with the election of this new pope,” he said. “… There are other issues in the church such as whether women should be allowed to be priests, whether priest should marry, etc. These are difficult topics that I find no true and fair answer to, but I have faith that this next pontiff will guide the church in the correct direction.”
Eleanor Roosevelt College fourth-year Uyen Doan is less optimistic. “I personally would rather have them elect a little bit younger and less-conservative pope,” Doan said. “His positions are very similar to John Paul II’s, and I don’t foresee a radical alteration in the church’s decrees any time soon.”
Those who had been hoping for such a radical alteration, or a Latin American or African pope, find comfort in Benedict XVI’s predicted transitory nature. At 78 years old, his papacy is not expected to last as long as John Paul II’s, who was elected at 58.
In many circles, a deeper and perhaps more legitimate cause for concern is the possibility that he will promote strict and rigid orthodoxy. Before his election, Benedict rather infamously wrote that Catholic politicians who are pro-choice may be denied communion. But rather than wringing their hands in fear, many Catholics simply hope that his elevation will give him a new perspective and a dedication to dialogue about difficult issues. “My hope is that he will listen,” said Father John Paul Forte, director of the Newman Center. “People have questions and they are not going away.”
The question of whether or not the pope will listen is still up in the air, but it’s not unreasonable to suppose that he will. The elevation to pope must be a dizzying one, somewhat comparable to an appointment to the Supreme Court but on a far grander scale.
He has the job for life, his authority is secure, and his declarations on doctrine and justice will be regarded as carrying the force of law. Such a job description must inevitably promote reflection and has been known to produce changes in methods, mentalities and even ideals in justices and popes alike.
So far, indications are that he does feel a responsibility to promote dialogue. “At his official installation, Pope Benedict XVI said that he was committed to listening,” said Father Dominic DeLay of the Newman Center. “That’s very encouraging. I’m praying to Pope John Paul II for our new pope and the church.” Father Forte also hopes that Benedict XVI utilizes his transitional reign proactively to define a unified Catholic identity.
There is a chance, of course, that Benedict will choose to focus more on holding fast to doctrine and shoring up orthodoxy on issues of sexual mores. But even if he does, the world’s Catholic communities, and the world itself, would be better served by taking this period as a breather. It may be enjoyable, if self-aggrandizing, to imagine that a newly elected national or international leader will greatly impact our lives — but in a democratic state, this is rarely so.
Everyday life has changed little, if at all, for most Americans since George W. Bush’s re-election, and the lives of Catholic Americans will likely remain unchanged due to Pope Benedict XVI. The notion that one may split from the Catholic Church and found or join another Christian religion is by definition a Protestant notion, and when Pope Benedict XVI is enjoying a honeymoon approval rating of over 80 percent, the time has not yet come to worry about any political schism. This is a chance to re-open debate on religious identities and perspectives, and that would serve everyone better than agonizing over who will support what political cause.
