Well That Was Underwhelming

A new pope has been elected. Seems awfully quick to me. I thought it would take longer. I kind of hoped it would, although I'm not sure exactly why. I thought the first papal election of my lifetime would be a little more exciting. Anyhow, my immediate reaction upon reading that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is now Pope Benedict XVI was disappointment. I was kind of rooting for an African or a Hispanic. I honestly don't know much about Joseph Ratzinger, but from the commentary I've read about him and the homily he gave, he doesn't seem like he's planning to take the Church in the direction I'd like to see it go. A "traditionalist" isn't what I think the Church needs. I think we need someone who will move the Church forward, past all the scandal and all the internal problems that led to the recent scandals. We need someone who will help the Church move into the current century, someone who will hold true to the basic tenets of the faith but also realize that priests marrying, women being ordained, or couples using birth control does nothing to lessen the true message of Catholicism but instead would make the Church stronger and more appealing. Making the Church more welcoming to more people didn't really seem to be the goal he proposed in his homily, instead pretty much saying that it doesn't matter what people want, the Church must hold to the course. I'm afraid that if the Church holds too tightly to its current course, it's going to find itself floundering. Rejecting blasphemous teaching is one thing...rejecting common sense is completely different. The Church may be a holy institution, but it's still an earthly institution. And I think it's time for the Church to get in touch with the earthly people it's supposed to serve. Here's hoping Pope Benedict XVI will continue with the good works of Pope John Paul II (particularly his efforts to reach out to the oppressed) but will also recognize the need for change in the Church's stances towards the priesthood, women, homosexuals, and birth control.