The surprise Papal election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to become the 265th Pope, did indeed, take myself and other experienced Vatican watchers, rather by surprise. (Not my son, James, however, who had been predicting the rising star of this German Cardinal for some weeks. Congratulations to him.)

I had long been convinced that the papal candidate would be an Italian, with a favourite coming from Venice. Well not this time it seems. The Cardinals in the Conclave had decided otherwise. And I got it wrong.

Interestingly for conspiracy theorists, his name does not add up to 666 - I checked! And if you get a chance, check out his spoof website.

At 78 years old, Ratzinger interestingly is the same age as Angelo Roncalli was, when he was voted in to become Pope John XXIII in 1958. Roncalli was also a Pope of many surprises, not least in calling the Second Vatican Council and summoning all the Bishop's to Rome.

I believe the pontificate of Cardinal Ratzinger will itself be full of surprises. I wait with interest, to see when they will start, perhaps at his coronation on Sunday?

(They came sick and they left sick. There is no "Apostolic" authority or succession here, for no Pope has EVER been able to heal like Peter or Paul did)

Joseph Ratzinger was born in the traditional Catholic heartland of Bavaria. The son of a policeman, (some would see his role in Rome as that of a super policeman!)

His elder brother is a retired 81-year-old priest. It must be in the gene pool.

The political climate of Germany conscripted all young men to volunteer for the Hitler Youth. The young Joseph would later, during the war, be an auxiliary in anti-aircraft protection of his homeland.

With his ordination in 1951, his rise in the Catholic church and especially in the field of theology saw him occupying distinguished chairs in the Universities of Bonn, Munster, Tubingen, and Regensburg. It was, however, in the changing clerical and political times of Vatican II. Of the 1960's, that the young liberal theologian aligned himself to the other prominent and famous senior Cardinals.

Later as a popular Archbishop of Munich, he would move over easily to the centre ground. With the election in 1978.

Ratzinger was instrumental in the Conclave that voted in the Polish Cardinal from Krakow. And it does seem that Ratzinger cast his vote in the empty golden chalice in the Sistine chapel in favour of Pope John II. This gesture seems to have allowed the new pope to appoint Cardinal Ratzinger as his personal enforcer at the "Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith" or as it used to be called "The Holy Office," which instigated the horrific violence that was known as the Inquisition.

Over the next 20 years Ratzinger would be called "Le Panzer Cardinal" and "God's Rottweiler." And not always with affection! Indeed many prominent liberal Catholic theologians would see their academic careers falter, and in some cases simply disappear. Since the late 1970's, Ratzinger had been openly critical of the new Liberation Theology that was sweeping through Central America. He would refer to it as "Godless Marxism." Yet perhaps these cruel jibes at him are uncalled for. He has, it is claimed, contagious charm and is an accomplished pianist who specialises in the delicacies of Mozart, something he would have in common with Condoliza Rice herself, also an adroit virtuoso of the Steinway.  

But all was to change with the lingering death of John Paul II. Then the open buzz in worldwide dioceses was, who could or would, be able to follow such a popular and charismatic figure as the late Pope from Poland. He would be a hard act to try and follow.

(Ratzinger eagerly waiting in the wings to be the next Pope. He is one of the few Cardinals in recent years to actually want to be Pope)

Cardinal Ratzinger was an outside favourite with the bookies, and many of his fellow Cardinals had bitterly crossed theological swords with him in his powerful role as enforcer for morals for the late Pontiff. But surprisingly on the fourth ballot on April 19th, this articulate policeman's son became the first German Pope for almost a thousand years, following Pope Victor. The Cardinals had spoken. He was their man or was it just an 'inside job?'

I personally believe this a momentous end-time event. And just the first of many surprises this pope will offer to a watching, hungry world fuelled by the media and popular commentators. But to a divided Catholic world that is the laity, his election has left them confused and uncertain of where their faith will lead them. 

"So what's in a name," is the old adage?

Well with the new Pope choosing to be called Benedict XVI, some interesting speculation is offered. That he declined to be called John Paul III, does rather distance him from the previous Pope. 

Benedict XV (Giuseppe Sarto) had, before his election, come from the popular seaport of Venice. This Italian First World War Pope had tried to play a political role in ending the horror of the war, unsuccessfully, and almost bankrupted the Church. No mean thing I say, in trying to establish worthy charities to alleviate the suffering and famine in Europe. Something of this Pope, must have appealed to the new Pope.

It is still too soon to try and speculate. Interestingly, as Pope Benedict had once written:

"Society is sick....the one hope, the one remedy, is the Pope." 

I refuse to see this new Pope disagreeing with that forceful statement from his favoured predecessor!  

This Pope, I suspect will bring in his own men to run the Roman Curia. Two names I will be closely watching will be Cardinal Schonborn of Vienna and Cardinal Kasper of Stuttgart.

Cardinal Schonbrun worked closely in editing the "The new Catholic Catechism" ten years ago, with the new Pope. This young Austrian may also be a possible future "Papabile" and favoured Vatican Secretary of State when Cardinal Sodano retires to the hills of Tuscany. (He was replaced by Cardinal Bertone on 15 Sept.)

Also, the future role of a fellow German, Cardinal Kasper. His ecumenical views may well be reined in by the new Pope. 

What I will certainly be looking for at the coming coronation on Sunday will be the use of the Triple Tiara, at the moment housed in Washington of all places. (It wasn't used on this occasion.) Or maybe being Fed-exed to Rome this very day. And also the use of the grotesque and blasphemous broken cross (this was very much displayed for all to see), so favoured by the last three Popes. I personally hope it will be shattered and thrown into the Vatican's furnaces. Hopefully before Sunday!

So

Black smoke,

White smoke,

Holy smoke,

To me its all a convenient smoke screen that conceals the real intentions of a Church that will be quickly destroyed, as written by the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation on the Isle of Patmos, long ago.

Conclusion

In the months and years to come, we will be watching and monitoring the actions and gestures of the future pontificate of Benedict XVI.

Maybe he is not Hitler's Pope, but perhaps just as dangerous.

Time will tell.

Marantha!