Omnes Sancti et Sanctæ Coreæ, orate pro nobis.

Now Blogging Afresh at Ad Orientem 西儒 - The Western Confucian



Wednesday, April 20, 2005

Habemus Papam!



Pope Benedict XVI

Viva il Papa!


Re: Cardinal Ratzinger of Germany Is New Pope

My son, God bless him, was hungry at 1:50 AM, and woke up my wife who in turn woke me up, so I was able to receive the first Urbi et orbi blessing from the new Holy Father.

I can't believe it! Cardinal Ratzinger is the new Vicar of Christ! Amazing! May God bless him. There will be some great years ahead of us, God willing. What a great time for orthodoxy! What a great time to be Catholic!

Laudetur Iesus Christus!

UPDATE: From Joseph Ratzinger elected new Pope, here is the announcement from Cardinal Protodeacon Medina Estevèz:
    Nuntio vobis gaudium magnum: habemus Papam. Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum Joseph sanctae romanae ecclesiae cardinalem Ratzinger, qui sibi nomen imposuit Benedicti XVI.
And from the same source, here are the first words to us from Pope Benedict XVI:
    “Dear brothers and sisters”

    “After the Great John Paul II, the cardinals have elected me, a simple and humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord.

    “I find consolation in the fact that the Lord knows how to work with inadequate instruments and use them well, and [speaking to the crowd] I especially entrust myself to your prayers.

    “In the joy of the Risen Lord, confident in His permanent help, we continue [in our task].

    “The Lord shall help us, and Mary, His Most Holy Mother, is with us.

    “Thank you!”
It was great to hear that continuation of Pope John Paul the Great's Marian message.

Mother of God, Pray for our Holy Father.

UPDATE 2: Expect more outrageous headlines like this one: Ratzinger in Charge of Doctrine Crackdowns.

Crackdowns? What crackdowns?

As Karl Keating noted in his March 8th e-letter entitled THE REPRESSION THAT WASN'T, during the Papacy of Pope John Paul the Great, 24 people, out of 1.1 billion, were disciplined.

UPDATE 3: The ever-reliable Serge, of A conservative blog for peace, has compiled a very impressive list of The new Pope’s opinions on various and sundry topics, especially relating to war, modernism, and Eastern Orthodoxy.

UPDATE 4: There's already a blog: Pope Benedict XVI!

It's 4:00 AM. I won't go back to to sleep. I've taken a cue from Edward Yong of In principio erat Verbum - Εν αρχη ην ο Λογος and popped Palestrina's Missa "Tu es Petrus" in the CD player in celebration of the great day. As Edward notes: "Wail and gnash your teeth, ye liberals and heretics! Roma, Roma über alles!"