Vatican Watcher

The Curia: What's To Come?

2013-03-16T08:39:00.000-05:00

When a pope dies (or in this case abdicates), most all the curial officials who hold office at his pleasure go out of office along with him (except for a few prominent exceptions). When a new pope is elected, though he may have ideas of his own regarding whom he wants in key positions, it's usual for him to confirm his predecessor's men to continue their terms (at least until the new pope is ready to get going on his own agenda).

For instance, back in 2005, newly-elected Pope Benedict cinfirmed Cardinal Sodano as secretary of state, the job the cardinal had under John Paul II.

VATICAN CITY, APR 25, 2005 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Confirmed members of the dicasteries of the Roman Curia in their current posts until the end of the five-year period for which they were appointed by the late lamented Pope John Paul II.

I disagreed with this. Sodano and Ratzinger were in opposing camps on a lot of issues, the most visible being Maciel and the Legion of Christ. Sodano shielded Maciel when Ratzinger attempted to proceed against him. Then Ratzinger was elected and he kept on his enemy in one of the chief offices of the Roman Curia for another year. I think that had a fundamental impact on Benedict's pontificate as the Holy Father never gained any true momentum in dealing with the filth and the filth's enablers.

Cardinal Ratzinger was elected on April 19 and he didn't confirm the members of the dicasteries until six days later. Pope Bergoglio was elected Wednesday night and it is now Saturday, so he has time yet to spare before people are expecting to get back to work. Will things start to happen Monday (Francis has the Vatileaks report in hand now) or will the Holy Father wait for his lunch with his predecessor a week from today

UPDATE: I posted too soon. But note that it is only provisional.

VaticanCity, 16 March 2013(VIS) – Holy Father Francis has expressed the desire that the Heads and members of the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, as well as their Secretaries, and also the President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, continue "donec aliter provideatur", that is, provisionally, in their respective positions.

The Holy Father wishes to reserve time for reflection, prayer, and dialogue before any final appointment or confirmation is made.

Chinese Regards to Pope Francis

2013-03-15T10:29:00.000-05:00

New York Times

Hua Chunying, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said that Beijing hoped the pope, who was elected on Wednesday, would work with Chinese officials on improving relations. But, she said, the Vatican “must stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, including in the name of religion."

She also said the Vatican must sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan before ties with Beijing improve. China considers Taiwan a renegade province that is part of its territory.

Sadly, with the current regime of China, I don't see much room to improve relations. Can the Holy See do much of anything besides either take a hard line or capitulate to Chinese demands?

But perhaps there is hope for improvement on horizon. China has only just recently installed its Fith Generation of leadership. And I've read there is hope for real political change with the Sixth Generation. That is still at least a decade away, though.

It's the Argentine

2013-03-14T10:34:00.001-05:00

The Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Pope Francis put his humility on display during his first day as pontiff Thursday, stopping by his hotel to pick up his luggage and pay the bill himself in a decidedly different style of papacy than his tradition-minded predecessor, who tended to stay ensconced in the frescoed halls of the Vatican.

And

The former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio began his first day as pope making an early morning visit in a simple Vatican car to a Roman basilica dedicated to the Virgin Mary and prayed before an icon of the Madonna.

Reminds me of Pope Kiril from the film The Shoes of the Fisherman.

Tradition is important. It brings meaning and structure to the past, our present lives, and the future. But I think also we must remember there was time when we had no traditions, that our present traditions have accumulated over the course of two thousand years of history. To survive, I think the Church must not be afraid as long as it remains true to Christ.

A personal note: I went to confession yesterday. Confession is always a trial, not just because I am ashamed of my sins, but also because of my disability. While I was waiting my turn, I wrote Francis in block letters on the palm of my hand. And I was comforted by it.

A Few More Thoughts

2013-03-13T19:27:00.000-05:00

Reaction is coming out now. Rorate Caeli has a series of reaction posts that should be read for a close look at the Holy Father. As one person there commented, the first homily, being in the last two pontificates a sort of blueprint for the pontificate to come, will most likely tell the tale of where Francis is going. In the meantime, the Rosary is a powerful weapon! Pray for our Holy Father.

A Few Thoughts On Days Gone By

2013-03-13T18:17:00.005-05:00

Pope Bergoglio has been elected and it is now the middle of the night in Rome. I can't help feeling a sense of letdown now that it's all over. This is my second conclave and as I compare this experience to 2005, the differences are making themselves known as I think back.

Eight years ago we had the moving experience of the last days of John Paul II taking place on the stage of Holy Week and Easter. There was the sorrowful period of mourning with the procession of the body and the funeral Mass celebrated by Cardinal Ratzinger. Then a time of waiting as the cardinals met before the conclave finally arrived. Cardinal Ratzinger was elected Pope Ratzinger, Benedict XVI, and the rest is now history.

This time around though feels much different as I think back. It seems like Benedict announced his stepping down only the other day. There was his final public Mass, his final audiences, the flight over Rome, and his final words at Castel Gandolfo before the Swiss Guards marched away. That was it. Then the conclave began and boom, "Habemus Papum!"

We'll see what happens with our new Holy Father.

We have a pope!

2013-03-13T14:20:00.001-05:00

Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergoglio, SJ is now His Holiness Pope Francis!

We have a pope!

2013-03-13T13:09:00.000-05:00

Conclave '13 - Day Two

2013-03-13T08:51:00.001-05:00

Yesterday the cardinals entered the conclave. There was black smoke at the end of the first day.

Today after the morning session, there was black smoke.

Morning - after 2 ballots - 11 to12 noon Rome time - 6 to 7 am EDT
Afternoon - after 2 ballots - 6 to 7 pm Rome time - 1 to 2 pm EDT

There are two ballots in each session. If a pope is chosen on the first ballot of the session, the white smoke will be seen at either 6 am or 1 pm.

UPDATED to reflect earlier possible times for smoke to be seen. VIS: "The “fumata”, again black, issued forth at 11:40 this morning, around 20 minutes earlier then expected."

On the Eve of the Conclave

2013-03-11T12:43:00.004-05:00

Be sure to keep handy this calendar created by the people at Rorate Caeli. Remember, Rome is five hours ahead of US Eastern Daylight Time.

I had a post set to go last week with a list of the most commonly mentioned papabili and my comments, but it didn't seem worth it. A lot of them (Scherer of Brazil, the Americans, Turkson) are either putting themselves forward via subtle and not so subtle means or are being sold by the media. Some of the other names being mentioned are simply warmed-over leftovers from 2005. As the saying goes, he who goes in as pope comes out as a cardinal, so I will be surprised if any of the names getting press actually gets elected.

There will be more to come as events progress. Godspeed, cardinals.

Conclave '13 - Date

2013-03-08T10:42:00.001-06:00

There are reports the Conclave is set for 12 March. More information when I can find it.

Update: CNN

Rome (CNN) -- The Catholic cardinals gathered in Rome voted Friday to begin the secret election, or conclave, to elect a new pope next Tuesday afternoon, the Vatican said.

The 115 cardinal-electors taking part in the conclave will enter the closed-door process after a morning Mass, the Vatican said. Only those younger than 80 are eligible to vote.

Conclave '13 - Clues

2013-03-07T20:53:00.001-06:00

BBC

The last of the 115 cardinals who will chose the new Pope has arrived in Rome.

Vietnamese Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man joined his colleagues in closed-door discussions at the Vatican.

His presence means a date can now be set for the conclave to choose a successor to Benedict XVI as head of the Roman Catholic Church.

And

Since Monday the elector cardinals have been holding preparatory meetings and prayers known as "general congregations" before the conclave begins.

The discussions are held under an oath of secrecy, but Italian newspapers have published what they say are leaked details of the debate on problems faced by the church.

Reform of the Vatican's bureaucracy - known as the Curia - and the Vatican bank have both been on the agenda, the reports say.

Last year European regulators said the bank was not doing enough to combat money laundering, while intrigue in the Vatican was revealed by documents leaked by Pope Benedict's butler.

A reformer? An outsider? Someone young? Someone with great personal charisma?

Conclave '13 - Preliminaries

2013-03-04T10:06:00.000-06:00

BBC

Roman Catholic cardinals from around the world have gathered in Rome to begin the process of electing the next Pope.

Cardinals held prayers and swore oaths of secrecy at their first meeting, held by the College of Cardinals.

There will be a series of daily meetings leading up to a conclave, expected to begin next week, in which a new Pope will be chosen.

And

The first pre-conclave meeting on Monday morning was headed by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Angelo Sodano.

The Vatican said 101 of the 115 cardinals involved in the conclave have arrived in Rome. A further 12 are due to arrive either today or tomorrow, while two are not attending.

They are the UK's Cardinal Keith O'Brien, who is standing down amid allegations of improper behaviour, and Indonesia's Julius Darmaatmadja, who is ill.

At the pre-conclave meetings, cardinals - known as the "princes" of the Church - will discuss future challenges and discreetly weigh up possible papal candidates.

The conclave - to be held in the Sistine Chapel - is expected to take place next week, though the exact date will be agreed on in the coming days.

Just some good information from our friends at the BBC, getting us up to speed on the program leading up to the Conclave.

Today's the Day

2013-02-28T08:42:00.003-06:00

It's 3:37 in Rome. The Holy Father will depart in less than five hours. EWTN has live coverage and rebroadcasts. Right now they are rebroadcasting the meeting with the cardinals which took place this morning.

As has been reported elsewhere, the Holy Father will keep his reigning name and his style of Holiness. He will keep wearing white in the form of a simple white cassock with no papal insignia. Gone will be the red shoes and the fisherman's ring will be broken.

Colorado Lawsuit Update

2013-02-25T13:27:00.001-06:00

CNN

(CNN) -- A Catholic hospital in hot water for claiming in a Colorado court that a fetus is not a person backtracked on Monday, saying it was "morally wrong" to make the argument while defending itself in a wrongful death lawsuit.

And

"In the discussion with the Church leaders, CHI representatives acknowledged that it was morally wrong for attorneys representing St. Thomas More Hospital to cite the state's Wrongful Death Act in defense of this lawsuit. That law does not consider fetuses to be persons, which directly contradicts the moral teachings of the Church," Catholic Health Initiatives said in a statement.

It promised that attorneys for the hospital would not cite the Wrongful Death Act in any future hearings.

And

The state's bishops similarly released a statement, expressing support for CHI and for the Stodghill family.

"We join CHI in affirming the fundamental truth that human life, human dignity and human rights begin at conception. No law can ever mitigate God-given human rights," they said. "Each human life is a sacred gift, created as a unique and unrepeatable expression of God's love. Life is given by God, and the right to life is a fundamental good, without which no other rights can be enjoyed."

This news is a few weeks old now. It's a good outcome. I am especially appreciative of the Bishops' statement. "Life is a fundamental good." Amen!

A Step Closer to Conclave '13

2013-02-25T11:14:00.001-06:00

BBC

Pope Benedict XVI has amended Roman Catholic church law so that the conclave selecting his successor can be brought forward, the Vatican says.

The change to the constitution means cardinals will no longer have to wait 15 days after the papacy becomes vacant before beginning the conclave.

As a result, the conclave can now start before 15 March.

And

The decision on the date of the beginning of the conclave will be taken by the cardinals but will not happen earlier than 1 March, officials said.

No surprises here. I assume Conclave '13 will start as soon as possible now. I see no reason why next week isn't probable.

What Has Been Going On

2013-02-21T09:06:00.001-06:00

The flurry of news has died down. Most of what is floating around has to do with the conclave possibly being moved up since mourning for a dead pope and hasty travel arrangements are in this case not necessary. There is also a lot of talk of an American pope out there. John Allen of NCReporter is doing a "Papabile of the Day" with Angelo Cardinal Scola being the first to be profiled.

Tomorrow, the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, is the final deadline for the Society of St. Pius X to reply to the latest offer and final from Benedict XVI to reconcile.

Tens of Thousands

2013-02-17T08:35:00.001-06:00

BBC

Tens of thousands of pilgrims have attended St Peter's Square in Rome for one of the final public appearances of Pope Benedict XVI.

He is stepping down on 28 February.

The Pope recited the Angelus prayer and thanked all those who had prayed for him and shown him support over the past few days since his resignation.
[...]

The Pope appeared at his study window overlooking St Peter's Square at 11:00 GMT, his first such appearance since announcing his resignation last Monday.

The crowd erupted into loud applause and there were chants of "Long live the Pope".

One banner in the square read: "We love you".

The Pope used his Angelus appearance to urge the faithful to "renew" and "refocus" on God.
He said: "The Church calls on all its members to renew themselves... which constitutes a fight, a spiritual battle, because the evil spirit wants us to deviate from the road towards God."

The pope spoke in a number of languages; speaking in Spanish, he said: "I beg you to continue praying for me and for the next pope."
[...]

A lot of the rest of the article is just rehashing of old news and talk about the pope's Lenten retreat with the senior members of the curia and then his final appearances before the 28th. The Vatican is considering moving up the conclave due in order to get things over with before Holy Week.

This is interesting due to its bluntness:

One Vatican official told Reuters news agency it was "absolutely necessary" that Benedict lived in the enclave, "otherwise he might be defenceless".

"He wouldn't have his immunity, his prerogatives, his security, if he is anywhere else," the official said.

There are concerns he could be cited in relation to legal cases connected with alleged sexual abuses by Catholic Church officials.

Vatican Bank

2013-02-15T10:36:00.000-06:00

BBC

In January the Italian central bank suspended all bank card payments in the Vatican, citing its failure fully to implement anti-money laundering legislation.

The Holy See was required to meet European Union safeguards on finances by the start of 2013.

Pope Benedict has promised greater transparency in Vatican finances and the operations of its bank.

A group of experts from the Council of Europe said last year that the Vatican had made progress in reforming to meet EU standards but that a lot of work remained to be done.

I'm confused. What is the obligation here for the Vatican? Or is it the EU saying, "do this because I'm bigger than you"? Click the link to read more about the Vatican Bank's newly appointed head.

Morning Roundup

2013-02-14T10:57:00.000-06:00

CNN

Opaque, hierarchical and arcane, the Vatican is a tough beat even for seasoned reporters. It involves paying punctilious attention to papal routine -- never missing the often dreary papal audiences on a Wednesday and the uneventful address from the Vatican on Sunday.

And

Now, Pope Benedict's resignation -- the first in 600 years -- has rewritten the rule book; not just for the Vatican, which now goes through a complex and unprecedented interregnum, but also for the Vatican press corps.

Interesting and illuminating. Unfortunately, the author gets off track and doesn't tell us exactly why His Holiness's abdication changes the rules.

Reuters

Speaking unscripted to thousands of priests from the diocese of Rome, in what turned out to be a farewell address in his capacity as bishop of the Italian capital, Benedict outlined a cloistered life ahead, once he steps down in two weeks time:
"Even if I am withdrawing into prayer, I will always be close to all of you and I am sure that you will be close to me, even if I remain hidden to the world," he said.

Ugh. Don't tell me this was all overblown (probably), and His Holiness being available was meant in a purely spiritual sense!

"In my opinion, once he resigns he should put aside the white cassock and put on the robes of a cardinal," said Father Thomas Reese, senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University and an author of books on the Vatican.

"He should no longer be called pope, or Benedict, or your Holiness, but should be referred to as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger," Reese added. "After the new pope is elected, he should attend his installation along with the other retired cardinals and pledge his allegiance to the new pope."

This I agree with wholeheartedly. Most importantly, a message must be sent that will not be two Popes. Confusion must be annihilated at all costs to secure the legitimacy of Benedict XVI's successor.

On Wednesday night, he presided at an Ash Wednesday Mass that was moved to the vast St Peter's Basilica from its original venue in Rome.

A capacity crowd gave him a thunderous standing ovation at his last public Mass. In his homily he said the Church had been at times "defaced" by scandals, divisions and rivalries.

"Thank you. Now, let's return to prayer," the pontiff said, bringing an end to several minutes of applause that clearly moved him. In an unusual gesture, bishops took off their mitres in a sign of respect. Some of them wept.

You know, His Holiness's abdication could become a public relations masterstroke. Benedict XVI, the pope who retired from the papacy for the good of the Church and his flock. Talk about legacies. Could His Holiness's exit from the papacy not only define how history will view him but also redefine how history views John Paul II?

Sandro Magister: Who Will Take Up the Keys of Peter

2013-02-14T09:13:00.002-06:00

In this article, his first online since the announcement of the abdication, Magister talks a bit about the circumstances and then launches into the brief resumes of the cardinals (and one biship) he thinks are likely contenders in the coming conclave.

Among the Italian candidates, [Angelo] Scola, 71, appears the most solid. He was trained as a theologian in the cenacle of “Communio,” the international magazine that had Ratzinger among its founders. He was the disciple of Fr. Luigi Giussani, the founder of Communion and Liberation. He was rector of the Lateranense, the university of the Church of Rome. He was the patriarch of Venice, where he demonstrated effective managerial abilities and created a theological and cultural center, the Marcianum, reaching out with the magazine “Oasis” toward the confrontation between the West and the East, Christian and Islamic. For almost two years he has been archbishop of Milan. And here he has introduced a pastoral style very attentive to the “far away,” with invitations to the Masses in the cathedral distributed on street corners and in subway stations, and with special care for the divorced and remarried, who are encouraged to approach the altar to receive not communion but a special blessing.

Scola has often been a subject of Magister's writing and one gets the sense after reading all that that Magister has his own favorite.

In addition to Scola, another entry for the list of candidates could be Cardinal Bagnasco, 70, archbishop of Genoa and president of the Italian episcopal conference.

Not to mention the current patriarch of Venice, Francesco Moraglia, 60, a rising star of the Italian episcopate, a pastor of strong spiritual life and very much beloved by the faithful. His limitation is that he is not a cardinal. Nothing prohibits the election of someone who is not part of the sacred college, but even the highly credentialed Giovanni Battista Montini, although projected as pope in1958 after the death of Pius XII, had to wait until he received the scarlet before he was elected in 1963 with the name of Paul VI.
[,,,]

Here one candidate who could meet the expectations is the Canadian Marc Ouellet, 69, multilingual, he as well trained theologically in the cenacle of “Communion,” for many years a missionary in Latin America, then archbishop of Québec, one of the most secularized regions of the planet, and today the prefect of the Vatican congregation that selects the new bishops all over the world.

Apart from Ouellet, two North Americans who elicit appreciation in the college of cardinals are Timothy Dolan, 63, the dynamic archbishop of New York and president of the episcopal conference of the United States, and Sean O'Malley, 69, the archbishop of Boston.
[...]

If from Latin America and Africa, where indeed the majority of the world's Catholics live, there do not seem to emerge prominent personalities capable of attracting votes, the same is not true of Asia.

Note well Magister's opinion of the cardinals of Africa. He fails to mention the perennial favorite Arinze or the oft-mentioned Turkson. The same goes for Latin America. Interesting.

[...] In the Philippines, which is the only nation in Asia where Catholics are in the majority, there shines a young and cultured cardinal, archbishop of Manila Luis Antonio Tagle [56], the focus of growing attention.

As a theologian and Church historian, Tagle was one of the authors of the monumental history of Vatican Council II published by the progressive “school of Bologna.” But as a pastor, he has demonstrated a balance of vision and a doctrinal correctness that Benedict XVI himself has highly appreciated. Especially striking is the style with which the bishop acts, living simply and mingling among the humblest people, with a great passion for mission and for charity.

One of his limitations could be the fact that he is 56, one year younger than the age at which pope Wojtyla was elected. But here the novelty of Benedict XVI's resignation again comes into play. After this action of his, youth will no longer be an obstacle to being elected pope.

My bolding. Magister has other things including links to and translations of the pope's statements and a brief look at the motivations of John Paul II and Benedict.

Benedict XVI's Final Public Mass

2013-02-13T14:44:00.000-06:00

I caught the rebroadcast of the Holy Father's last public Mass today on EWTN. It was pretty normal except for the occasional shots of people looking sad due to the significance of the event.

Then after Communion, Cardinal Bertone came out to address Benedict. And as soon as I saw this, I knew what was coming. The secretary of state finished his address and went up to warmly greet the pope. Cut away to the congregation applauding, clergy, religious, and laity. I knew it would happen, but I hoped it would not go on, but it did. Things moved along to the final blessing, but they were still applauding and Benedict had to wait.

*sigh*

I really wish Cardinal Bertone had waited for some other occasion than Holy Mass.

Zenit has his address translated into English.

Legacy

2013-02-13T11:03:00.002-06:00

The Times

Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz of Cracow, secretary to the late Pope John Paul II, was quoted as saying that Benedict’s predecessor had decided to remain Pope while dying an agonising death from Parkinson’s because “you don’t get down from the Cross”.

I first saw this over at the Daily Mail. And yeah, it was definitely overblown, with only the apparently inflammatory quote without any contect. So thanks to The Times for a bit more information. The extra info regarding the quote may extinguish the flames for me. But I think this illuminates that now more than ever, John Paul II's greatest legacy. He and his papacy are the greatest in living memory and therefore the measuring stick again which all others will be judged. And Benedict XVI will now be fully measured up to his predecessor, with their respective exits from the papacy probably the greatest contrast of all.

Unprecedented

2013-02-12T19:07:00.001-06:00

Daily Mail

While Vatican spokesmen gave assurances that the retired Pope will never interfere with the appointment or decisions of the new one, Benedict’s brother Georg Ratzinger said that ‘where he’s needed he will make himself available’ and added that the next Pontiff ‘may ask for advice’.

It was also revealed that, far from retiring to a life of contemplation in a distant monastery, Benedict will live inside the Vatican in a specially-prepared apartment block.

The DM's article is probably overblown. But the point is valid because I thought the same things myself when I first read Benedict XVI would be close at hand and available. So, there will a new Pope. There will be Cardinals. And there will be a Cardinal who is also an... ex-Pope. Immediately, I'm thinking perhaps His Holiness wishes to engender a collegial atmosphere at the very top, to share the burden. As they say, it's lonely up there. So having someone else there who knows what it's like, that experience shouldn't be wasted. I can understand that if that's the thinking.

Some Reactions

2013-02-12T10:53:00.000-06:00

Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI

United Kingdom - Prime Minister David Cameron praised Benedict XVI, saying: “I sent my best wishes to Pope Benedict following his announcement today. He has worked tirelessly to strengthen Britain’s relations with the Holy See. His visit to Britain in 2010 is remembered with great respect and affection." He added that “He will be missed as a spiritual leader to millions.”

On the face of it, the Prime Minister's reaction seems genuine. I especially like the affection part.

France - President François Hollande said Benedict XVI merits "respect" but did not comment on the matter specifically as it is internal to the Roman Catholic Church.

The President's comment feels cold and guarded to me. I wonder what his religious life is like.

Israel - Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger's spokesman said: "During his period there were the best relations ever between the church and the chief rabbinate and we hope that this trend will continue. I think he deserves a lot of credit for advancing inter-religious links the world over between Judaism, Christianity and Islam." The spokesman also said that Metzger wished Benedict XVI "good health and long days."

I like the Israeli reaction, looking at the practical side of things. "Good health and long days." Indeed!

United States of America - President Barack Obama praised Benedict XVI, saying: "On behalf of Americans everywhere, Michelle and I wish to extend our appreciation and prayers to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. Michelle and I warmly remember our meeting with the Holy Father in 2009, and I have appreciated our work together over these last four years." He added that he wished "the best to those who will soon gather to choose His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI's successor."

Unfortunately, prepared remarks from President Obama.

Pope Benedict "will not interfene in successor's affairs"

2013-02-12T08:47:00.002-06:00

BBC

Pope Benedict XVI will not interfere in the affairs of his successor after his decision to resign later this month, the pontiff's brother has said.

Georg Ratzinger told the BBC the Pope would only "make himself available" if he were needed.
[///]

Benedict XVI will bid farewell to his followers in a final audience in St Peter's Square on 27 February, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi has said.
[...]

The Pope was to retire to the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo when he leaves office, the Vatican said, before moving into a renovated monastery used by cloistered nuns for "a period of prayer and reflection".

"He'll stay in Rome and will certainly have some duties and of course will continue to educate himself intellectually and theologically," Georg Ratzinger told the BBC.
[...]

Those are the salient points in an article that basically sums up what is already known. The final audience is going to be crazy. Back when the pontificate began in 2005, I read a lot about how Benedict was drawing greater and greater numbers to his audiences compared to John Paul II> I wonder how long that trend continued and if it merely plateaued or trended back down.