February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
“I was right down in the square. It was very exciting,” Flynn said in a phone interview minutes after Germany’s Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger emerged from the conclave and announced the papacy of Benedict XVI.
“I think the vote by the conclave is an affirmation of the policies and the legacy of Pope John Paul II,” Flynn said. “It can’t be understated the impact that the funeral of John Paul had on this city, and the cardinals who assembled to elect his successor.”
Flynn said that as U.S. ambassador he had worked with then Cardinal Ratzinger on a number of issues.
“I’ve had lunch with him,” Flynn said. “He is a very humble and very shy man. He doesn’t have the charisma of John Paul, but he does have a brilliant intellect.”
Flynn said that the election of Cardinal Ratzinger had put paid to one long held view.
“We can now dispel the myth that you go into the conclave a pope and come out a cardinal. He [Ratzinger] had the votes from the very beginning, no question.”
Flynn is of the view that Ratzinger, who at 78 is 20 years older than Karol Wojtyla when he Pope John Paul II, will be somewhat different in style to his predecessor.
“He is not a robust type, but he will continue the legacy and policies of John Paul 11.”
Flynn said he felt it was now time for the Catholic Church to take a deep breath and assess the future.
“Right now I think the church has to concentrate on its unity and stability,” he said.
He added that he now considered it possible that the next pope after Benedict XVI would come from Africa or Latin America as so many Catholics around the world wanted, and even expected this time around.
Fr. Sean McManus, for one, was disappointed that the College of Cardinals had not turned to Africa or Latin America for a successor to John Paul II.
“I was praying for a pope from Africa, or a pope from the third world, but obviously the Holy Spirit did not agree with me,” McManus, a member of the Redemptorist order, said from his office in Washington, D.C.
Irish government officials, meanwhile, were quick to congratulate the newly elected pope and offer the support of the Irish people.
President Mary McAleese remarked on the challenges facing the new pontiff.
“You embody their hopes for greater unity among peoples and a more just and caring human family,” read a statement released Tuesday. “Your guidance and leadership amid the complexities of modern life will be crucial. May your acceptance of this tremendous burden of service bear fruit in our world.”
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern also released a statement that touched on Pope John Paul II’s legacy and how it will affect Pope Benedict XVI.
“The awesome responsibility has been increased by the scale of the impact made by his predecessor, the late Pope John Paul II,” and should represent “a source of encouragement for the new pope.”
“Pope Benedict XVI is a man of profound learning, and knows only too well the pressures which await him in the office of pope.”
Ireland’s Archbishop Sean Brady offered his congratulations and also mentioned the road ahead. Brady urged followers on both sides of the Irish border to pray for the new pope.
“The election of our new pope is not only a source of great joy and hope for Catholics throughout the world, it is also an important event for the whole human family,” he said. “At the beginning of the third millennium we are blessed with a deeper sense of our common humanity and with a shared sense of responsibility in striving for a more just and peaceful world.
“Pope Benedict XVI will play a critical part in progressing this search, in engaging with people of all faiths and none in constructive dialogue about the joy and hopes, the challenges and the fears of the world. This is a daunting prospect.”
Fr. Damien O’Connell, who works with Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus ministry, said he is “enthusiastic” about the new pope.
“He is intelligent and articulate,” he said. “John Paul II demonstrated that genuine dialogue is only possible for those with deep conviction.”
O’Connell said that while the role Cardinal Ratzinger played as a close advisor to Pope John Paul II could not determine the path he will take with his own leadership, he would be surprised if he did not carry on the same legacy.
Bishop Joseph Sullivan, vicar for human services at the Diocese of Brooklyn, believes the new pope will represent a period of continuity and discipline in the Catholic church.
“He was the most impressive person I ever met in the Rome congregation,” he said. “I think he has been portrayed as heavy handed, but that’s part of the job. Some of the statements that have been released by his office could have been nuanced better, like his stance on homosexuality. But it shows that he’s a man who will take the stripes for standing firm on things he feels strongly about. It will be interesting to see where he stands on the third world.”
Sullivan said he thinks this pope will exhibit quiet strength as a leader.
“I don’t think he’ll be a media person,” he said. “He doesn’t have the charisma of John Paul II. He’s shy, a very cerebral man.
“There will be no change in doctrine. I think what we’ll see are possibly some enforcements in discipline. I think he will embrace this role, not as a triumphant, but as a humble servant.”
(Reporting by Ray O’Hanlon, Jill Sheehy and Ailbhe Jordan.)