Upon this Rock
Papcy in Transition
When in Rome...
One thing John Paul II had in abundance was his own style, so much so that his successor may have a hard time cutting a bella figura of his own. Theologian Richard Gaillardetz identifies some areas in which the new pope might make his mark.
In memoriam: Pope John Paul II (400kb PDF)
As the first pope to master the mass media, John Paul II left words and images to fill a thousand scrapbooks. We’ve collected some of the most memorable in this photo retrospective.
How will Benedict rule? (300kb PDF)
There’s more to the former Cardinal Ratzinger than meets the eye, says German theologian Dietmar Mieth, in an interview with Meinrad Scherer-Emunds. The new pope, after all, was once a progressive church reformer, and he may still be a sheep in wolf’s clothing.
What's left in his legacy
Though John Paul II was lauded for his hard line on issues dear to the political right, he wasn’t truly at home in any camp, argues Kevin Clarke in Margin Notes.
Dear Pope Benedict...
Thirteen former winners of the U.S. Catholic Award for Furthering the Cause of Women in the Church offer the new pope their hopes and dreams for his ministry.
Seeds of the future
In The Examined Life Meinrad Scherer-Emunds wonders if the cardinal who imagined a smaller church might become a pope who embraces a large one.
If I were pope... (500kb PDF)
As if Pope Benedict didn’t have enough advice already, U.S. Catholic’s readers want to put in their two cents. In this Reader Survey Heather Grennan Gary summarizes their agenda for the new papacy.