Pope Benedict’s Used Volkswagon for Sale on eBay

Popemobile for Sale? (Reuters) A second hand car once said to be registered in the name of Joseph Kardinal Ratzinger -- the new Pope Benedict - is up for sale on eBay and the sky seems to be the limit when it comes to bidding. The vehicle, a metallic gray 1999 Volkswagen Golf, went up for auction on ...

B16: Breaking Down The Numbers

Despite a clear rejection by the majority of the closely-watched "media punditry" population, newly elected Pope Benedict XVI has managed to squeak out 82% support (73% say they are "enthusiastic") in the less well understood "American Catholic" demographic.

Benedict Says He Prayed Not to Be Elected

Benedict Says He Prayed Not to Be Elected (AP) Pope Benedict XVI said Monday he had viewed the idea of being elected pope as a "guillotine," and he prayed to God during the recent conclave to be spared selection but "evidently this time He didn't listen to me." For the first time since his election, Benedict shed light on ...

American Catholics Approve of New Pope

American Catholics Approve of Pope Benedict XVI (WaPo) An overwhelming majority of American Catholics approves of the selection of Pope Benedict XVI and predicts that he will defend the traditional policies and beliefs of a church that many members say is out of touch with their views, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. The survey found that more than eight ...

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger Becomes Pope Benedict XVI

"God's Rottweiler" arises from the white smoke: Thousands Cheer in St. Peter's Square as New Leader Emerges (NYT | RSS) Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected pope today, taking the name Benedict XVI, then telling a wildly cheering crowd from a balcony on St. Peter's Basilica, "I entrust myself to your prayers." The 265th leader of the Roman Catholic Church, smiling broadly, was introduced ...

A New Pope Has Been Chosen

A new pope has been chosen on just the second day of the conclave. His name has not yet been announced. If precedent is any indication, we should know within hours. A New Pope Has Been Chosen (WaPo) White smoke from the Sistine Chapel's chimney and the pealing of bells Tuesday signaled that the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church ...

Papal Candidates: Cardinal Cláudio Hummes, Brazil

In 2002, Frei Betto, a renowned liberation theologian, declared that, if Cardinal Hummes were to reach the papacy, "he would be even more socially engaged than John Paul II.” It was a bold statement, but perhaps not ill-informed. After all, how many church leaders can claim to have opened diocesan facilities for labor and political meetings? How many have provided ...

Vatican Begins Anti-surveillance Operation

The Vatican has deployed countermeasures in an attempt to keep enterprising reporters from spying on the papal selection conclave. Vatican mobilises anti-surveillance op (The Register) If press reports are to be believed, then next Monday's gathering of cardinals in the Sistine Chapel will represent the biggest counter-surveillance operation since the Posh/Becks royal wedding. Indeed, so busy will the Vatican be blocking laser ...

Betting on a New Pope

John Tierney argues that speculators at Intrade may give us the best insights as to who will be the next Pope. If you listened to journalists during last year's presidential campaign, you heard about a tight race with oscillating polls and shifting momentum. The weekend before the election, we painstakingly analyzed the battleground states and bravely proclaimed them too close to ...

Papal Candidates: Cardinal Godfried Danneels, Belgium

According to a June 2002 Washington Monthly article by John Allen, even though Pope John Paul II appointed a vast majority of the cardinals, it's no guarantee that his successor will be conservative. Cardinal Danneels is perhaps the strongest evidence for this argument. On modern culture, gender roles, church structure, and even papal retirement, he clearly departs from traditionalists. But ...