In my opinion, it would have been better if a more modern-minded person was elected instead of the ultra-conservative Ratzinger.

A new Pope for the new times.

I don't mean to go as far as to wish for one who will approve of gay and lesbian marriages or be more liberated about such things, but a man of the times who will address the two most important issues in the Catholic church :

1. Birth control
2. Child molestation by priests

Pope John Paul, for all of his charisma, was still a strict conservative (like a Republican). But with his charm and wit, he was able to dance around these two key issues without really addressing them, thereby pleasing all his subjects albeit deceiving them all. And now a Rat takes his place, Ratzinger that is.

I heard from CNN that the new German Pope is very much against any form of contraception or family planning. I was hoping a wiser pope would have assumed office and instruct all Catholic nations, particularly those classified as third world, to have a change of heart and be more practical. Perhaps help save the Philippines from its spiral down the population explosion hole, or at least slow it down. No such luck for our country, I suppose.

(Intriguingly, the Vatican, the seat of the Catholic church, is situated in Rome, Italy, which government, for several decades had clearly established the separation of their church and state, and have successfully indoctrinated their people with family planning. Too successfully in fact, now they are underpopulated, with too many seniors collecting pensions and not enough young people working and paying taxes.)

Second, any crime against children is abhorrent. Sexual abuse from priests (supposed holy men who parents trusted their children with in schools and seminaries) should be ranked right up there with blasphemy. And priests caught and convicted of such crimes should not only be removed from priesthood or go to prison, they should be castrated. These Michael Jacksons have been in the Catholic church system for hundreds of years while Popes that came and went ignored this very grave offense to countless children.

I had hoped at least the new Pope would have been one who would address these issues and not turn a blind eye to them and pretend they're not happening, as the last one did.

(And talking about castration, I always wondered why priests don't get castrated when they enter the priesthood. I mean what do they need "them" for, diba they take a vow of celibacy? They should be snipped like the ancient eunuchs of old. Thereby removing all temptation and sexual angst and crimes that follow.)