Local students, Catholics watch as new pope is named

Students at St. Mary's School in Nevada watch a news broadcast as a new pope is named. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany became Pope Benedict XVI on Tuesday.

From staff and wire reports

"The Holy Father, as a head of state -- Vatican City-- impacts world politics like any head of state. As a spiritual leader, he's a leader to not just Catholics but to people of good will throughout the world, to anyone who wants to live a good and righteous life … in our Lord Jesus Christ," said the Rev. Anthony Pileggi of St. Mary's Catholic Church.

People from all walks of life in Nevada say they've been watching the selection of the new pope with interest, perhaps most of all those at St. Mary's Church and school, for obvious reasons.

Associated Press reports stated that "with unusual speed and little surprise, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany became Pope Benedict XVI on Tuesday, a 78-year-old transitional leader who promises to enforce strictly conservative policies for the world's Roman Catholics."

Pileggi disagrees that the process was unusually speedy, noting that John Paul II was elected within 72 hours -- not much longer than the two-day session in which Pope Benedict XVI was elected.

Millions watched live television broadcasts of St. Peter's bells pealing at 6:04 p.m., Tuesday, and white smoke pouring from the Sistine Chapel's chimney -- signs a successor to John Paul II had been chosen.

Pileggi explained that it's not really a change in spiritual leadership, because the doctrine will remain the same as it has for 2000 years.

"The new pope will bring his own personal style," Pileggi said, but Benedict XVI will "continue in the tradition of John Paul II and likewise of all the successors of the Apostle Peter."

At Vatican City, Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday pledged to work to unify all Christians, reach out to other religions and continue implementing reforms from the Second Vatican Council as he outlined his goals for the future and made clear his pontificate would closely follow the trajectory of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II.

The Associated Press reported that as head of the powerful Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Ratzinger disciplined dissidents, backed John Paul in resisting reforms sought by liberals and urged caution in pursuing relations with other Christian denominations.

Coming from a continent where many churches are empty, he has pushed for Europe to rediscover its Christian roots while suggesting that Turkey's bid for membership in the European Union may be incompatible with European culture.

''Dear brothers and sisters, after the great Pope John Paul II, the cardinals have elected me -- a simple, humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord,'' the new pope said in heavily accented Italian after being introduced.

''The fact that the Lord can work and act even with insufficient means consoles me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers,'' he said.

And that's what the St. Mary's Parish intends to do. The new pope will celebrate a Mass of Installation on Sunday, April 24; so this weekend, the mass at St. Mary's will feature prayers for the new pope.

"We'll be remembering him in prayers. Friday at 9 a.m. the mass will be in honor of him," Pileggi said, and that throughout the diocese, other congregations are likely to do the same.