by Mariel

Created on: January 29, 2009

Pope Benedict XVI has been a controversial figure since his appointment as head of the Catholic Roman Church, three years ago. Naturally, the entire Catholic Roman Christians were hoping and secretly longing for a Pope that would be able to continue on the footsteps of the "Traveller" John Paul II; as the recently elected Pope Benedict XVI emerged in the balcony in the Papal Palace in the Vatican, the world gasped and stood still for a moment.

His face and his expression resembled those of the Cat that always tempted Pinocchio to ditch school and go to the Island of Fun; so we looked in an untrusting expression and wondered if this "new" Pope would really follow on the footsteps of that gigantic other.

The Papacy of John Paul II evidently was not perfect and he was certainly not the cup of tea of many more; in the early years of his papacy, John Paul II had to withstand a lot of criticism because he represented the minorities. The less favoured sheep of God's flock, and as such, he carried that banner tall and high; built bridges with those currents and religions that in other times were mortal enemies of Catholic Christians.

If you asked any laic about the highlights of the papacy of John Paul II it would be self evident that his biggest legacy is that he never left a bridge inbuilt or a relationship with the Church undone, in this part, at least he did follow on the footsteps of The Founder: Jesus Christ.

And that is what it is all about; Christian Roman Catholics often hear in mass the parable of the shepherd that lost one sheep and leaving the other 99 alone, went and fetched it. Upon the return he called his friends and neighbours and asked them to rejoice with him, for he had lost a sheep and now he had found it. No one can deny that this parable was the motto of John Paul II papacy, he personally went and fetched as many sheep as he could possibly do in one lifetime.

This bring me to the current days, when Benedict XVI has reinstituted brethren of the cloth after being excomulgated for their declarations on one of the saddest chapters in human history: World War II. Whether these priests are truly convinced on what they are stating or they are following on a deeper and sinister agenda, the entire world looks in awe towards the Vatican wondering why such a decision was made.

In yesteryears, the common folk was not allowed to question and protest on the actions and decisions of their government and of the Vatican; the members of the cloth (the clergy) were deemed upon as absolute truths. Those days are long gone and most of us have at least one Bible from which we can read and understand that the Pope is not divinely inspired but more of a man, with all the faults and rights of manhood.

Nonetheless, it is the Vatican the belly button of the entire Christian Roman Catholic world and many people of all ages look towards this spiritual guide and follow on his example. For many such example is one of forgiveness and or reconciliation, for others the message is of hate and betrayal.

It is necessary for Benedict XVI if he is planning on continuing with this same path to make an additional effort and follow on the same route that John Paul II took, making amends and building bridges so that any other alternative measures that he might take are not mistaken with negative feelings and underlying actions but instead known as his personal way to follow on the footsteps on the sand.

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