This pope has done nothing to heal the wounds of the catholic church. The church has been abandoned by the millions. It is time for new leadership in this church, one that that cleanse the wounds and re build the church. It must start with full disclosure of and separation from any priests that have been found guilty of molestation of children. Cardinal Law needs to be extridited back to the United States for prosecution. Not until the church faces these issues will trust be once again regained. Open up the windows and let us start anew.

Sorry - but they will probably select another hardliner who will not yield on much of anything, especially since this pope is just retiring and not dead.  The church should ultimately recognize that birth control, marriage of priests, and acceptance of homosexuality - even if they do not call it marriage - and female priests are necessary parts of being a modern church.

I admit I haven't followed Benedict's Papacy in great detail, but he was something of a throwback who didn't approve of much of the modernization brought by Vatican II.

My most vivid memories are his crackdown on nuns for their openness, and his promotion of Cardinal Bernard Law to a position in the Vatican following the Boston Globe's exposure of many years of rampant pedophilia in the Boston Archdiocese.

and watch the left pounce.

Maybe, just MAYBE, the next Pope will respect women.  The really hard workers of the Church, the women, might get a little justice.  

Call me a dreamer....

Ratzi The Nazi, good riddance. Let the truth be known.

The Pope has said he intended to focus more on building up the Church's presence in Africa and

South America.  That's all the millions of impoverished people in those part of the world  need is to

be encouraged to have more children