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Who could possibly follow in the footsteps of Pope John Paul II?
In 2005 the College of Cardinals in Rome faced the daunting task of selecting John Paul’s successor. The Polish pope had reigned for nearly 27 years and played a pivotal role in ending communism’s tyranny in Eastern Europe.
He had the charisma of a rock star and the mind of a philosopher. Conservatives loved him, but JPII was a great modernizer of the Church as well. His successor would step into his shadow — and have to deal with the greatest failure of his pontificate, the horrific sexual abuse scandals plaguing the faith.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger prayed he wouldn’t be chosen. He was in many ways John Paul’s right-hand man, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for nearly a quarter century and the logical choice to solidify John Paul’s legacy. Yet Ratzinger was 78 and feared he was too old to complete his friend’s unfinished work.
