Why did the Cardinals elect Ratzinger?

One reason that I have been reading about is that the Vatican is in financial crisis. And Ratzinger is the most capable of putting it in the black.

Well, what is he going to do? He seems to not care about the lack of attendance in European and American Churches. Is he going to demand indulgences from the third world? "I can save your Aids infected child from Purgatory for a mere $100."

in everything but name.

despite his outward appearence, Pope John Paul was alot more lucid than most people thought, it was only 6 months ago that he started to really slip. But he was not senile and unaware of his surroundings.

that's funny!

It was the nuke option, sad to say. He did not have two thirds, but he had half plus one, and they were firm. The rest could not put up a candidate that could stand in opposition (there were probably several names bandied about, but not one that half of them could get behind). The Ratzinger cadre indicated they would wait it out, until a simple majority was all that was needed. The others threw in the towel--no tv, no restaurants, for TEN MORE DAYS? With the SAME RESULT? Screw it, cave....he's a transitional candidate anyway.

Ratzinger is determined to wring more cash out of Europe, and he can do it. Expect to see him making the rounds there. He will probably unload a ton of real estate, close unprofitable parishes, and make the uber-faithful give till it really hurts. And they will, I'm sure.

The downside is that US churches will probably take it on the chin, too. More parish closings, more cash raised locally, less redistribution from Rome. Sink or swim.

Then, he will GROW the church in the poorer nations. Fast dimes are better than slow dollars, if you have a huge crowd, all clutching dimes.

.

die Stimme ist Deutsch (Greeting, the Voice is German).