Several of the Cardinals who elected the new Pope Benedict XVI revealed their thoughts regarding the new Pope and shared what happened in the Sistine Chapel immediately after the pontiff was elected.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster said that as soon as Cardinal Ratzinger obtained the 77 votes required to be elected, the cardinals gasped, clapped, and one Cardinal, Joachim Meisner of Germany burst out crying, according to the New York Times.

Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick of Washington explained that until the new pope had been elected, the cardinals had been a room full of equals.

"And then suddenly, one of you is different," he said. As leader of the Church, "He’s no longer one of you," he said according to the Washington Post.

According to Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, Cardinal Ratzinger accepted the office and chose the name Benedict XVI, saying that like Benedict XV, who tried to stop the First World War, "I, too, hope that in this short reign to be a man of peace," according to the Post.

In the days leading up to the conclave some cardinals had been impressed by Cardinal Ratzinger’s eloquent and moving celebration of John Paul II’s funeral Mass as well as his clear stance against the "dictatorship of relativism" in secular society, according to the Post.

"I think he showed great leadership quality, which must obviously have influenced what people though about him, said Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier of South Africa, according to the Times.

Cardinal McCarrick also said that newspaper coverage of Cardinal Ratzinger had gotten their attention prior to the conclave and concluded with a grin, saying, "...the Holy Spirit may speak through the newspapers – sometimes even the Italian newspapers."

Cardinal George said that Cardinal Ratzinger’s possible influence over a languishing European church may have tilted the voting in his favor, saying that the new pope "understands Western society" and "is very well prepared" for reinvigorating Western churches.

For Cardinal Napier, in the weeks before the conclave, many electors came to see a different side of Cardinal Ratzinger, a "gently humble," character, according to the Times.

He added, "Probably many of us did not know that side of Cardinal Ratzinger."

Yet, apart from any commentaries, Cardinal Christoph Schonborn, the archbishop of Vienna said in the New York times, "You can deduce that we were convinced that he was the man God had indicated to us."




Francis Helguero
Christian Today Correspondent