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AROUND THE WORLD 2: New Leader of Roman Catholic Church

After only two days in session, a conclave of cardinals elected a new leader to fill the shoes of Pope John Paul II who died on April 2, 2005.

On Tuesday, April 19, 2005, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was announced as the new Pope, taking the name of Pope Benedict XVI.

Pope Benedict previously worked with Pope John Paul as his Secretary of State, and he was also considered a close friend of the dead pontiff. The appointment came as no surprise to many people. In many ways, the new Pope is a mirror to John Paul--he holds the same views on many issues, including the ordination of women as priests and the marriage of priests. He is also considered to be extremely conservative.

In his first substantial public statement, Pope Benedict told Cardinals that he would work for unity among Christians and would seek "an open and sincere dialogue" with other faiths. This is a very clear indication that his Papacy would be one of continuity and not radically different from the teachings and leadership of Pope John Paul II.

The new Pope will be inaugurated on Sunday at a ceremony attended by many world leaders.

--Written by Olivia Overman

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