As many around the world mourn the passing of Pope John Paul II, I see the images live on my tv screen and can't help but feel that this is a very momentous occasion.I mean, momentous in more than the sense that someone famous has died.Ê

Even more so than the fact that the person who has been Pope for 26
years has died.Ê Those things and the fact that he seemed to truly be a
good person, who loved God are all very momentous.Ê There seems to be
more at stake here, though.It's
almost intangible, as I think about it, but I think it has so very much
to do with the future.Ê Who will be the next Pope?Ê Will he be from a
"Western" nation or from a non-western nation?Ê What about the issues
that face the world, us as Christians, and the Pope specificaly.There
are so many issues at stake here: one the one hand you have things like
euthanasia, abortion, gay marriages, gays in the priesthood.Ê On the
other hand you have issues such as women priests, the issue of celibacy
and the priesthood, ecumenical (inter-denomonational) and
inter-religious issues, i.e., how does the church relate to itself and
to other religions.What will the new Pope's stance be on these issues and how will he address them?Ê Will he be liberal or conservative?Ê These are the questions that are on my mind as the world wathces Rome and waits for the next Pope to be chosen.Ê -RB

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