If I were the new Pope, I'd be feeling a bit weird right now. In fact, not only now; I'd be downright nervous whenever someone glanced at their watch in my presence. What's the rush? With all the commentary focusing on Ratzinger's status as a transitional (read: likely to die soon) Pope, he's got to be feeling the reality of mortality pretty acutely. You'd think this transitional idea would be something the Cardinals could keep to themselves, but apparently not. Instead, Ratzinger emerged Pope amid ecstatic cries of "He's so old!" and "I bet his health is failing" and, the current crowd favorite, "the real question is who'll be the next Pope when he dies, which will be soon?"
Odd folk, these Catholics are. They take all the fun out of promotion.
