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New pope tasked with restoring authority of papal office

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    Challenges ahead for Catholic Church

  • Duration 5:40
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Benedict the sixteenth had a reputation for being much more private in reserve than his predecessor the charismatic Pope John Paul the second.

Many church historians say he's really more scholarly and likely the world's greatest living theologian.

He sought to return the church to it's conservative roots but he also leaves behind an organization reeling from sex scandals internal divisions and dwindling numbers.

The fox -- chief correspondent Jonathan Hunt is here what else are experts -- about the legacy -- we begin to crafted an hour into his resignation he.

-- indeed will he led that Catholic church of calls for seven years ten months.

And nine -- he's in totaling noting significant time to -- experts I spoke to today.

All said that he will probably be seen is a transitional.

Rather than a transformation.

Old -- That is not to say some of his actions one significant though for instance they say that his outreach to the Muslim world including visiting the Blue Mosque.

In Turkey was a very significant action.

And according to Greg -- the author of several books on the Catholic Church.

He was the first -- to truly face up to the sex abuse scandal listen.

-- remembered as someone who did more than anyone else before him that's for certain.

John Paul the second left a legacy of inaction and sort of avoidance.

And been -- face it head on.

And from his time as prefect of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith before he became Pope he was aware of many of these cases.

And he.

Also.

Engage in a personal outreach to is to victims in a way that no one has -- very few bishops in the world have done.

But ironically in a sense what the experts say this but Pope will most be remembered for chat is the way.

That he left the office resigning of course the first time it's happened around six.

You mentioned transitional I remember when he was inaugurated.

That's the same thing they were saying about him at the time because of his age and otherwise whoever the new Pope -- -- and the challenges ahead are incredible.

A lot of challenges and again these experts say that the sex abuse scandal is something that the next -- Will have to deal -- there's also those internal divisions.

The Vatican has said to be written -- them.

And according to Greg Tobin.

Pope Benedict did not do much he was not a good administrator and the new Pope according again to mr.

Tobin.

We'll have to prove the -- relevance.

In a round the globe listen.

There are even within the church.

Around the world people who are who don't really invest.

Much faith in the authority of the Pope for whatever reason and there are many different reasons so that this Pope will be faced with.

Addressing an engaging those people and perhaps restoring -- trying to restore.

The authority of the papal office.

It's a big job but we.

She is exactly why Pope Benedict felt he was no longer capable of carrying -- -- and that's what we're told Jonathan Hunt thanks very much joining us now the director of the organization Catholic voices USA can dangles witness.

Kim is also an attorney focusing on religious liberty including its role in health care Ken good to see you thank you.

It's -- to be here in this feeling of not in morning as we bring in a new Pope is an all new thing.

It is a whole new thing obviously usually this happens after a Coke has died and that's a very somber occasion.

This time I think what you see in a Roman people waving flags and church bells tolling people waving at the helicopters the great affection and gratitude.

That the Roman people as well as Catholics around the world have for Benedict.

Really the Roman people -- you know I I have I've been over there a couple times and know a lot of Italians and Romans and they don't talk about a lot of affection for.

-- -- -- -- they didn't talk about a lot of affection for cardinal Ratzinger and they don't talk about a lot of affection for this -- not that there's any dislike it's just affection.

I haven't heard that.

Absolutely I mean look at what -- -- day look at the images that we've seen over the past.

Few days of of crowds crowds of Saint Peter's Square and see the flags waving and you see people waving at the end of the day.

Benedict was the bishop of Rome and this was something that's very close to people it's very close to Italians -- -- world I know we certainly feel we certainly feel affection -- for Benedict.

All right well -- as we move forward here I don't know the next Pope is going to be out on the game by knows yet.

Right but but the whoever it is has a lot of work to do it it's been widely reported and it's it's true that he that this Pope faced up -- some of the crises.

But that -- there's still sheltering men who who abuse young boys and shifted them around in the system and -- that sort of thing doesn't change this this this church is in trouble.

I think it's absolutely right and everybody sees that reforms need to continue -- Benedict was wonderful at initiating reforms over the last ten years we've seen a great many advances made.

I'm certainly especially in the church in the United States but certainly reforms need to continue but I think the real story here is the excitement that you see among young people.

That you see -- in the global south.

For the church at the end of the day it's about goodness and truth and beauty and the church has the courage to be counter cultural on the stand for those things in the face of -- off and isolating and confusing world can the church in Rome.

Handle a black or Latin -- Absolutely I think we're definitely ready for -- it's it's almost jarring to hear that.

Put in those terms because -- churches and growing by leaps and bounds in the global south.

What -- calling for is not somebody from a particular place from a particular race we're calling for someone who was an apostle of Jesus Christ for someone who lives -- -- That's what people are looking for -- Daniels Catholic voices -- it's great to see you thank you great to see you -- --

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