I know the new Pope personally. I have had the honor of meeting him several times over the years in Rome. He is a very humble, personable man, quite different from the hard-line "enforcer" image which is often portrayed of him.
He is a man of great theological ability, linguistically talented, kindly of manner and of enormous pastoral and administrative experience. He was of course very close to Pope John Paul, knew his mind, and collaborated very closely with him. But he is his own man, and will bring his own gifts to the papacy, to the Church and the world.
He will speak and write with a clear voice. He showed in his sermon at the late Pope's funeral that he had the gift of communicating with vast crowds. He spoke simply, directly and movingly. Many who had only known him as the great enforcer were surprised at his kindly, gentle, affectionate words that day.
The choice of name is interesting, and I would say, inspiring. The last Pope to bear that name, Benedict XV, was a man of enormous humility who spent himself in the cause of peace. I think we may find a clue to the style of pontificate we are likely to see in that choice of name.
ZEN - Zenit (20. april 2005)