Congrats to Benedict XVI

This will be an interesting period in my faith life, as for the first time I have a new pope. Like all other Catholics my age and younger (and even some older than me), Pope John Paul II was "The Pope", as we have never known any other pope our entire lives. While we continue to pray for the repose of his soul, we also now have a new pope in our lives, Pope Benedict XVI, Joseph Ratzinger of Germany. My prayers go out to our new pope, that he may continue to guide Catholics throughout the world, and be a pillar of strength to all of us as John Paul was.