There are few people in this world given the opportunity to alter the course of history. Some make their mark on the world by changing the face of foreign affairs through the United Nations, while others drive countries into war.
Still others open their hearts to the masses and affect the world in ways we'll never read about in the typical history book. The imprint they leave is unmistakable.
Pope John Paul II was such a man.
But now the pieces must be picked up, and the Catholic Church must continue. The services are done. The made-for-TV documentaries came to a halt. And the front page of The New York Times finally went with other news.
Now the new pope has been named. And among other things, new papal vestments must be made. But in creating his outfit, one thing comes to mind: Can he really fill John Paul II's shoes?
And the answer to that may not just be "no," but a concerned "no."
John Paul II's reign transcended the barriers of the church by affecting the entire world around him. His legacy goes further than simply formally apologizing for past actions of the church.
The Polish pontiff's appointment and focus on bringing his message to a country deep in communism helped force many to confront their own country. His series of speeches were a catalyst for the events leading to the downfall of the Gen. Wojciech Jaruzelski's regime about a decade later.
Among other things, he traveled more than any other pope and published more literature to support the church. Not to mention, he's created more modern-day saints than any of those before him.
But perhaps he'll best be remembered for his role in the globalization of the church.
He didn't just lead a church in a globalized economy: He reached out and spread Catholicism in places many would have overlooked. He pushed outside of Western Europe and changed the faces of the church, literally -- naming more Asian, Latin American and African churches than ever before.
Almost half of the world's Catholics live in Latin America, and now one-third of all Catholics live in developing countries around the world.
And so it makes sense that many were hoping for a pope outside of Europe to be appointed -- one who could address the modern issues of the changed faces of the church and the needs of those countries.
It was once again an opportunity to appoint a pope who's more than a leader within the expansive Catholic community -- but a world leader as well.
And in appointing Joseph Ratzinger, the German cardinal and religious scholar whose conservative views are being questioned by some, the Church failed to do just that.
There's an issue in Europe as well, as the popularity of Catholicism declines. And while it looks like bringing the church back to its core values and addressing European issues may be on the agenda, the odds don't look very good.
While theologically conservative in a similar manner as John Paul II, Ratzinger is already being hailed as a rigid conservative. He may not be flexible enough to approach liberal Europe effectively.
And he may simply not have enough time.
Following in the shadow of the beloved Pope John Paul II at age 78 (with only one previous pope appointed at an older age), time really is a constraint.
Of course that may not be a bad thing. Rather than the potential failure to appoint a world leader on the same level as the departed John Paul II, perhaps we can look at Ratzinger as a nice rebound.
You know, it's the transition guy who gets stuck with high expectations left over from the ex. No matter how well he does in his post, he'll always be seen in someone else's shadow.
Either way, it's understandable to see why so many shook their heads in disapproval or left in protest after the announcement of the new pontiff at St. Peter's Square.
Rosie Cisneros is a political science and journalism junior. Reach her at rosie.cisneros@asu.edu.
