BENEDICT XVI: Archbishop Chaput of Denver on the papacy of Benedict XVI. You won't see a lot of writings such as this from bishops in America. Many of them simply don't like the new pope, or they just don't have the courage to write such good things about this outstanding man for fear of catching flak from some elements of their local laity. Those elements have been in open or subtle rebellion against many of the Church teachings for quite some time, and Cardinal Ratzinger's elevation to the papacy as Benedict XVI was their worst nightmare.

I was browsing the site of local parish here in the Seattle area yesterday, which is known to have a pastor that is -- shall we say -- a bit on the liberal side. During the prior week the parish's bulletin had a note on all of the speculation about who the new pope would be. Interestingly, their bulletin from this last weekend contained not one, single, solitary word about the new pope. Now, this is a catholic church and a new pope has just been elected during the prior week and installed over the weekend, and not one mention of him is given in the church's bulletin. I am sure that many American catholics can tell similar stories.

(Article via Hugh Hewitt)