“Behind the Scenes” at the Vatican: The Politics of Picking a New Pope
In an interview with NPR, John Thavis, author of The Vatican Diaries, answers questions on the Pope’s resignation, what it means for the Church, and how the next pope will be chosen. Thavis believes that Benedict “made his decision without necessarily scripting the entire process in advance and leaving his Vatican aides to scramble for answer…” As for the next pope, Thavis writes, “They need someone who has a stage presence and someone who feels at home among crowds of people. Pope Benedict did not.”