As head of the Catholic Church's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, it was Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger's mission "to promote and safeguard the doctrine on the faith and morals throughout the Catholic world" (John Paul II).

As Grand Inquisitor for Mother Rome, Ratzinger kept himself busy in service to the Truth: correcting theological error, silencing dissenting theologians, and stomping down heresy - and, consequently, is reputed for his conservative views on various issues. However, he is admired for his theological knowledge and also as a man whose faith, honesty, integrity, and unswerving devotion to the Truth is readily apparent. Choosing a name is the first significant act in office for the new pontiff and can offer pointers to the kind of leadership he aspires to. Cardinal Ratzinger chose to be called Pope Benedict XVI, on announcement of his name as the new pope.

The new pope has a difficult task filling the void left by John Paul II - the third longest-reigning pontiff in the Church's history, who died on April 2 2005 aged 84 - and also dealing with the complex problems that piled up unresolved under the last pontificate. He left behind a legacy as a champion of human dignity, democracy and world peace but also as a strong advocate of conservative values that did not always chime with the Catholic rank-and-file and many clerics.

“I assure you that the church wants to continue building bridges of friendship with the followers of all religions, in order to seek the true good of every person and of society as a whole,” Benedict said, the day after his formal installation at Pope on April 24 2005.