The World Reacts To A New Pope

Church Bells Peal Around The Globe

(CBS/AP)  From Notre Dame in Paris to the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City, cathedral bells tolled and prayers were offered to celebrate the election of Pope Benedict XVI.

Roman Catholics and political and religious leaders around the world embraced the staunchly conservative Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as successor to the hugely popular Pope John Paul II. Many watched live television broadcasts of the white smoke that puffed from a Vatican chimney to tell the world a new pontiff had been chosen.

President Bush says the new pontiff is a "man of great wisdom and knowledge."

"We remember well his sermon at the pope's funeral in Rome, how his words touched our hearts and the hearts of millions," said Mr. Bush. "We join with our fellow citizens and millions around the world who pray for continued strength and wisdom as His Holiness leads the Catholic Church."

In the U.S., the image of Joseph Ratzinger already seems clearly defined, reports CBS News Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi.

Some U.S. Catholics say the clarity of his convictions is exactly what the church needs, but other parishioners say a Bavarian theologian is not what they had in mind.

He is also known in the U.S. for writing a confidential memo last year that stated pro-abortion Catholic politicians should be barred from receiving holy communion, reports Alfonsi.

Early Wednesday, the Chinese government congratulated the new pope.

"We hope under the leadership of the new pope, the Vatican side can create favorable conditions for improving the relationship between China and the Vatican," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang, in a statement faxed to The Associated Press.

China's officially atheist government broke ties with the Vatican in 1951 and has said it will consider opening relations only if the Vatican cuts links with rival Taiwan, which split with the mainland in 1949 amid civil war.

But while some praised Ratzinger as a fitting choice to consolidate and build on John Paul's work, others saw him as too hardline to lead the church in the 21st century.

Jewish and Muslim leaders said they are hopeful that Ratzinger, who chose the name Benedict XVI, will continue his predecessor's effort to reach out to those from other faiths.

At St. Michael Seminary in Traunstein, Germany, which Ratzinger attended as a child, a roomful of boys jumped up and cheered when the news of his election was announced.

"It's fantastic that it's Cardinal Ratzinger," said Lorenz Gradl, 16, who was confirmed by Ratzinger in 2003.

But the pope's rigorous fundamentalism also worries many in Germany who have issues with the German church that are familiar to Americans, reports CBS News Correspondent Sheila MacVicar. These include dwindling attendance, too few priests and a great divide between the teachings of the church and people's lives.

"It's a very good choice," agreed Alois Kansky, priest at the St. Anthony church in downtown Prague, Czech Republic, as he rang the bells to honor the new pontiff.

But some worried about the new pope's deep conservatism, saying he was the wrong choice to lead the church as it grapples with a host of modern problems. Divisions between the wealthy north and the poor south, priest sex-abuse scandals, a chronic shortage of clergy in Western nations and the stream of Catholics leaving the church are among the issues confronting Benedict XVI.

"The election signalizes continuity," said Hans Peter Hurkal, chairman of the Austrian branch of We are the Church, a group that promotes reform within the church.

"But if Pope Benedict XVI refuses to reform, the church's descent will go faster," he said. "There is a clear demand for reforms."

The leader of Ireland's 4 million Roman Catholics, Archbishop Sean Brady, urged the faithful to pray for their new leader.

"The election of our new pope is not only a source of great joy and hope for Catholics throughout the world, it is also an important event for the whole human family," he said.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan congratulated the new pope and wished him "every strength and courage as he takes on his formidable responsibilities."

"His Holiness brings a wealth of experience to this exalted office," Annan said in a statement.