Pope Benedict XVI - What should we expect? The election of Pope Benedict XVI, while a joyous occasion, is an unfortunate step away from growing the Church in the spirit of Vatican II. His hard line views as evidenced by his actions over the years will stifle the evolution of the Church into what the Vatican Council's vision's entailed: a wide reaching inclusion-focused organization. It would be a true miracle if under this Pope's watch the Church moved towards widening the role of women within its organization (i.e. ordination) or permitting priests to marry. This is a shame, as continuous declining enrollment in seminaries will lead the Church into the crisis of not being able to minister to its flock due to a tragic shortage of priests. Just my opinion of course, however that's they way I see it.