The enforcer

Vatican | Dubbed by his enemies 'God's rottweiler,' Pope Benedict XVI decries 'filth' in the church and vows to fight the 'dictatorship of relativism' | Gene Edward Veith

Related: WORLD’s cover story from Oct. 25, 2003, chronicled Pope John Paul’s humble beginnings and his legacy as head of the Catholic church

When the white smoke cleared over the Vatican on April 19, German theologian Joseph Ratzinger had been elected to replace Pope John Paul II as supreme pontiff of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics.

And while the crowds in St. Peter’s Square erupted in joy, Roman Catholic liberals groaned in despair. “A catastrophe,” said ecumenical activist Bernd Goehring of the election of his fellow German. “Not the pope that we would ideally like,” said Joelle Battestini, convener of the group Ordination of Catholic Women. “A triumph for the dogmatic, capitalist right,” said liberation theologian Ruben Dri. “Many people feel the new pope will not address the modern problems facing the Catholic church,” said Canadian columnist Rochelle Squires.