teaching on abortion, contraception and homosexuality when john paul ii died in april 2005 cardinal rasengaris funeral and his homily based on the instruction of jesus follow me proved prophetic after the vote and white smoke rose from the sistine chapel and where is the pope, a sign that a new pope has been elected , the oldest pontiff in 275 years benedict xvi sought to evangelize the west and collapse the spread of secularism, however, there was also a recognition that the influence of the roman catholic church is declining in 2006, pope benedict stirred up controversy during a lecture in germany by quoting a medieval christian leader who criticized islam and seemed to link religion with jihad and holy war and in several muslim countries at the time violent protests even broke out, the pope apologized and decided to establish a catholic- muslim forum. benedict similar took into account that experience and during visits, such as to britain, radiated the pastoral warmth of sum this is uh, i cannot but express my concern about the increasing marginalization of religion, especially christiani