Before becoming the new pope Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was in charge of the congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, the body with the Catholic Church charged with overseeing doctrinal integrity. According to reports he wrote more than two dozen books. The first of what may be many was released this week entitled, "The Europe of Benedict: In the Crisis of Cultures". According to reports the book is only printed in Italian at this time.

Even before the recent rejection of the EU constitution by France and the Netherlands the Vatican had been very vocal in protesting the omission of any reference to God and the historic religious roots in the European constitution. Drafters of the document said they omission was an effort to avoid giving offense to the non-religious or those of other faiths. "It's not the mention of God that offends the followers of other religions, but precisely the attempt to build a human community absolutely without God," wrote the pontiff. He added, "Europe has developed a culture which, in a way never before known to humanity, excludes God from public conscience, either by being denied or by judging his existence to be uncertain and thus belonging to subjective choices, something irrelevant for public life".

Cardinal Ratzinger took the name Benedict indicating his affinity with the 6th century monk who started the Benedictine order which safeguarded much of European culture throughout the Middle Ages. Pope Benedict XV reigned before and during World War I and labored to prevent the war between Europe's nations.

The pope commented on Turkey's desire to be admitted as a full member to the EU. He said that unlike Europe, Turkey has no Christian roots. He may be technically correct but would be hard pressed to bar Turkey based on Europe's current religious walk. Church attendance is at historic lows throughout Europe. In Britain more Muslims attend the mosque on Friday's than church's on Sunday. Across the continent the landscape is generally described as "post-Christian".

It is felt the College of Cardinals selected Ratzinger to be pope to address this problem in the backyard of the Vatican. Before the conclave there was speculation a cardinal from Africa or another part of the developing world would be chosen on the basis of the rapid growth the church has in those areas. But it may be that the cardinals knew the focus for now must be on addressing the foundations problems facing the church in Europe, its historic home. He will have his work cut out for him. However long this pope presides we can look for more statements and efforts to assert church authority in Europe. An opening may already be at hand with the current leadership vacuum which seems to be deepening within the EU.