"Mild yet firm" - Pope Benedict at one year

"I ask all of you to continue to support me, praying to God that he lets me be a mild and firm shepherd of his Church." Well, it looks like the AP has made their choice about what to take from Pope Benedict's first year.

One year ago today I was sitting in front of a television with a group of friends and pre-seminarians at the moment Joseph Ratzinger was elected. One of my friends was proudly wearing his "Ratzinger Fan Club" T-Shirt. As soon as the announcement was made everyone started jumping up and down and cheering. Our whole school threw a party that day and we spent the rest of it conversing about what Benedict's election would mean for the Church. That was a pretty good day.