A couple comments on today's TIME article on Pope Benedict

Gerald at Closed Cafeteria (who has had good coverage of Pope Benedict's visit to Bavaria), pointed out this TIME article on Pope Benedict.

A couple sentences caught my eye:

"The 79-year-old pontiff also made an explicit reference to his age, when asked why he was remaining in the southern region of Bavaria (where he will visit his birthplace in Marktl am Inn), foregoing visits to Berlin and other German cities. "I'm an old man," he said, "and I don't know how many more years the Lord will give me."

"Seventeen months—and four foreign voyages—into his reign, the pontiff is methodically mapping out what will almost certainly be a shorter papacy than the 26-year reign of Pope John Paul II."

"Almost certainly"?! While Leo XIII did indeed reign until he was 93, it seems that 105 would be quite a feat for Pope Benedict. I don't know, I guess the media is more careful about the claims it makes since our beloved John Paul II outlived their longest predictions time and time again.

"He [Pope Benedict] confirmed to reporters on the plane that he plans to take momentous trips to Turkey and Brazil."

Wow, Brazil in May 2007 is going to be big. I'll get to work researching what has been rumored about that trip. I seem to remember something about Il Papa traveling north into Mexico and possibly even to the United Nations in New York - though perhaps that was a seperate rumor.

"Back in Rome, one way Benedict has found to play to the crowds is by sporting rarely seen papal headwear. In the winter, he has twice donned a fun Santa-like red fur cap, while last week he dusted off a sombrero style red cowboy hat that John Paul had once worn in Mexico. No doubt, Germans are hoping that over the next few days, someone will convince Benedict to put on a traditional Bavarian feathered green Alpine hat. Then, faithful and non-faithful alike, Catholics and Lutherans, will no doubt go wild for the Bavarian Pope."

... if he does, you know where you'll see it first. ;-)