Pope Benedict is coming to America and American Catholics may be in for some surprises.
Like Catholics globally, American Catholics are still mesmerised by the 27-year papacy of the late John Paul II and will get their first close-up look at Benedict next week when he visits Washington and New York.
Known as a fierce conservative when elected three years ago, he has surprised people with his gentle manner and stressing of the positive in Catholicism rather than the negative.
"The differences between the two popes is more stylistic than substantive," said Rev. Tom Reese, senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University.
"They both hold the same theological views, the same views about Church doctrine, Church teaching and Church practices but their styles are very different," he said.
Indeed, John Paul was a larger-than-life personality who, because of his acting background, knew how to dominate the stage and ignite a crowd.
Benedict, who will mark both his 81st birthday as well as the third anniversary of his election during the trip, is reticent and shy but also charming.
"I do think that to some extent there is a disconnect between the public impression of this man and the private personality. You will never meet a more gracious figure," said John Allen, a prominent U.S. Catholic author and journalist.
DARTH VADER TURNED PUSSYCAT
Allen, speaking last week at the Pew Forum On Religion and Public Life in Washington, said even Church liberals had stopped seeing Benedict as "a sort of Darth Vader" and now give him high marks for his papacy.
When he was elected, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger brought with him the baggage of his role as the Church's chief doctrinal enforcer, a position he held for nearly 25 years.
He now seems not so much an enigma but someone who takes time to get to understand.
