Irish reaction: The election of Cardinal Ratzinger as Pope is a tragedy for the Catholic Church, according to a leading Irish missionary.
Columban Fr Seán McDonagh said he was very disappointed. "This is a tragedy. Cardinal Ratzinger was awful on liberation theology and his critique of environmentalism shows he hasn't a clue about the real challenges facing the world."
Fr McDonagh described the election of 78-year-old Pope Benedict XVI as an interim appointment, which was also an "indictment" of the electoral college. He criticised the new Pope's "lack of willingness" to understand and give freedom to local churches.
"The Gospel isn't about laying down red cards, as Cardinal Ratzinger did earlier this week before his election." Predicting a return to the "fortress church" of a century ago, he added: "We have to remember that he's only the Bishop of Rome, not Jesus Christ. Sometimes we overinflate the papacy."
The Bishop of Cloyne, Dr John Magee - who served as a secretary to Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II - welcomed Cardinal Ratzinger's election but he urged people to give him time and space to grow in his new role as a universal pastor.
"I've met him and spoken to him several times - I think he's getting a bit of a difficult ride at the moment from the media but I think he's an excellent choice for the church at the present time," said Bishop Magee.
"He's very gentle and very understanding and he's also very affable and approachable - he's very humble and a very holy man and not at all aloof - I remember seeing him walking across St Peter's Square and stopping to talk to people of all ages."
Bishop Magee said Cardinal Ratzinger's role with the Congregation for Doctrine and Faith inevitably placed him in difficult situations where he had to deal with various theological and doctrinal matters and take tough and firm decisions. "His role there was as a defender of the faith but now he is a promoter of the faith and I've no doubt he will be an excellent universal pastor to the church, going out and reaching out to young people and others and spreading the message of Christ."
The Bishop of Limerick, Dr Donal Murray, called on Catholics to pray for the new Pope "as he undertakes the heavy responsibility that has been placed on his shoulders".
The Bishop of Kerry, Dr Bill Murphy, said Cardinal Ratzinger would bring to the papacy "a remarkable intellect, a deep spirituality, a facility with languages and experience of pastoral ministry as a priest in Germany".