"The next pope must encourage open discussion of ending mandatory celibacy for diocesan priests," said FutureChurch Executive Director Sister Christine Schenk, in a statement this week. "We also need to talk about opening the diaconate to women as a next step toward full inclusion in all the ministries of the church," she said.

"Opening the female diaconate could provide a huge new pool of ministers to meet the sacramental needs of an expanding church," the statement said.

Citing the shortage of priests, Sister Schenk said while the number of Catholics has grown more than 50 percent in the past 28 years — from 710 million in 1975 to 1.1 billion in 2003 — the number of priests has remained the same at roughly 405,000.

While liberals and conservatives within the church continue to debate Pope Benedict's future influence, he has already garnered a "wait and see" response from many non-Catholics, and a warm acceptance from others.

"I cannot agree with the new pope on every point . . . but I still respect and admire him," wrote Johann Christoph Arnold, a pastor with the Bruderhof Communities. "People think that the church can give them peace and freedom by releasing them from obligations of marriage, family and education; by throwing away as old-fashioned any reverence for the holiest moments of living and dying.

"But Jesus offers us a far better way, as Ratzinger (has) so eloquently said."

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