Its amazing that in 2013 anyone who has really done their homework can promote or subscribe to the kind of nonsense featured in this essay - even pretending that it is some kind of timeless or universal "wisdom".

Never mind that the entire "catholic" shebang is based on wall to wall lies, as this essay points out.
http://www.dabase.org/up-5-1.htm
Saint Jesus of Galilee was not in any sense a Christian, he was always and only a Hellenic Jew.
This is what Jesus taught and demonstrated while he was alive.
http://www.dabase.org/up-5-3.htm

Another view

http://www.theonion.com/articles/resigning-pope-no-longer-has-strength-to-lead-chur,31248/

Yes - all of the usual "conservative" catholic propaganda hacks are in full flight, spewing out countless thousands of words about how "great" Ratzinger was, and how enduring his legacy will be.

But what if his legacy is entirely toxic?
Which it is.
Such should be obviously so to anyone if they really do their home-work.
A good place to start would be the book that was reviewed on this site recently - The Pope's War on the Church by Mastthew Fox. Also The Power & The Glory - The Dark Heart of John Paul II's (and Ratzinger's) Vatican by David Yallop
As a counter to all of the now-time "aint-he-wonderful" propaganda I would recommend the essay on the Religion Dispatches website by Elizabeth Drescher titled Benedict's Painful Legacy

While there has been a great amount of speculation in modern times about who would be the next pope, many Catholics are watching closely the next conclave for they believe that whoever succeeds Pope Benedict XIV will be “The Last Pope.”
St. Malachy lived in 12th century Ireland. What St. Malachy is more known for is the so-called Prophecy of the Popes, which is attributed to him. The prophecy is a list of 112 short phrases that supposedly describe each of the Roman Catholic popes beginning with Pope Celestine II (elected in 1143) and concluding with the successor of Benedict XVI.
This last pope is described in the prophecy as “Peter the Roman,” whose reign as pope will see the destruction of the city of Rome. The prophecy did not hold much interest among Catholics up until the mid-20th century because it seemed as if it would be a long time before the world would see the election of “The Last Pope.”
Interest in the Prophecy of the Popes increased as John Paul II’s health declined and Vatican watchers were shocked when Joseph Ratsinger, a cardinal of advanced age, was unexpectedly elected Pope Benedict XVI.
According to the Malachy Prophecy, whoever succeeded Benedict would be the Last Pope. “In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Peter the Roman, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations, after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people.
Proponents of the prophecy say that it is interesting that at least one pope had a similar mystical vision to the “Last Pope” part of the prophecy. During a papal audience in 1909, Pope Pius X claimed he had a vision of the pope leaving Rome, and in leaving the Vatican, he will have to “walk over the dead bodies of his priests.”

What Does the Bible Say?
While many may hold the Prophecy of Malachy to be true, there is a far more authoritative source to tell us what is coming in the end times. Revelation 4:1 introduces a section of Scripture that detail “things which must be hereafter.” What follows are prophecies of the end times. We have not yet reached the Tribulation, the revelation of the Antichrist, or other end-time events. What we do see is a preparation for those events.
Jesus said that the last days would be preceded by several things: many false Christs would come, deceiving many; we would “hear of wars and rumors of wars”; and, there would be an increase in “famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in diverse places. All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:5–8).

Today’s news is full of false religions, warfare, and natural disasters. We know that events of the tribulation period will include all that Jesus predicted (Revelation 6:1–8); the events of today are only a prelude for greater trials ahead. Paul warned that the last days would bring a marked increase in false teaching. “In later times, some will abandon the faith, and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). The last days are described as “perilous times” because of the increasingly evil character of man and people who actively “oppose the truth” (2 Timothy 3:1–9 and 2 Thessalonians 2:3).

The return of Christ is always presented in Scripture as a great motivation to action, not as a reason to cease from action. In 1 Corinthians 15:58, Paul sums up his teaching of the return of Christ by saying, “Be steadfast, unmovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord...” (ISV) In 1 Thessalonians 5:6, Paul concludes a lesson on Christ’s coming with these words: “Therefore, let’s not fall asleep like others do, but let’s stay awake and be sober.”

…Are we slowly acknowledging the ever increasing evidence suggesting that nothing changes in Catholicism except the Pope?