Pope Benedict XVI formally began his papacy by extending a hand to Jews, other Christians and "non-believers," and by indicating that he wants to be a good listener in the "enormous task" of leading the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics.
Addressing pilgrims crowded into St. Peter's Square on Sunday, the new pope made a point of leaving divisive political issues out of his first major homily and repeatedly expressed reverence for the late John Paul II, whom he served for 24 years as the enforcer of church doctrine.
"My real program of governance is not to do my own will, not to pursue my own ideas, but to listen, together with the whole church, to the word and the will of the Lord," Benedict told a gallery of dignitaries, spiritual leaders and more than 350,000 pilgrims.
