I have a question about the new pope, not about him but what happens next

[AlCzervik]

My question is will he give for lack of a better word a state of the union speech to lay out the direction of the church?

[DemBones DemBones]

1. I don't recall John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I or John Paul II giving a

speech of that sort but that may be my flawed memory. I remember the funerals of those four and of Pius XII and the initial speeches on the balcony of those four plus Benedict XVI today, and then the ceremonies to install the new pope, but no state-of-the Church speeches.

A new pope may give such a speech to the College of Cardinals, though, that's not seen by the public -- that may be tradition, I don't know. And THIS pope could make such a speech to the people, even if it's unprecedented. He might make some comments in his homily at his first public Mass as Pope, which presumably will be this week, perhaps Sunday.

[AngryOldDem]

2. I thought a Pope's first Mass

more or less gave hints as to what to expect...but then, until this papal election I really was not attuned to Vatican politics and protocol, since I was not yet a Catholic when JPII was elected.