In the Editorial, Giovanni Miccoli analyses the continuities and discontinuities in the passage from pope John Paul II to Benedict XVI. He identifies the trends and perspectives for the Roman Catholic under Ratzinger, who was a close and authoritative collaborator of Woytila. Ratzinger’s public affirmation, already before the
Conclave, of the grave problems confronting the Church would seem to confirm his awareness of the need for an adjustment of the line of his predecessor.