This was the letter Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger sent to the gathering of Episcopalians in Dallas in October of 2003 on behalf of Pope JPII. I pray that Ratzinger’s papacy is both doctrinally orthodox and pastorally inovative to address all the problems the Roman Church is facing. I do not believe the charicature of him as an unthinking conservative and, while I certainly disagree with him on a variety of issues (My own perfect candidate for Pope not exisiting, i.e. someone who would end mandantory clerical celibacy, encourage ecumenism, maintain moral, ethical and doctrinal orthodoxy [and yes, I know married clergy would breach that for some of my RC friends] and deal with the abuses of theology exhibited by extreme mariology etc…basically a conservative Anglican–is there even such a thing anymore?)

From Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
Prefect of the congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Vatican, on behalf of Pope John Paul II

I hasten to assure you of my heartfelt prayers for all those taking
part in this convocation. The significance of your meeting is sensed
far beyond Plano, and even in this city from which Saint Augustine of
Canterbury was sent to confirm and strengthen the preaching of Christ’s
Gospel in England. Nor can I fail to recall that barely 120 years
later, Saint Boniface brought that same Christian faith from England to
my own forebears in Germany.

The lives of these saints show us how in the Church of Christ there is
a unity in truth and a communion of grace which transcend the borders
of any nation. With this in mind, I pray in particular that God’s will
may be done by all those who seek that unity in the truth, the gift of
Christ himself.

With fraternal regards, I remain

Sincerely yours in Christ,

+Joseph cardinal Ratzinger