As the moral leader of more than a billion people, the newly installed Pope Benedict XVI faces many challenges.

The former German cardinal, Joseph Ratzinger, must deal with threats from other religions, a declining base of priests, the sexual abuse scandal in America and Third-World poverty.

However, the pontiff is intending to follow closely in the footsteps of his predecessor, John Paul II. And while John Paul II was a much-beloved pope, merely continuing his legacy is not enough to meet the demands of the new century.

First, it would be hard to keep with the expectations created by John Paul II, who travelled across the world to meet with congregations and spread his message. Benedict XVI, 78, is expected to stay closer to the Vatican, partly because of his age.

The new pope has close ties to the old one. Benedict XVI even officiated at John Paul II’s funeral. This closeness surely will help ease the transition between papacies.

But Benedict XVI needs to be more than a caretaker.

The pontiff reinforced his caretaker image Thursday, reappointing the entire Vatican hierarchy chosen by John Paul II, according to an article by The Associated Press.

Benedict XVI needs to reach out to the industrialized Western countries and the struggling Third-World ones alike. He needs to find a way to encourage more men to enter the ministry, especially now that many older priests are retiring and the remaining ones are stretched desperately thin.

The Catholic Church may need to adjust, and the new pope should be ready to lead those adjustments.

He should be ready to guide and revitalize the Catholic church.