Ratzinger's opposition to liberation theology disturbs me quite a lot. That was in the 1980s. He was old enough to know better, and had lots of power. There were a lot of priests in Latin America trying to advocate for the poor, and work against oppressive regimes to protect members of their congregations, and Ratzinger argued that it was none of their business...that the Catholic Church should not have anything to do with political stuff like that.

Seen in combination with Ratzinger's recent advocacy of denying communion to US politicians of whom he disapproves (such as John Kerry), it is not just a matter of conservative *theology*. This is someone with huge secular power, eager to silence those who disagree with him. That's scary.