It has come as something of a suprise to Germans to find that the new Pope is a fellow countryman.

What are they making of this unexpected event? What will this change at the Vatican mean for Catholics and non-Catholics, both in the Pope's homeland and abroad ? How will it impinge on global politics?

These are just some of the questions we are seeking to answer in regular editons of Newslink. Click below for a second chance to hear some of our recent reports on the new era at the Vatican.