Williams College president emeritus on Vatican upheaval

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Credit Williams College

Dr. Francis Oakley

News this week that Pope Benedict will resign effective at the end of this month took the world by surprise, with observers quick to note that it had been 600 years since the last papal resignation. Almost as quickly, reporters began compiling lists of possible replacements. WAMC’s Ian Pickus spoke with papal expert and historian Dr. Francis Oakley, President Emeritus of Williams College, about what led to this extraordinary moment in Vatican City and what might come next.