Ranjith will make a dash coming up the backstretch. Ironic that Scola would be preferred by the “progressives” over any of the third-world candidates. Tagle’s too young but they won’t vote for Ranjith because he’s too conservative, esp. on the Traditional Mass. So those who think it’s time for a non-European either have to go with the rather tepid bench from Latin America or with a flaming proponent of Communion on the tongue and the Traditional Mass. Who also, by the way, has “peace and justice” street cred for having brokered the end to the Tamil insurgency.
So Scola becomes the “safe” European centrist refuge. And he might well be chosen. Bur Ranjith is now the leading non-European candidate. Scherer (and Latin America) is an extension of Europeanism. He might be the last resort, “anyone but Scola” and “anyone but Ranjith” choice of the progressives. And, I suppose, if traditionalist votes are split between Scola and Ranjith, Scherer might win. But Scola can also appeal to aspects of some of the “progressives” (there are few flaming progressives left in the voting membership of the College now, so I use the term in quotation marks).
Ranjith, Ranjith all the way!
Turkson, Turkson, wherefore art thou, Turkson?
Whatever happened to Turkson? Don’t see him mentioned here. Or did I miss something?