Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Experts: New Pope Unlikely to Be American
ABC News and AP ^ | April 3, 2005 | RICHARD N. OSTLING

Posted on 04/03/2005 6:56:32 AM PDT by bd476

ABC NewsABC News

Experts: New Pope Unlikely to Be American

Vatican Experts Are Convinced New Pope Chosen by Cardinals Won't Be From United States

Cardinals attend a Mass for the late Pope John Paul II celebrated by the Vatican secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, not seen, on the steps of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday April 3, 2005. (AP Photo/Massimo Sambucetti)

By RICHARD N. OSTLING

The Associated PressThe Associated Press

Apr 3, 2005 — When the cardinals enter their secretive conclave to pick the new pope, the 11 Americans voting will be the second-largest national group behind the Italians. But don't expect an American pope Vatican experts are absolutely convinced it won't happen.

"The economic, political and military power of the United States leads to resentments, and that's part of the human dynamic," George Weigel, John Paul II's biographer, said before the pope's death.

An American would be "virtually impossible," he said.

The Rev. Richard John Neuhaus of First Things magazine agreed. An American pontiff "would give not only the appearance but perhaps the substance of increasing what is perceived by many as the inordinate hegemony of American power."

The Rev. Thomas Reese of America magazine noted that in past centuries "the church always tried to keep (the papacy) out of the hands of the superpower" of the day, whether the Holy Roman Empire, Spain or France. The exception, the 14th century French popes who moved the Holy See to Avignon, proved disastrous.

There are other factors that make Americans unattractive papal candidates.

Popes need to be the masters of many languages but most Americans are fluent only in English, Reese said.

The country's clerical sex abuse scandal also hasn't helped America's reputation within the church and in Rome, and the U.S. church already had a reputation for being troublesome.

Observers also predict the American cardinals won't form any united bloc to work effectively for a particular policy, candidate or region such as neighboring Latin America.

The U.S. cardinals "are not as united as they were 10 or even five years ago," Neuhaus said, and lack the "common mind and approach that has characterized the American cardinals at some points in the past."

They range from staunch conservatives like Francis George of Chicago and James Stafford, head of a Vatican tribunal, to Los Angeles' Roger Mahony and Washington's Theodore McCarrick, regarded as rather more flexible and pragmatic.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: captainobvious; holyfather; pontiff; pope; popejohnpaulii; shocking; vatican
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-125 next last

1 posted on 04/03/2005 6:56:32 AM PDT by bd476
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: bd476

"...regarded as rather more flexible and pragmatic."

Oh, is this what they are calling it now?


2 posted on 04/03/2005 6:58:35 AM PDT by jocon307 (We can try to understand the New York Times effect on man)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bd476

But four out of five experts agree: He WILL be Catholic.


3 posted on 04/03/2005 6:59:08 AM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bd476
They range from staunch conservatives like Francis George of Chicago and James Stafford, head of a Vatican tribunal, to Los Angeles' Roger Mahony and Washington's Theodore McCarrick, regarded as rather more flexible and pragmatic.

Intersesting that "conservative" is on one end of this spectrum, but "flexible" and "pragmatic" are on the other end.

4 posted on 04/03/2005 7:00:57 AM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bd476

Will they consult the UN?


5 posted on 04/03/2005 7:01:14 AM PDT by mainepatsfan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Izzy Dunne
But four out of five experts agree: He WILL be Catholic.

But I'm sure some reporter, somewhere, will write an article stating that while the new pope will be Catholic, there are probably some Jews out there that are more flexible and pragmatic that could better fill the post.

6 posted on 04/03/2005 7:04:00 AM PDT by VeniVidiVici (In God We Trust. All Others We Monitor.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: bd476

Main reason may be that they (Catholics) fear any influence from the liberal MSM.


7 posted on 04/03/2005 7:04:21 AM PDT by anita
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mainepatsfan
The cardinal from Ghana could pass for Kofi Annan in a dim room..


8 posted on 04/03/2005 7:05:19 AM PDT by AntiGuv (™)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: bd476

I've noticed over the last 24 hrs that many of the talking heads are not quite pressuring the Cardinals to elect a 3rd worlder.....eraldo, dor instanc, last nite spent considerable time "discussing" this with a Priest and a Catholic watcher/pundut/author. I've seen others do this as well.


9 posted on 04/03/2005 7:06:17 AM PDT by Vn_survivor_67-68
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Petronski; onyx; MEG33; PhiKapMom; TomGuy; Squantos; lainie; BurbankKarl; MeekOneGOP; Mo1; ...
Pope John Paul II May 18, 1920 - April 2, 2005

"...'the church always tried to keep (the papacy)
out of the hands of the superpower' of the day..."

10 posted on 04/03/2005 7:06:22 AM PDT by bd476
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bd476
"The economic, political and military power of the United States leads to resentments, and that's part of the human dynamic," George Weigel, John Paul II's biographer, said.

Where does spirituality and qualification fit in?

11 posted on 04/03/2005 7:08:01 AM PDT by pfflier
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Vn_survivor_67-68

....Geraldo, for instance...

(sorry)


12 posted on 04/03/2005 7:08:01 AM PDT by Vn_survivor_67-68
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Izzy Dunne
Izzy Dunne wrote: "...Intersesting that 'conservative' is on one end of this spectrum, but 'flexible' and 'pragmatic' are on the other end..."

Good catch, Izzy Dunne.

However, depending on the context, "flexible" pretty much defines Cardinal Roger Mahony.

13 posted on 04/03/2005 7:10:42 AM PDT by bd476
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: pfflier

Good question.


14 posted on 04/03/2005 7:11:25 AM PDT by bd476
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: jocon307

LOL!


15 posted on 04/03/2005 7:11:59 AM PDT by bd476
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Izzy Dunne

LOL!


16 posted on 04/03/2005 7:12:26 AM PDT by bd476
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: mainepatsfan

LOL, great one.


17 posted on 04/03/2005 7:12:49 AM PDT by bd476
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: bd476
"the church always tried to keep (the papacy) out of the hands of the superpower" of the day, whether the Holy Roman Empire, Spain or France. The exception, the 14th century French popes who moved the Holy See to Avignon, proved disastrous."

the ascension of the French Popes and the move of the Papacy to Avignon (now called the Avignon captivity) resulted directly from the murder of two Popes and the seizure of the Papacy by armed forces of King Phillip of France, led by Guillaume de Nogart.

The Conclave of Cardinals that chose the French Popes was made up of Frenchmen originally loyal to Philip appointed by him after dismissing, running off or murdering, almost all of the sitting Cardinals. After Philip's untimely death (he was cursed by one of his victims to "meet me before the throne of God for judgement and did die within a year) the Kings of France continued to hold the reins of appointments of Cardinals for nearly 70 years, and therefore held the Papacy as a puppet of their rule.

To this day the Catholic Church still pretends that this was all somehow OK and we should all just ignore this bizarre episode as having no importance.

Oh, and the Templars really were heretics. Philip and Guillaume said so as an excuse to sieze their treasury and lands. It must be true. A Catholic King said so and the Pope who dared to challenge him on his crimes died (of poisoning). It must be God's truth, otherwise He woudln't have allowed it to happen.

18 posted on 04/03/2005 7:14:10 AM PDT by Phsstpok ("When you don't know where you are, but you don't care, you're not lost, you're exploring.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: anita

The press in other parts of the world are not conservative.


19 posted on 04/03/2005 7:14:17 AM PDT by bd476
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Phsstpok

That whole 'superpower of the day' comment is nonsense. The reason that the papacy has generally stayed out of the hands of the superpower of the day is simply because Italy hasn't been the superpower of the day since before Emperor Constantine the Great....


20 posted on 04/03/2005 7:21:05 AM PDT by AntiGuv (™)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-125 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson