[Ibredd]

Well it seems there are many Gay priests and priests advance to Cardinals and a Cardnials may make pope, so what are the chances.

[texasbluebell]

Will be interesting to see if one of these is picked.

[Bernard]

Just one question - how did these experts do last time around? Did any of them pick a Pole to be the Pope in 1978?

[longtermmemmory]

Tom Dashel is very disapointed.

He told barney frank so...

[Kate of Spice Island]

There were two Catholic boys, Timothy Murphy and Antonio Secola, whose lives parallel each other in amazing ways. In the same year, Timothy was born in Ireland, Antonio was born in Italy.

Faithfully they attended parochial school from kindergarten through their senior year in high school.

They took their vows to enter the priesthood early in college, and upon graduation, became priests.

Their careers had come to amaze the world, but it was generally acknowledged that Antonio Secola was just a cut above Timothy Murphy. In all respects.

Their rise through the ranks of Bishop, Archbishop and finally Cardinal was swift to say the least, and the Catholic world knew that when the present Pope died, it would be one of the two who would become the next Pope.

In time the Pope did die, and the College of Cardinals went to work. In less time than anyone had expected, white smoke rose from the chimney and the world waited to see whom they had chosen.

The world, Catholic, Protestant and secular, was surprised to learn that Timothy Murphy had been elected Pope!

Antonio Secola was beyond surprise. He was devastated, because even with all of Timothy's gifts, Antonio knew he was the better qualified. With gall that shocked the Cardinals, Antonio Secola asked for a private session with them in which he candidly asked, "Why Timothy?"

After a long silence, an old Cardinal took pity on the bewildered man and rose to reply. "We knew you were the better of the two, but we just could not bear the thought of the leader of the Roman Catholic Church being called Pope Secola."

[traumer]

Probably not......

[fish hawk]

I admit to not knowing much about the Pontiffs except for the movie The Shoes of the Fisherman (Antony Quinn) Has there ever been an American Pope? I doubt it and probably never will be one. IMHO

[Incorrigible]

No Americans Need Apply

[Billthedrill]

Well, it looks like I'm out of it. All you guys who I sold indulgences to, tough noogies. You ain't gettin' yer money back.

[CurlyBill]

"The economic, political and military power of the United States leads to resentments, and that's part of the human dynamic," ...

Resentments? I think it's more like ENVY, one of the 7 cardinal sins.

[Castro]

My prediction for the papacy: Jose da Cruz Policarpo.

[ken21]

certainly unlikely to be archbishop maphony of los angeles because he hid all of those child molesters in the church.