Wilton Gregory would make a great Pope.
You DO know Ratzinger was in the Hitler Youth when he was a kid, don't you?
LOL! No secret that for every German youth membership in the Hitler Youth Group was manditory - no options to decline membership.
Sewald: Were you ever in the Hitler Youth? Ratzinger: At first we weren't, but when the compulsory Hitler Youth was intruduced in 1941, my brother was obliged to join. I was still too young, but later as a seminarian, I was registered in the HY. As soon as I was out of the seminary, I never went back. And that was difficult, because the tuition reduction, which I really needed (his family was very poor) was tied to proof of attendance at the HY. Thank goodness there was a very understanding mathematics professor. He himself was a Nazi, but an honest man and said to me "Just go once get the document so we have it..." When he saw that I simply didn't want to, he said. " I understand, I'll take care of it" and so I was able to stay free of it.
AC--
Thanks for the clarification on Cardinal Ratzinger vis-a-vis his membership in the Hitler Youth.
http://www.ratzingerfanclub.com/Ratzinger_faq.html
If one were to scan the list of less than illustrious Popes whom God has chosen to lead His Church without blowing the Deposit of Faith, I know FAR more egregious "facts" would be unearthed on many of them.
As for "Maximus" being a Germanic name, it is, in fact, Latin. St. Maximus was a Roman soldier who died for his faith along with a companion in the 230 AD time frame. In researching the number of saints named "Maximus", I was stunned as to their variety and number.
The name Maximus came to mind from the recent movie, Gladiator, in which the protagonist is named Maximus Desmas Meridius.
Our Chef would do well to consider Cardinal Arinze of Nigeria (mentioned above) and other wonderful African Cardinals (including the Cardinal from the Sudan who has fought for 25 years against the decimation of his people by Muslims). These two are magnificent candidates although the latter is not touted highly to my knowledge.
Frank