Posted on 02/11/2013 12:28:49 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Just hours after Pope Benedict XVI‘s surprising Feb. 28 resignation, bookmakers have already started placing odds on his successor.
Quickest off the mark was the Irish bookmaker Paddy Power, which has already gone through three favorites for the position, starting off with Nigerian Francis Arinze, before shifting to Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson and then to Canadian Marc Ouellet — who at the time of this writing is the most favored option, with odds of 11 to 4. A rival bookie, Ladbrokes, currently has Turkson as the slight favorite at 3 to 1, followed by Arinze (7 to 2) and then Ouellet (4 to 1)
The 80-year-old Arinze is an Igbo Nigerian who spent 25 years in the Vatican and was once the world’s youngest bishop. The 64-year-old Turkson was appointed by the current Pope four years ago to become president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace — although he did spark controversy last year over a YouTube clip he screened at an international meeting of bishops on the rise of Islam in Europe. Ouellet is the Vatican’s main staff director, but unless he’s a master at political dissembling, the 68-year-old doesn’t seem to be actively pursuing the job. He has been quoted as saying that being Pontiff “would be a nightmare,” and told Quebec City’s Le Soleil newspaper that a pope’s duties “are perhaps not very enviable,” with the responsibilities “crushing.”
Media Relations Manager for Paddy Power, Feilim Mac An Iomaire, told TIME that the bookmaker had been prepared for Monday’s bombshell. “We’ve actually had betting on the next Pope for eight years, since Benedict was named,” he explains. “But now, the money has been absolutely flying in. We’re comfortably into five figures and that does have a massive effect on the odds.”
(Excerpt) Read more at world.time.com ...
That's what they kept saying when Cardinal Ratzinger was considered the "odds on favorite" -- he won't be picked because the Cardinals NEVER go with the front-runner, and there would be backlash because Ratzinger was JPII's right hand man and already doing the day-to-day duties. "He who enters the conclave as Pope, exits a Cardinal"
Oops.
A couple of names with a long papal history which haven't been used for a while are Leo and Gregory. I don't know how much popes think about the previous holders of a name before selecting it--the last pope Leo was well-regarded but not so Leo X (elected 500 years ago in 1513). Maybe it helps if one or more earlier popes with that name was canonized.
There are some names which belonged to apostles which have never been used: Andrew, James, Philip, Thomas. There was an antipope Philip but he doesn't count.
Urban might be a good name, in honor of Urban II, who started the First Crusade, as a signal to Muslims...but since the Crusaders killed a lot of Jews too that name may be problematic.
I don't think anyone will use John again soon out of respect for John XXIII. I definitely would not expect any pope to pick Peter as a name.
Thanks, But if Dolan can’t speak Italian, he’s probably a non-starter. Seems like Popes need to speak a bunch of languages.
Something about the complete lack of decorum or good taste that goes with making this list makes me happy.
So Cardinal Ouellet is a “staff director”?
Sheesh.
If there’s anything more futile and stupid than bookies handicapping conclaves, it’s the MSM’s pathetic attempts to sound informed and authoritative about anything connected to the Catholic Church.
We shall see; he does fit the description, and things do seem to be falling into place for this to occur. There are other possible candidates but I'd say he is the strongest candidate.
What's more interesting, does the mean the end of the church? There is quite a convergence of prophecy and natural events taking place of late.
OK, that’s two orders for Pope Scola.
No thanks to Ravasi. A liberal flake.
I agree completely.
This Pope will need to have broad shoulders and be able to speak the Truth with joy in times of great peril.
What about Pope Suburban? The Holy See could sell naming rights to Chevrolet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Turkson
“In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Peter the Roman, who will feed his flock among many tribulations; after which the seven-hilled city (Rome, the seat of the Vatican) will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people.”
St. Malachy about the next Pope.
I knew an officer in the service, a Major Major (another, Captain America). So maybe they could find a guy named `Pope’.
But seriously, I could use a job. I’m not Catholic, but hey—we’ve got an unqualified Kenyan president and that’s worked out just ... never mind.
Really thought I had a job nailed down last week with a small circus as a `Human Cannonball,’ but I weigh 200 pounds and, like I said, it’s a small outfit.
After trying to stuff me down the tube they said they couldn’t use a man of my caliber .... hey, whoa!
So where do I apply? `Rome, The Vatican, general delivery’?
A year ago my money would have been on Scola or Ouellet. But right now I’d say it will be Cardinal Archbishop Malcom Ranjith of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
You saw it here first.
RE: So where do I apply? `Rome, The Vatican, general delivery’?
You have to have been appointed Cardinal first.... :)
It won’t be an American and if it were, it’d be Cardinal Burke or even Chaput (except he isn’t yet Cardinaled because Rigali’s still under 80) before Dolan.
Show me where Ratzinger was the odds-on favorite in 2005? Some momentum was just beginning to turn toward him but he was by no means the clear favorite going in.
“There was an antipope Philip but he doesn’t count.”
Antipope Barack doesn’t count either.
RE: A year ago my money would have been on Scola or Ouellet. But right now I’d say it will be Cardinal Archbishop Malcom Ranjith of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
You saw it here first.
______________________________
Malcolm Ranjith or Albert Malcolm Ranjith is a Cardinal of the Catholic Church who serves as the de facto primate of Sri Lanka. He is the Archbishop of Colombo, and thus the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Province of Colombo in Sri Lanka.
He is 65 years old.
Cardinal Ranjith has previously served as auxiliary bishop of Colombo (1991–1995), Bishop of Ratnapura (1995–2001), Adjunct Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (2001–2004), Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia and East Timor (2004–2005), and Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (2005–2009).
We’ll make a note of your choice...
Dolan can’t speak Italian? He spent a number of years as rector of the Pontifical North American Academy in Rome. I can’t believe he didn’t learn Italian.
But no, he’s not remotely papabile, agreed.
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