Posted on 01/11/2013 2:37:18 PM PST by SeekAndFind
The next pope is very likely to be African according to Paddy Power, Irelands leading bookmaker, who has come out with a list of papabile, those considered papal material.
The list comes at a time of increased health problems for Pope Benedict, who, at 85, has begun using a cane and is appearing more frail.
Favorite is Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria, who is 15/8 (bet eight to win fifteen), while in second place is Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana at 9/4.
Thats two top Africans in the top two spots according to the bookmakers odds.
In third place in the odds is Archbishop Angelo Scola of Venice at 7/1 while in fourth is Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiago of Honduras at 10/1 while Cardinal Albert Malcolm Ranjith at 33.1 rounds out the top five.
Rinze was considered papabile in 2005 when Benedict was elected, and he now has Benedicts old job within the Vatican.
Against him is his age, he is almost 80 and may be too old when Benedict passes Cardinal Turkson is only 64, born to a Methodist mother and Catholic father, and has said that "if God would wish to see a black man also as pope, thanks be to God. The Catholic Church chronicler Rocco Palmo called Turkson the lone Scripture scholar in the Pope's "Senate" and believes that his status as a potential "papabile" has been elevated due to his appointment as spokesman for Second Synod for Africa in 2009.
Three recent popes have come from the Venice archdiocese which makes Cardinal Scola an automatic favorite as the top Italian. Church experts say the best outsider is Cardinal Marc Ouellet from Canada who handled the recent Eucharistic Conference in Dublin.
grazie
I think these people ought to shut-up. I remain praying our beloved Pope Benedict XVI lives 120 happy, healthy years.
Prego.
I have a lot of respect for somebody who comes from a place where being a Catholic (or any kind of Christian) isn’t easy.
Doubtful and african will be the pope renamed “Peter the Roman.”
Bill Clinton?...
Oh Wait a minute that's "the Roman' Peter"...
“As an outsider to the Catholic church, I do think it would be cool if they picked one of the Bishops from China, a real one, not one the Communist Party appointed. It would send a strong message, I think.”
They won’t. The Underground Catholic Church is severely persecuted. Those are the saints and martyrs of this age along with so many others.
Bringing the Patriotic Catholic Church (read State Church) back into the fold is the goal along with protecting the underground. There are many faithful clergy and laity in the State church who need to be given the strength and courage to disavow the Communists, but not now. This is a very slow process, very delicate and very much based on safeguarding as many as can be saved.
There have been several Patriotic Church clergy arrested for not adhering to the Communist line over the past couple of years.
One has to remember that the Chinese Communists will not act with restraint in any manner when threatened.
One young underground priest arrested last January was forced to stand in a water filled cell, no shoes in freezing weather. There are many narratives of brutal beatings and persecution along with murder (execution).
The Catholic Church can move glacially slowly but with reason.
An African priest? Maybe. I’ve known some extraordinarily gifted African priests with great charisms from the Holy Spirit. A reclamation of the American Catholics might come about from their gifts.
The media repeated this story for the same tired bishops for the last 15 years.
These were supposed to be the bishops last time, same ones, but nobody picked Benedict, one of the few cardinals not chosen by Pope John Paul II.
I’m sure they will be wrong again.
It is amusing, isn’t it?
I’m sure the Holy Spirit can’t be second-guessed and that is what the media don’t understand.
Yep, the names sure are familiar. The media is probably trying to push a minority candidate for some “social justice” agenda. Though, in fairness, all of these guys are probably more qualified for the job than a first term Senator would be qualified to be President.
Sure, I can understand that there are practical concerns why the church wants to be careful and not poke the hungry dragon with a stick. Sometimes I just get sick of everyone playing patty cake with the evil regimes, and wish we would all show more backbone in opposing them.
They look like two cornball brothers to me.
I think these people ought to shut-up. I remain praying our beloved Pope Benedict XVI lives 120 happy, healthy years.I'm with you, onyx. Wouldn't that be awesome?
Doesn’t surprise me. I think Cardinal Arinze would make a wonderful Pope. He’s certainly serious about the Faith.
And that name would have to change quickly.
It’ll be Shaykuawan I !
Unfortunately the media knows very little about their theology, and very much more about their appearances.
Benedict has been a phenomenal pope. It is not often you find yourself staring at a problem and realizing that the Pope is staring at the same problem. And takes steps to address it.
Yeah, I like him too, he is a pretty solid thinker, and more importantly, he has the backbone to say what needs to be said.
Mohammad The First.
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