[OLD REGGIE]

You've been listening to "progressive"Catholics. They blame R. for their unhappiness, their inability to "reform" the Catholic Church in the United States, because they daren't take on the pope. Ratzinger is unlikley to be pope, because he comes from the wrong country.

I have been "listening" to no one. It was just my feeble attempt to equal the stupid statement of my friend.

There may be no such a thing as a "wrong" country any more. JP II has had enough time to load the College of Cardinals with "his" people.

[RobbyS]

If the country is Germany or Austria, it is. The "progressives" hope to slip in a liberal Italian Jebbie, but I don't think that is llikely to happen. More likely an African. You may have noticed that the pope has greatly diminshed the influence of the "First World" folk.