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The Next Pope? Twenty leading possibilities
National Catholic Reporter ^ | 4/2/2005 | John L. Allen

Posted on 04/02/2005 8:17:39 PM PST by sinkspur

Who Will Be the Next Pope? These 20 candidates have possibilties By John L. Allen Jr. Rome

Prognostication is a notoriously hazardous business, and the trash heaps of church history are littered with the carcasses of journalists who have tried to predict the next pope. Almost no one, for example, correctly anticipated that the archbishop of Kraków, Karol Wojtyla, would emerge from the second conclave of 1978 as Pope John Paul II.

In that spirit, the intent here is not to "predict" who will become the next pope, which is a futile exercise. Instead, the aim is to identify cardinals whose backgrounds, accomplishments, and personalities guarantee they will at least get a serious look as possible papal material. Doing so will illustrate the criteria cardinals typically employ in trying to size up who among their peers might be able to step into the "Shoes of the Fisherman."

Will the next pope be one of these 20 men? Perhaps. But all are certainly under consideration, and that by itself makes them worth a look.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalcatholicreporter.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: catholicchurch
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To: Canticle_of_Deborah

You are reading into my comments something I did not say.

I'll leave it to others to decide which of us, therefore, is the clueless one.


221 posted on 04/03/2005 11:22:27 AM PDT by cyncooper
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To: Jim Noble
If Karol Wojtyla was a sharp stick in the eye to the USSR, who could serve a similar function vis-a-vis the USA?

The Cardinals would be foolish to jab the cash cow. And, they won't.

222 posted on 04/03/2005 11:25:17 AM PDT by sinkspur (Be not afraid. Be not afraid.)
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To: cyncooper

When you can explain to me how an effeminate, pro-abort coddling Cardinal is qualified to determine what is Church tradition, then you can be taken seriously. Until then, you are part of the problem when you support the problem.


223 posted on 04/03/2005 11:29:28 AM PDT by Canticle_of_Deborah (Mahony and Kasper are one heartbeat away from fulfilling Our Lady of LaSalette's prophecy)
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To: sinkspur
As I see it, from years of reading and observing and talking to folks, the top 3 issues are these. I am basing my thinking on the view that the cardinals will choose someone who will deal with issues that JPII has let erode or could not solve:

1. Centralization vs. More Local Autonomy. I don't know how this will play out, because there are at least 35% of the cardinals who DO like centralization. 2. The problem of a De-Christianized Europe. The cardinals see that Europe, except in a few locales, is mission territory, and a stronger sense of Christendom will be needed to withstand the growing threat of militant Islam in Europe. And 3. The need to keep the Church growing AND FAITHFUL in the 3rd world. I think the cardinals are well aware of the power of the evangelical movement in the 3rd World, and they see the need for vigorous and correct catechesis.

So I am leaning towards a Pastorally-minded European. Right now, my $$ is on Cardinal Scola of Venice. Of course, I am almost certainly wrong in every respect!

224 posted on 04/03/2005 11:30:14 AM PDT by Remole
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To: chgomac

"The WOrd of the Holy Angels" -- they promote the Litany to the Holy Angels, devotion to one's Guardian Angel, and active co-operation with the work of God's Holy Angels. I hope I have represented them fairly. They are conservative, devout, (face east that is, face the Tabernacle to celebrate Mass), and are some of the holiest priests, nuns and laity I have ever met. The order of priests are the Canons Regular of the Holy Cross out of Coimbra, Portugal.


225 posted on 04/03/2005 11:37:09 AM PDT by Siobhan (John Paul the Great, Apostle of the Gospel of Life, pray for us.)
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To: Remole
I think you've summed up the situation very well. Very well.

We're all just throwing darts when it comes to who, exactly, will be elected. But, he has a formidable task.

226 posted on 04/03/2005 11:37:30 AM PDT by sinkspur (Be not afraid. Be not afraid.)
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To: Canticle_of_Deborah

Your prattlings have nothing to do with anything I said.

LOL


227 posted on 04/03/2005 11:41:47 AM PDT by cyncooper
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To: All

At least a couple of the cardinals mentioned on the list are noteworthy because they are trying to achieve a rapproachment with Islam (I think the one from Indonesia and from Nigeria). Would that be a good thing for the world - to hear more "Islam is peace" nonsense?


228 posted on 04/03/2005 11:42:22 AM PDT by LPStar
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Comment #229 Removed by Moderator

To: sinkspur
The Cardinals would be foolish to jab the cash cow. And, they won't.

LOL --the liberal dioceses are being bankrupted. Recently, the first case out of 300+ was settled in Los Angeles -this is only the beginning for Mahoney...

If as you suggest, cash is power -I would suggest the liberal dissenters are being financially castrated as a result of their moral bankruptcy... The jabbing is already happening -it is self inflicted...

230 posted on 04/03/2005 11:46:04 AM PDT by DBeers (†)
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To: AKSurprise; Siobhan

So Cardinal Puljic was influenced by Benedictines but is not one himself?


231 posted on 04/03/2005 11:47:21 AM PDT by Canticle_of_Deborah (Mahony and Kasper are one heartbeat away from fulfilling Our Lady of LaSalette's prophecy)
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To: cyncooper

God bless.


232 posted on 04/03/2005 11:48:18 AM PDT by Canticle_of_Deborah (Mahony and Kasper are one heartbeat away from fulfilling Our Lady of LaSalette's prophecy)
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To: sitetest
Yeah, but Tom Monaghan is stinking rich.

Yep, he's an orphan who started out with $500 and wound up with over a billion.
Now he's busy donating it all to the Church.

Do you really want to concentrate all that economic and religious power in one man?

Well SOMEBODY has to stop Bill Gates.
Monaghan is a long shot, but he has my backing.

233 posted on 04/03/2005 11:49:44 AM PDT by Willie Green (Go Pat Go!!!)
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Comment #234 Removed by Moderator

To: Willie Green

Dear Willie Green,

Yeah, but even with TWO parents, I haven't made a billion bucks.

I'd be much more representative of the humble masses.

"Monaghan is a long shot, but he has my backing."

Well, I'm glad you're not holding your breath.


sitetest


235 posted on 04/03/2005 11:54:29 AM PDT by sitetest (If Roe is not overturned, no unborn child will ever be protected in law.)
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To: Canticle_of_Deborah

He was once asked to describe his spirituality and said he was Benedictine and Marian.


236 posted on 04/03/2005 11:55:48 AM PDT by Siobhan (John Paul the Great, Apostle of the Gospel of Life, pray for us.)
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To: Canticle_of_Deborah
"Mahony and Kasper are one heartbeat away from fulfilling Our Lady of LaSalette's prophecy"

Your tag line made me break forth into tears because you are absolutely right.

237 posted on 04/03/2005 11:57:39 AM PDT by Siobhan (John Paul the Great, Apostle of the Gospel of Life, pray for us.)
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Comment #238 Removed by Moderator

To: Centurion2000
Lubomyr Husar, Ukraine This guy ... don't know why but this guy should be pope.

I agree.

239 posted on 04/03/2005 12:03:41 PM PDT by painter (We celebrate liberty which comes from God not from government.)
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Comment #240 Removed by Moderator


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