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 ...
Cardinal Husar has a lot of support in many places.
What does that mean, Dark Horse?
A possiblity?
I like his looks and beard too.
That's my first choice too.
Great tagline! :o)
It is highly unlikely that the next Pope will be kicking people out of the Church.
>>Francis Arinze, Nigeria
PLEASE GOD, NOOO
This man is toooo diplomatic and toooo "pastoral" -- I have had the priviledge of speaking with him a few years ago, and I've read some of his recent comments -- he's gotten even craftier at ducking questions..
He's conservative, but not what the Church needs. I'm not questioning his faith, but we need a strong leader..
JPII was great, but now we need someone to reign in the out of control episcopate..We've had enough pastoral care from Rome.. now it's time for someone to crack down..
Yes, I mean he is a genuine possibility in my book but many would rule him out.
ping
If you're expecting that, you're going to be disappointed. None of these men are going to start kicking people out of the Church.
>>As well he needs to have the stones to excommunicate pro-choice politicians and pedophillic priests.
Pray it's not Cardinal Arinze -- I asked him about excommunicating pro-choice politicians, and I got a Cardinal Mahoney reply... (In other words, his answer was "no".)
WE DON'T NEED NO STINKING DIPLOMATIC or PASTORAL POPE!!
My liking for Arinze aside, my only hope is that the Cardinals listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
>>None of these men are going to start kicking people out of the Church.
It's not about kicking people out of the church -- it's about holding them accountable and giving them the choice to leave or comply.
I'm no asking for a hardline dictator -- just someone to reign things in..
National Catholic Reporter..
I was wondering why the terms "right wing" and so forth were used to describe some of the "candidates"
I bet over at NCR they are gleeful that maybe the next pope will allow women priests -- something not possible, but nevertheless, they are hoping...
we need a pro-capitalism Pope. no more socialist crap.
"we need a pro-capitalism Pope. no more socialist crap."
Uh, you mistake JPII for the World Council of Churches?
I don't recall JPII every advocating socialism. Perhaps you can refresh my memory?
It is very appropriate to point out that capitalism without morals and compassion is a horrible, immoral thing. It is also a moral thing to point out that idolitry isn't the worship of some stone statue, but rather the placement of anything before ones relationship with God, something that Americans tend to do often.
That's tantamount to kicking people out of the Church.
That's a pre-Vatican II concept, and is simply not part of current Catholicism.
I also don't think it will be Arinze because his name has always been at the top of the media's list of potential successors. The fact that he's been in the Curia the past few years hasn't helped his resume.
Vatican II was never given the title of 'infallible'.
I'm not sure this has any bearing on any discussion currently underway.
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