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I don't think a Capuchin has ever been elected pope (there have been Franciscan popes--the pope who suppressed the Jesuits in the 1700s was a Conventual Franciscan). Sean O'Malley was brought in to clean up the mess in Boston after Law resigned and apparently has been very aggressive in dealing with the scandal. He has also spoken out against Democratic politicians' support for abortion (but did attend Teddy's funeral).

I was talking yesterday to a permanent deacon who had met O'Malley when he was attending a seminary in western Massachusetts--he thought very highly of him.

He's a good man, but not equipped to fill Pope Benedict's shoes.

He talks about "reforming the Church's administration". Perhaps he could start the process in his own back yard.

"Spirit of giving? Boston Archdiocese defends six-figure salaries for top church employees"

"Peter Borre, chairman of the Council of Parishes, a group fighting church closures, says the high salaries run counter to “the basic spiritual mission of the Catholic Church.”

“The crushing overhead weight at headquarters is becoming an intolerable burden for many parishes, and if the archdiocese wants to cut costs, it should start with Braintree (archdiocese headquarters), not in the churches,” Borre told the Herald."

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/03/21/10798101-spirit-of-giving-boston-archdiocese-defends-six-figure-salaries-for-top-church-employees?lite

The Cardinal doesn't think Obamacare does enough for illegal aliens, yet ignores the socialist underpinnings of the ACA, as well as the inherent unfairness of extorting from Peter, the hard-working taxpaying American citizen, to pay for Pablo, the illegal who sneaks past the border to take advantage of the system.

He posted this on his blog:

"Finally, the ACA does not adequately address the needs of immigrant communities in our country. Health care as a human right and the need for it among some of the most vulnerable people in our nation is one of the reasons why access to health care should be extended beyond ACA."

http://www.bostoncatholic.org/Utility/News-And-Press/Content.aspx?id=24064

Anyway, it's highly doubtful he'll be chosen. The Holy Spirit is apparently biased against Americans. :)

He has also spoken out against Democratic politicians' support for abortion

Gee, I missed it -- and I'm in Boston. I do recall his being quoted as saying to some Dem group, "How can you be so wrong on abortion when you're so right about everything else?" This being MA, "everything" presumably includes religious freedom (Boston did not file suit with those other Catholic 53 entities against ObamaCare -- an archdicese spokesman said "we don't have to; if anyone's suing that's enough" though apparently Jones Day is representing them all pro bono), transgender rights, gay marriage and such.

I was talking yesterday to a permanent deacon who had met O'Malley when he was attending a seminary in western Massachusetts--he thought very highly of him.

For another view, see Boston Catholic Insider featuring such posts as:

o Cardinal O’Malley’s Vatican PR Campaign
o Does Boston Archdiocese have a “gay network” of clergy too? (If you read this, be sure to read the comments)
o Insider Questions: Is Cardinal O’Malley Really “Papabile”?: Part 1
o Parallels between Vatican politics/corruption and Boston diocesan corruption