Experts: New Pope Unlikely to Be American

ABC News and AP ^ | April 3, 2005 | RICHARD N. OSTLING

[MeekOneGOP]

The Rev. Thomas Reese of America magazine noted that in past centuries "the church always tried to keep (the papacy) out of the hands of the superpower" of the day .....

Yep. They were talking about this on FOX News yesterday.

Looks like the next Pope may be Italian again maybe??

I think I heard that PJP II was the first non-Italian Pope in ~500 years?

[Bringbackthedraft]

Here is Rome's chance to unite Christianity, elect a Lutheran as Pope!

[Gunrunner2]

*Sputter*. . .you owe me a new keyboard. Coffee all over the thing.

;-)

[B Knotts]

Popes need to be the masters of many languages but most Americans are fluent only in English, Reese said.

Apparently, they don't teach logic in the Jesuit seminaries these days. Or in the journalism schools.

How does the fact that "most Americans are fluent only in English" have any bearing on any one particular individual who would be a candidate to the papacy?

There are many reasons why an American pope is extremely unlikely, but the above is not one of them.

[AntiGuv]

How about the Archbishop of Constantinople??

[Grzegorz 246]

There is a big chance that the next Pope will be from America, but rather from Central/Southern America than from USA.

[chatham]

Most of the American Cardinals and Many bishops should be in Prison, never mind being Pope.

[Grzegorz 246]

"I think I heard that PJP II was the first non-Italian Pope in ~500 years?"

Yes, 450 or 455 years.

"Looks like the next Pope may be Italian again maybe??"

I don't think so. In my opinion the next one will be from South America or Africa or... maybe from China - a few months ago Pope appointed some "secret Cardinal" - I read that he may be Chinese.

[AntiGuv]

And, if the Cardinals really want to get creative, there's always this guy:

[tet68]

"...regarded as rather more flexible and pragmatic."

"Progressive" is out of style right now.

[MeekOneGOP]

It will be interesting to find out.

They are on a strict schedule to pick a replacement, too, I believe.

I think I heard FOX News say something like 2 weeks, or 15 days or thereabouts? Not sure.

[A. Pole]

In early sixties (when I was a child in Poland) the prophecy was circulating (in form of a circular letter) among neighbours and all around the country. It stuck im memory because it was unusual.

"There will be two popes before the end of the world - the first will be Polish the next and the last will be Negro [black]."

[dts32041]

Thats only six out of ten.

the other four thing it will be Osama Obama, after all in Illinois he is considered the second coming.

[Tax-chick]

Duh.

[GreenHornet]

I wonder if the Democrats, out of force of habit, will try to filibuster the nomination.

[Dog Gone]

Don't pick me. I'd put a Hemi in the popemobile and some sponsor decals on the side.

That just wouldn't be right.