The African cardinal tipped to succeed the Pope

Sify.com ^ | 04/03/05 | staff

[SunkenCiv]

Cardinal Ratzinger news search link:

Google

[cyborg]

I doubt it. The divisions are deep in Nigeria with the muzzies forever attacking christians.

[SunkenCiv]

The Path to a New Pontiff
http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101050411/path.html

Irish bookmaker takes bets on next Pope
Monday, April 4, 2005
http://www.deepikaglobal.com/ENG4_sub.asp?ccode=ENG4&newscode=98305

The highest bet so far has been... on bookies' favourite Dionigi Tettamanzi at 5-1... Odds on 71-year-old Tettamanzi being Pope now stand at 5-2. Cardinal-archbishop of Milan, Tettamanzi is top of the list of Italian candidates to succeed Pope John Paul II... Nigeria's Francis Arinze is the punters' second choice at 11-4, followed by Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras at 4-1 and then Germany's Joseph Ratzinger at 7-1... Odds shortened on George Pell after an Australian radio station campaigned to improve their countryman's rankings from 150-1. Odds on him being the next Pope now stand at 40-1... This has left Jose Maria Rouco Varela of Spain the outside -- genuine -- candidate at 80-1.

[madison10]

I'm Protestant, but I've been praying for a conservative Pope. (hope y'all don't mind) What the Pope says and does, whether we like it or not, has an effect on Christendom. Don't want a Robinson-type on the throne.

Arinze sounds as if he has strong convictions like his Christian brothers in the Anglican church.

[Guillermo]

Well, being that the Pope serves till death, there is reason why they pick older men to be Popes.

[SunkenCiv]

as noted, no one has a clue. The choice of Francis Arinze might be a choice which would strengthen the church in the US at least as much as Africa, which is a growth area for the RCC.

Radical Brazilian cardinal leads succession race
Christopher Morgan and John Follain
April 03, 2005
The Sunday Times - Britain
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1552381,00.html

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

I read something today about a cardinal from the Czech republic?

[Squantos]

Theres 20 or more in the running......just guessing on my part......

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

Our paper ran a "front runners" column today (AP story). The Czech Cardinal was the youngest, born in 1945. He's the Archbishop of Vienna, Shoenborn.

The oldest was Arinze.

[CurlyBill]

Agree!! We must have younger Popes... having said that, I'm just praying for someone who will shake things up and move the church forward without compromising our core values.

[Squantos]

I didn't know the one in Austria was a Czech Cardinal.....he's my SWAG on the next pope.

[kstewskis]

There is absolutely no chance of the next Pope being an American cardinal, and the President pushing for an American would make the cardinals even less likely to pick one.

Especially since he is not Catholic...like it would make a difference anyway.

No, let's leave this one up to The Holy Ghost. And hope he has a firm hold on some of the libs in the conclave to behave themselves.

[Rome2000]

Choosing the Nigerian would be a good way to stop the spread of Islam in Africa.

[SunkenCiv]

FWIW, I think you're right. He's also familiar to Moslem leaders, and would have reasonably good relations with him. But in any case, I'm an optimist. We've seen the highwater mark for Islam.

[A CA Guy]

I had an interesting conversation with someone who said they felt the next Pope would be an in-between safe Pope that would continue what JP2 has done. Probably could go 10-12 years, then a younger Pope will be elected.

Interesting concept.

[areafiftyone]

Interesting. Alot of people on Fox and Friends this morning were saying they think it might be a Spanish pope. Soo much speculation is going to come in the next few weeks. Going to be very interesting to watch!

[SunkenCiv]

This is something that has been rumored for years, when John Paul II was first seen to be ailing a bit, the idea being that after such a long reign by such an active Pope, the church needs a breather.

According to the "Prophecies of St Malachy" the next Pope will be Gloria olivae, supposedly a clue to his identity. John Paul II was De labore Solis, "from the labour of the sun", and Karol Wojtyla was born on May 18, 1920 during a solar eclipse. [it sez here] Here's a search for these prophecies:

Google