Who Will Be The Next Pope?

PH01

My vote would be for Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga (Honduras).

The first Cardinal of Honduras
He is multilingual.
He is a dynamic pastor and is considered a rising star in the Latin American Church.
He served as President of the Conference of Latin American Bishops from 1995 to 1999 and he used the position to denounce Latin America's foreign debt burden.
His campaign for human rights and the poor have been highly praised. In addition, he is the founder of the Catholic University of Honduras, and served as the Vatican's spokesperson to the International Monetary Fund and World Bank on the topic of third world debt.

This guy looks like he's got it all?

Gilgamesh

Atari Jaguar ?

PH01

Gilgamesh wrote:

Atari Jaguar ?

Darn! I knew I forgot someone.

billy the squid

would have to give my vote to Francis Arinze. he is very vocally conservitive, and the pope filled the college of cardinals with conservative members. besides there is a desire in the church to reach out to the third world congregation.

If he were to be elected expect to see more of the same as John Paul II if not even more conservative than he.

StupidLikeAFox

I tip Arinze too ^

PH01

Some have suggested that it's probably too early to have an African pope. And I've read that Arinze maybe too conservative. A Latin American Pope might be the compromise.

Then again, they say that the vatican may go for someone who may not last too long. Like some poor old chap in his middle 70's.

I would eat my hat if Francis Arinze gets it.

Didn't Nostradamus say something about the last pope will be black?

I am not racist by the way.

beller b

Papa Smut wrote:

I would eat my hat if Francis Arinze gets it.

Didn't Nostradamus say something about the last pope will be black?

I am not racist by the way.

Start eating papa . !!!! I think we're all for the chop, I wasn't nostradamus it was some Irish monk & he hasn' got one wrong yet!!! Wonder what Paddy Power is offering?

billy the squid

Papa Smut wrote:

I would eat my hat if Francis Arinze gets it.

Didn't Nostradamus say something about the last pope will be black?

I am not racist by the way.

Bah nostrodamus!! open to interpretation he is.. a black pope could be more of a reference to an evil pope than to an ethnically black pope. Saint Malachy has more interesting prophecies on the popes.

anyways thats more for paranormal than christianity.

and he wouldnt be the first african pope to sit in the vatican if he were to be elected.

PH01

billy the squid wrote:

and he wouldnt be the first african pope to sit in the vatican if he were to be elected.

Pope Gelasius I

Essey

My bet is on Ratzinger - why?:
1. While not being very popular outside of the Vatican he does have a lot of influence in Vatican circles.
2. According to rumor he has the backing of about 50 cardinals - he just needs another 27 and most of the cardinals are conservative by nature.
3. There is great momentum for JPII at the moment and this may benifit his right hand man.
4. I dont think that the church is in a position to swing liberal and Ratzinger is as conservative as it gets.
5. There doesnt seem to be anyone with chrisma to step out of his shadow.
My prediction is Ratzinger for a short term papacy and then a younger more viberant cardinal will emerge to bring change to the church.

Arinze? Umm... dont think so. Too radical a vote for the boys club although with the massive expansion of the church in Africa it would be a good choice I wouldnt put money on it.

I've heard about that black pope stuff before. I'm surprised the media arent making noise about this or are they being too PC?

almostagassi

i dont think it will be Ratzinger because of bad press

i am going to disclaim what i am about to say by saying that there is no recognised sourse and that there is a 99.9999% chance it is false, nothwithstanding a right thinking person would not lower him their eyes on account of a rumour

but there has been rumours that Ratzinger has good lucking child skeletons in his closet in munich.

skeletons in the closet is an innuendo, not that he factually has kid skeletons in his closet.

Essey

You lost me almostagassi! Do you mean bambinos running around - if so he's done put a fork in him - (they'll pop out of the woodwork before he makes it on the balcony) or are you referring to the Hitler youth movement (not a as big a deal as all youths were pushed into that) - make me a bit uncomfortable that a possible pope might have been involved in the Hitler Youth movement but... its like presidents who smoked refer - its the sign of the times man.

Excelsior

Arinze is an ultra orthodox Catholic who has referred to modern media as "evil". He is not the liberalising force that you seem to think he is.

I hope and believe the next Pope will be chosen through the guidance of the Holy Spirit and that as such, he will be the right man for the times that are coming.

Johnny_the_fox

first vote - black smoke


smoke cam :eek:

smidgy

If the next Pope is not conservative does this not contradict what JPII stood for ?

sci0x

Does anyone have any bets down as to who will be the next pope?

billy the squid

actually some history was made tonight, as it is the first time that the smoke signal has been seen live on television. bak in 1978 it would have been recorded for news bulletins but was not transmitted live.

this could go on for a week while the 33 ballots take place. the 34 ballot will be decided on a simple majority.

PH01

smidgy wrote:

If the next Pope is not conservative does this not contradict what JPII stood for ?

The next pope will be conservative in the pure definition of the word. Changing the rules that govern nearly 2000 years of tradition will be a hard thing to-do. How conservative he’ll be is probably the question we should be asking?

I find it hard to believe that people are polling for Arinze. He’ll probably too far ‘Right’ for everyone in the conclave. And there are quite a few who are far to ‘Left’ to be considered. The next pope will be someone who is from the ‘centre’.

billy the squid wrote:

this could go on for a week while the 33 ballots take place. the 34 ballot will be decided on a simple majority.

I think you might be right there, especially if the hardliners hold out.

However, I'm sticking to my guns on the next Pope will be Spanish speaking.

pdh

Just hope it turns out to be Ratzinger, a man who believes in the Faith and not some Mason who will end up destroying the Church by going with every latest trend

Johnny_the_fox

white smoke

please god its not Ratzinger

arbeitsscheuer

God obviously wasn't listening... Does he ever?

Anyway, time to close this poll (duh)

sci0x

Yep, and time to start a new one on our opinions of the new pope whatever his new name is.

PH01

It's funny how a lot of people started voting for Ratzinger after the new pope Benedict was announced. tisk - tisk.

Anyway, well done to Essay for predicting who it will be and who also provided reasons why as well.

I like a couple of billion others didn't expect them to elect a pope so soon. But when there was white smoke yesterday there was only one answer. And at 79 he might not be around for long.

So what is Pope Benny going to be like? Some commentators seem to have a pretty good idea already. I think it is too soon to write him off as a hardliner. He's going to have to work pretty fast to ounter those impressions. Time will tell.

Anyway, best of luck to him - he's gonna need it.