Waiting in the wings - (Guardian: Papal succession)

[emad]

Guardian

Rumours the Pope is to appoint more new cardinals have fed renewed speculation about his eventual successor, writes Sophie Arie

Thursday January 6, 2005

If word from "across the Tiber" is right, having struggled through Christmas ceremonies, the ailing Pope John Paul II may be planning to nominate a fresh batch of new cardinals to add to the already record numbers of "princes of the church" eligible to elect his successor.
Less than two years ago and amid fears for his health, the Pope nominated 31 new cardinals, bringing the total to 185. The college is so big these days that, along with their cassocks, capes and sashes, the cardinals - from 66 different countries - have to wear name labels to be sure they recognise each other when they meet.

According to Italian reports, the 84 year-old pope may call a consistory - the meeting in which new cardinals formally receive their symbols of office - as early as February. It is not known how many new cardinals the pope may create or how they might alter the political balance within the college. But an unexpected consistory so soon after the last would certainly prompt frenzied speculation that the Pope is in a hurry to lay the path for his own exit.

After 26 years at the head of the Roman Catholic church, Karol Wojtyla has outlived more than 50 of the cardinals he has created in nine separate consistories. All but 14 of the cardinals now alive have been created by him in an effort, reports say, to add fresh, younger blood to the lofty list, many of whom are loyal to this Pope and likely to elect a successor he would be happy with.

Meanwhile, as the Pope continues to fight the effects of Parkinson's disease, giving painfully slow and often only partial public addresses, Vatican sources insist that from the neck up, he is still razor sharp.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,1384568,00.html

CAN'T FIND ANY BOOKMAKERS ODDS for a US Cardinal to be in the running but.....

[emad]

1. "Shadow Government" and string pulling:

But recent reports have suggested that while he intends to serve for "as long as God wills", the Vatican is already, in effect, being run by a "shadow government" of his closest aides.

Four men - a German, an Italian, a Pole and a Spaniard - are thought to be giving the orders and pulling the strings at the top of the one billion-strong global Catholic community.

[tjwmason]

2. I disagree on Ratzinger as Papabile

Cardinal Ratzinger has made it clear on several occasions that he would like to retire, and it is mainly the sight of the Holy Father which stops him (that is he wouldn't demand to retire whilst the Pope struggles on). I believe that he is Dean of the Sacred College, and this gives him lots of influence during the Conclave. I see him as the kingmaker.

Also remember the phrase: "he who enters the conclave a Pope leaves it a Cardinal".

[emad]

3. It would be like Kissinger standing on the Republican 2008

ticket, or Thatcher fighting the next UK election - unless for the British National Party............

[neweurope]

4. Ratzinger! Oh my God. That man's a fossil.

"His name is currently bandied around as a favorite "papabile" and highly eligible "interim pope" should a conclave - the meeting of cardinals that elects a new pontiff - be called in the next few years."

Ratzinger for pope is NOT what the world needs. He's always been extremely conservative (to say the least) - and some weeks ago he said people should take example by the Americans because people prayed there... I did NOT think this was very helpful, in fact I thought he must surely be sclerotic! Instead of telling the Bushistas - and all those reborn "Christians" in the USA - something about Christ and "love thy neighbor" he's telling the world to take example by them! I thought it scandalous. :grr:

Interesting times indeed :(

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