If YOU were a cardinal, who would you elect as Pope?

[UrbScotty]

I don't know if I should be asking this, but if you were a member ogf the College of Cardinals, whom would you want as Pope?

My ballot would go for Oscar Andres Cardinal Rodriguez Madariaga. He is moderate, charismatic, and a strong advocate for social justice.

[Cuban_Liberal]

1. I like him a lot.

As an alternative, I also like Cardinal Tettamanzi, another moderate who is well-liked by liberals, moderates and conservatives.

[UrbScotty]

2. I heard that Cardinal Tettamanzi was conservative.

Or is that just the media saying that?

[Cuban_Liberal]

3. That's just the MSM.

They're all 'theologically sound', which the media translates/twists as 'conservative'. What can ya say?

:shrug:

[JohnKleeb]

4. I like him

I also like Claudio Hummes of Brazil and Godfried Daneels of Belgum.

[Zynx]

13. We're on the same page with those guys.

[DemBones DemBones]

5. I don't know who I'd like if I were a cardinal, but

I know I like Silvano Cardinal Piovanello, Emeritus Archbishop of Florence, Italy. He just turned 81 and the oddsmakers have him as an 80 to 1 shot at the papacy but he is a fantastic preacher. I had the pleasure of attending a Mass he celebrated in 1995 or 1996 and was greatly impressed by his speaking ability and charisma. I've never personally heard anyone else who was as good a preacher as Cardinal Piovanello.

I doubt Cardinal Piovanello will become pope but my point is that perhaps another "unknown" going into Conclave will come out as a pope who surprises everyone with his abilities. After all, we have little knowledge of the cardinals outside the U.S. In 1978, Karol Cardinal Wojtyla was an "unknown" to most people outside Poland.

[UrbScotty]

11. Good thinking!

Although if he’s 81, he’s not allowed to be an elector.

[DemBones DemBones]

14. Too old to vote but not too old to be voted FOR!!!

I googled him and found several recent pictures of him hobnobbing with various papabili at the various Masses following John Paul's death; he looks younger than 81 and looks to be in good shape. I also found a news bit about a speech he gave to women theology students following John Paul's firm NO on ordaining women. Piovanello encouraged the women to go into every area of work within the Church that IS open to them, reminded them that it was only in recent years that women could attend the theological colleges, and talked about how the Church moves slowly to make changes. That could be regarded as him patronizing them but since I've heard the cardinal preach, I can't imagine that that was his tone or his intent.

[Matilda]

6. Cardinal Martini would be my choice.

He's 78, and the retired Archbishop of Milan, but he's the same age
as Ratzinger, so that shouldn't count him out. In fact, it may
be in his favor, since many Vatican observers think that perhaps
a stop-gap pope may get the nod.

He's definitely liberal-thinking, a Jesuit, and considered to be
very influential. I think we would definitely see a return to
Vatican II principles if he was pope.

From all I've ever heard about him, Martini wouldn't favor Ratzinger,
so I hope at least he uses all his influence against him. My
greatest hope is Martini; my greatest fear is Ratzinger.

[UrbScotty]

12. The only downside is…

Think about the late-night comedians’ jokes about his name.That said, you’re right. He could do well as Pope.

[regnaD kciN]

7. My selections at the Pope-U-Lator...

...are as follows:

1) Godfried Danneels (Belgium)
2) Karl Lehmann (Germany)
3) Theodore Edgar McCarrick (U.S.A.)
4) Jean-Marie Lustiger (France)
5) Carlo Maria Martini (Italy)

By the way, the Pope-U-Lator can be found here.

I was originally highly interested in Rodriguez Madariaga. I became less so after learning that he apparently said that the abuse scandal in the U.S. was blown out of proportion by America's "Jewish-controlled media."

:eyes:

[DemBones DemBones]

8. The Pope-U-Lator is both funny and informative!

Thanks for the link! I especially got a kick out of the Name-U-Lator, where you try to guess what will influence the next pope's choice of a papal name for himself. I guessed he'd just choose one of the most common -- but not too recently used --names, like Leo, Benedict, or Gregory. They said he'd have bigger things on his mind than mere popularity so I set out trying to figure out what they thought would matter. For example, did they think the next pope will choose a name to reflect his progressive agenda?

(And I quote:)


Name-U-Lator Result for: Progressive Agenda


Look. Why don't you people give up?

If you want priestesses, gay marriage, contraception, abortion, euthanasia, a 4th person in the Divine Trinity or whatever floats your boat, just join a Protestant Church.

If you want to stick with plain old Christianity, you are going to have to face the fact that the Pope is the guardian of the Deposit of Faith. He can't just make up a new dogma when he feels like it. He can't ordain ladies, nor can he reverse the constant Church teaching against contraception and abortion. It's just not going to happen.

For a progressive name, the choice is John XXIV. John Paul II was actually the most "progressive" Pope in history, far more "progressive" than John XXIII. But, John XXIII is romanticized as some sort of liberal guy. If you take the time to read what he wrote, it will immediately become obvious to you that this notion is hooey.

***********************

NATURALLY, I couldn't wait to see what the answer would be if I guessed that the next pope will favor a conservative agenda. Here it is:


Name-U-Lator Result for: Conservative Agenda


Look. Why don't you people give up?

If you want a return to the bankrupt pseudo culture of the 50's, your dreams are unlikely to come true.

Certainly the next Pontiff will continue to guard and espouse the perpetual teaching of the Church. Meanwhile, the renewed liturgy, the intent of the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council, and the legitimate theological developments of the 20th Century will not be rescinded or denied. Nostalgists and reactionaries might never be quite satisfied with anything less than a total, wholesale, and official repudiation by the Magisterium of these things. Fortunately, such a thing is not possible.

For a conservative agenda, the choice is Pius XIII. For the next pontificate, this will not be the chosen name.

On the other hand, despite recently mongered calumnies against him, Pius XII was roundly viewed as a wise, brave and generous benefactor during and after wartime. There will be more Pope Pius', just not in the next Papacy.


***********************



I kinda think both answers are right and we'll get a rather moderate pope. But I'm still betting he'll call himself Leo, Benedict, Gregory, maybe even Clement.

[JohnKleeb]

10. In many ways youre right, John Paul II was more progressive than

JohnXXIII like after all, JPII reached out to other religions and people around the world, I agree its romanticized about him in a lot of ways but he does seem to been very different on many levels than his predecessor.

[Matilda]

17. John XXIII was the first pope in the last century, and possibly the first

ever, to actively contact people of other beliefs, not least the
Soviets.

John Paul travelled a lot, but that didn't necessarily translate into
an understanding of other people and other faiths. He did apologise
to the Jewish people for the Church's errors, but in fact under his
papacy the Ecumenical movement went backwards and finally stalled.

Apart from the disastrous (in my view) encyclical on Humanae Vitae,
Paul VI was probably more progressive than John Paul, and achieved
more in the way of dialogue with the Protestant churches than JP.



Edit: for greater clarity

[Pendrench]

9. Stafford

But only because he grew up with my father (they lived down the street from each other).

I actually met him once...we were in a train station (going to visit my mother's parents in Vermont) when my dad saw him getting ready to board another train - Stafford had just been named a bishop, and my father wanted to say hi, but he we was a bit reluctant because hadn't seen him in about 20 years, and he wasn't sure if he should call him "Your Eminence" or "Your Excellency" or "Bishop Stafford"...but after some coaxing from my mom, he finally decided to go over and say hello.

Anyway, after shaking hands with each other, my dad told him of his dilemma of not knowing what would be the proper way to address him now that he was a bishop - and Stafford smiled, put his hand on my dad's shoulder and said, "Tom, to you, it will always be 'Frank'".

[UrbScotty]

15. Wow.

I can't imagine living next to a Cardinal.

[Sapphire Blue]

16. Bergoglio would be my first choice, Maradiaga my second

I hope the Holy Spirit moves the Cardinals to choose a strong advocate for the poor... 'the least of these'.