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Irish bookies favorite for new Pope is Ghana’s Cardinal Peter Turkson

Paddy Power has Ghanaian Cardinal Turkson at the top of the pool

KERRY O’SHEA,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Thursday, February 28, 2013, 7:57 AM

Updated Thursday, February 28, 2013, 1:05 PM

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The man who could replace Pope Benedict in the Vatican, according to Paddy Power, Ghana’s Cardinal Peter Turkson

Photo by Max Rossi/Reuters

Ghana’s Cardinal Peter Turkson is currently the Irish favorite to come in and replace Pope Benedict XVI’s vacant seat in the Vatican following his surprise resignation.

Reuters reports that Irish bookmaker Paddy Power offered odds of 11/4 against for Turkson, meaning successful punters would win 11 pounds for every four staked, while Britain’s second largest bookmaker Ladbrokes offered odds of 5/2 against.

Should Cardinal Turkson actually be named Pope, it would be the first time in nearly a millenium that a non-European person held the role. Paddy Power has Italian Angelo Scola as the second favorite at 3/1 against.

Earlier in February, Cardinal Turkson rounded a different top three in the betting at Paddy Power - Nigeria’s Cardinal Francis Arinze and Canadian Marc Ouellet were alongside Turkson initially in the top three but have since fallen to the wayside.

“Pope Benedict quitting leaves a tall hat to fill – let’s just hope God gives him a good reference for his next job,” a Paddy Power spokesperson said in a statement. “As for the betting, the real action kicks off now.”

“While Turkson and Scola are currently out in front, let us not forget those fabled words ‘he who enters the conclave as Pope, leaves it as a Cardinal’,” the Paddy Power spokesman said.

Paddy Power said Turkson has attracted the highest number of bets, accounting for 15 percent of the market and is shouldering the biggest single bet of 5,000 pounds ($7,600).

Cardinal Turkson currently serves as the head of the Vatican’s justice and peace department, and has been tipped as Africa’s frontrunner in a contest heavy with speculation that a Latin American or African could be elected as chief of the 1.2 billion-strong Catholic population.

Paddy Power said that betting on who will be elected as the new pope is set to become the largest non-sporting market in its history. It said it had taken 300,000 pounds on “pope betting”.

Others who have their name in the betting pool? Well, none other than Father Dougal McGuire, the fictional and simple-minded priest from the beloved sitcom ‘Father Ted,’ who has already attracted more bets than real-life Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes.

See more: Vatican , Irish News , Irish Catholic Church

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Will Hamilton | Mar 13, 2013, 06:25 AM EDT

If there has to be such an aberration as a pope loose in the world better if it's a black African. That will help hasten the decline of the church in white dominated countries since catholicism is inherently a racist white Roman product. In Ireland churchs that have had to install recruits from africa have lost locals quicker than anywhere.

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patrickm21532 | Mar 02, 2013, 11:17 PM EST

how do I make Irish Central my home page?

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aloistmartin | Mar 01, 2013, 08:26 PM EST

What could please the Ireland`s EU placator Unionist Bourgeoisie more, than a Black Pope !

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thetint | Mar 01, 2013, 02:52 AM EST

It’ll be an Italian. The biggest growth area for Catholicism is Latin America; the richest church is North America; the biggest potential is Africa and Asia. The only area declining is Europe. Therefore it makes sense to go for one of these growth areas. But they won’t. Half the cardinals are from Europe and will look after themselves.

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Cyn | Feb 28, 2013, 10:21 PM EST

The last Pope? I doubt it. But the last one that holds such office that allows children to be molested, priests to not marry, women to not hold office within the church - probably, yes. The church will change with the people, the old ones will die out and their bigotry with them.

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antoman | Feb 28, 2013, 05:24 PM EST

St.Malachy predicted all the Popes. The one to be elected will be black and the final Pope. And we all die roaring in our beds.

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STEVENSTAR | Feb 28, 2013, 04:55 PM EST

HAHA .THIS NEWSPAPER GETS BETTER BY THE DAY... THERE HAS BEEN NOTHING ABOUT THIS OVER HERE IN MEDIA ACTUALLY WE WOULD MUCH PREFER TO SEE THE CANADIAN GUY GET TO BE THE POPE... I CERTAINLY DONT WANT TO SEE A BLACK POPE... ANYWAYS NOSTRAMUS PREDICTED EVERY POPE SO FAR AND HE PREDICTED THIS BLACK POPE ALSO WOULD BE THE END OF THE WORLD..............:( .... SO I HOPE WE DONT GET A BLACK POPE !!!

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Smyrnian | Feb 28, 2013, 04:51 PM EST

Olovely - See, I told you there would be another article along for you shortly and here it is. Didn't take you long to jump on it with your anti-catholic venom did it? You still sound very shrill and absolutely breathless with anticipation. You must be so excited!

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handsome68 | Feb 28, 2013, 04:44 PM EST

I suggest an alien pope. Alpha Centuri is the nearest planet. Have they been consulted?

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olovely | Feb 28, 2013, 02:32 PM EST

Cardinal Peter Turkson is not the brightest bagel in the box, it must be said. He's what they call incurious. Besides I can't see the so-called the (ex-Pope, pope in exile, pope Mother?)gay Vatican mafia allowing it.

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mowalsh | Feb 28, 2013, 01:53 PM EST

Sure, an Irish pope would be nice. Unforunately the only decent candidate isn't a Cardinal; he's archbishop of Dublin, and the conservative vatican groupies want no part of a Christ-like fellow like him. As for the rest of the Irish or Irish-American crowd , too many were mixed up in sexual and human rights abuses and the enabling of pedophile predators and/or are shameless toadies like NYC's Dolan.

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Paul Hogan | Feb 28, 2013, 01:10 PM EST

Butch 1 is right about one thing: the African cardinals are very conservative. I spent a couple of years in Africa. It's a choice: either you are in favor of the 7th Commandment, though shall not commit adultery or in favor of pro-choice, that shall commit buggery. The 7th Commandment leads to heaven. The free choice buggery Commandment probably leads to hell. That is your choice. I am 100% in favor of an African cardinal becoming Pope. I would take the 7th Commandment choice.

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joan1954 | Feb 28, 2013, 12:07 PM EST

The College of Cardinals will never choose an American or anyone from the so-called superpower countries. Actually the consistory would do well to choose a Pope from where the church is growing and not dying as in Europe and America so that means either Latin America or Africa. That being said Marc Ouilett of Canada and Christoph Shonbron of Austria might be candidates as well. My money would be on Peter Turkson.

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pat1505 | Feb 28, 2013, 11:53 AM EST

I thought that this was an interesting development considering the story that ran on Irish Central about St. Malachy predicting all the Popes and that the lasts one's name would be Peter. http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/St-Malachy-predicted-Pope-Benedicts-successor-will-be-last-pope-190715001.html?fb_action_ids=4790805922183&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=246965925417366

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IrishJets47 | Feb 28, 2013, 11:30 AM EST

What happened to Boston Cardinal Sean P, O'Malley he was a top favorite to be elected to be the next Pope.

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