The next pope is very likely to be African according to Paddy Power, Ireland’s leading bookmaker, who has come out with a list of “papabile,” those considered papal material.
The list comes at a time of increased health problems for Pope Benedict, who, at 85, has begun using a cane and is appearing more frail.
Favorite is Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria, who is 15/8 (bet eight to win fifteen), while in second place is Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana at 9/4.
That’s two top Africans in the top two spots according to the bookmaker’s odds.
In third place in the odds is Archbishop Angelo Scola of Venice at 7/1 while in fourth is Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiago of Honduras at 10/1 while Cardinal Albert Malcolm Ranjith at 33.1 rounds out the top five.
Rinze was considered papabile in 2005 when Benedict was elected, and he now has Benedict’s old job within the Vatican.
Against him is his age, he is almost 80 and may be too old when Benedict passes
Cardinal Turkson is only 64, born to a Methodist mother and Catholic father, and has said that "if God would wish to see a black man also as pope, thanks be to God.” The Catholic Church chronicler Rocco Palmo called Turkson the lone Scripture scholar in the Pope's "Senate" and believes that his status as a potential "papabile" has been elevated due to his appointment as spokesman for Second Synod for Africa in 2009.
Three recent popes have come from the Venice archdiocese which makes Cardinal Scola an automatic favorite as the top Italian. Church experts say the best outsider is Cardinal Marc Ouellet from Canada who handled the recent Eucharistic Conference in Dublin.
Originally published in August 2012.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.aloistmartin | Feb 12, 2013, 09:37 PM EST
McNamara31@ I. Guess the Idea a Revival of German Catholicism was just to much for some People ?
michaelidaho | Feb 12, 2013, 02:56 PM EST
McNamara31, I agree with you. A Pope who acts in the manner you have described would be wonderful. Perhaps, then many disgusted Catholics would once again find "strength and solace" in their church. Nice piece.
McNamara31 | Feb 12, 2013, 09:31 AM EST
“Benedict is resigning" Positive Move. Since 2002, I have watched as the church that once gave me strength and solace destroyed by men who acted more like corporate lawyers, then men of God. This church, built by poor immigrants, who did without to support and build the schools and hospital which are now closing across the world, to pay of the “billions in debt”. Many speculate, the next Pope will be a politically correct choice, possibly from Latin America or Africa; however this is what has set their demise in the past …The choice of the Pope isn't a political one, it is a spiritual one. A Pope is needed who can say; forgive us, for we have sinned greatly, we chose image, secrecy and crimes over the lives of the most vulnerable among us. Good priests have been further disgraced by these actions. Many view the present day hierarchy in Rome as soul-less entities, who turned their head as children suffered. This must change. The choice of the next Pope will be a chance at total change, or one more nail in the coffin. I pray they choose self reflection and radical “Christ-like change”, or be prepared to witness the further demise of the church in Europe, Australia and America.”
Smyrnian | Feb 12, 2013, 09:03 AM EST
KweenOHearts - Very well said indeed! Thank you and please keep up your insightful posts!
EamonnDublin | Feb 12, 2013, 08:58 AM EST
Well, you have an African president of the USA, so I suppose an African pope would be keeping step. I hope he would be a better pope than Obama is a president. Éamonn, Dublin. (If an African puts himself/herself up for president of Ireland, he/she would waltz in - voted in by a landslide just to show how multi-culti and PC we are!)
Portia_O'Neill | Feb 12, 2013, 08:41 AM EST
Wow. Where did IC get that photo? The Pope looks like he's giving gang signs.
aloistmartin | Feb 11, 2013, 09:03 PM EST
ROFLOL ! Give The “Jews” What They Want ? Given the utter condescending degradation of the Catholic Church, with regards to Her Socio-Political status, in the Modernist/Materialist/Capitalist/Bourgeois Globalizationist, Austerity besieged “Nations” about Her; It does not come as such an Unprecedented surprise, to find that Benedict XVI ( Cardinal Ratzinger ) has decided to retire from the Polemic of Israel’s lost sheep. ( … and their shouts prevailed ? ) The King of Spain will toss his Euro`s into the Mediterranean, Francois Hollande will wash his hands in the Sectarian Blood of Northern Africa, and Kate Middleton will give birth to the Anti-Christ; But make no mistake, Life will go on, Christmas is past, but the Easter Bunny is already at the doorstep. Even if Priests, are allowed to become LGBTQ Birth Control practicing Prime Time Talk Show Celebrity apologists; They will still be required to wash their hands with Soap and Water before sitting down for Sunday Dinner at Grandma`s …. Won’t They ?
WoundedKnee | Feb 11, 2013, 04:37 PM EST
The way things are going, the next Irish Taoiseach could also be African.
KweenOHearts | Feb 11, 2013, 02:17 PM EST
As usual IC, with the 'valuable' help of the clearly 'clairvoyeur' Counihones got busy this morning digging through its vast anti-Catholic archives, surely looking for the most homely/obnoxious picture of Benedict XVI to gift the usual crowd of bottom feeders with their daily morsel of red meat. --- Thank you IC, you never disappoint in dropping the right article, the right slant on the news, or the 'just right image' to motivate those who salivate at the chance of jumping in to spit on the Church you clearly hate.
DrTrelawney | Feb 11, 2013, 12:38 PM EST
Marc Ouellet has been favourite all day. He's currently at a very slim 3/1.
handsome68 | Feb 11, 2013, 11:53 AM EST
PhlutiePhan, to answer your question, my response: not that I know of.
PhlutiePhan | Feb 11, 2013, 11:16 AM EST
@handsome68: Would that include police agencies?
handsome68 | Feb 11, 2013, 10:50 AM EST
I'll take the job, since I'm always pontificating about things about which I like to think I know something about. Let me know ASAP, though, since everybody's after me.