Possible papal contenders
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One-hundred and fifteen cardinals will be voting in the next few weeks to choose to choose a successor to Pope Benedict XVI. Should they return the papacy to an Italian, stick with a pontiff from elsewhere in Europe, or follow the trends in the church and look to Africa or across the Atlantic? Here’s a look at some possible contenders.
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EUROPE
Cardinal Angelo Scola
Title: Archbishop of Milan
From: Italy
Age: 71Milan Cardinal Angelo Scola is considered a top candidate to succeed Benedict, although at age 71, he too would be an elderly pontiff if elected. Scola is close to Benedict, has a fierce intellect, and leads the most important archdiocese in Italy — no small thing given that Italians still dominate the College of Cardinals.
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EUROPE
Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn
Title: Archbishop of Vienna
From: Austria
Age: 68Benedict’s onetime theology student, Vienna’s Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, 68, has long been considered to have the stuff of a pope — multilingual, affable and, most important, Benedict’s blessing.
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EUROPE
Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi
Title: Head of Vatican’s culture office
From: Italy
Age: 70Other leading Italians include Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, head of the Vatican’s culture office and another intellectual heavyweight who quotes Hegel and Neitzsche as easily, and almost as frequently, as the Gospels. He has climbed into the spotlight with his ‘‘Courtyard of the Gentiles’’ project, an initiative to enter into dialogue with the worlds of art, culture and science — and, most important, atheists.
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EUROPE
Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco
Title: Archbishop of Genoa
From: Italy
Age: 70Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco was appointed by Benedict XVI as president of the Italian Bishops Conference in 2007.
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AFRICA
Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson
Title: Head of the Vatican’s justice and peace office
From: Ghana
Age: 64Cardinal Turkson became Ghana’s first cardinal when he was elevated by Pope John Paul II in 2003, while he was archbishop of Cape Coast. Six years later, Benedict tapped him to head the Vatican’s peace and justice office, which tackles issues such as the global financial meltdown, armed conflicts, and ethical codes for the business world.
One of Africa’s brightest hopes to be the next pope, Cardinal Turkson, says the time is right for a pontiff from the developing world, and that he’s up for the job ‘‘if it’s the will of God.’’ -
LATIN AMERICA
Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer
Title: Archbishop of Sao Paulo
From: Brazil
Age: 63The archbishop of one of the world’s largest Roman Catholic archdiocese, Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer is said to be a leading Latin American contender to succeed Pope Benedict XVI. In a recent interview Scherer said that “neither geographic origin nor age should matter much in determining the next pontiff.’’
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LATIN AMERICA
Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio
Title: Archbishop of Buenos Aires
From: Argentina
Age: 76Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergogliowas a serious contender when Pope Benedict XVI was chosen in 2005, although at age 77, he would be an elderly pontiff if elected.
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LATIN AMERICA
Cardinal Leonardo Sandri
Title: Head of the Vatican’s office for Eastern rite churches
From: Argentina
Age: 69Cardinal Sandri earned fame as the ‘‘voice’’ of Pope John Paul II when the pontiff lost the ability to speak because of his Parkinson’s disease.
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LATIN AMERICA
Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz
Title: Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
From: Brazil
Age: 65Brazilian Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz, 65, who has earned praise as head of the Vatican’s office for religious congregations which he took over on 2011.
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NORTH AMERICA
Cardinal Marc Ouellet
Title: Head of the Vatican’s office for bishops
From: Canada
Age: 69Cardinal Marc, former archbishop of Quebec, who heads the Vatican office that names bishops, is a contender from North America.
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NORTH AMERICA
Cardinal Timothy Dolan
Title: Archbishop of New York
From: United States
Age: 63Cardinal Timothy Dolan was appointed archbishop of Milwaukee in 2002 and then archbishop of New York in 2009. In an interview Cardinal Dolan said it would be ‘‘highly improbable’’ for him to be considered for the papacy. But joking with a reporter, he asked, ‘‘Is that why you’re kneeling?’’
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NORTH AMERICA
Could Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley
Title: Archbishop of Boston
From:United States
Age: 68Cardinal O’Malley has shrugged off suggestions he is in the running to be pontiff, although speculation in Rome is that he could be a dark horse.
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ASIA
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle
Title: Archbishop of Manila
From: The Philippines
Age: 55Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle is seen by many to be a rising star in the church. Tagle was made a cardinal in November, he would be a very young pope if elected.
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