64 year old Cardinal Peter
Turkson of Ghana Photo: GETTY
Pope Benedict XVI's successor: Africans and Latin Americans among early contenders
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/the-pope/9862727/Pope-Benedict-XVIs-successor-Africans-and-Latin-Americans-among-early-contenders.html
Two African cardinals are among the early favourites to succeed Pope Benedict XVI, as the papacy could head out of Europe for the first time in the modern era.
2:26PM GMT 11 Feb 2013
Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana
and Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria
are in the frame to become the first black pope probably ever, if not since the
early Middle Ages. With Latin Americans and a Canadian also among the unofficial contenders, the Roman Catholic Church could well elect its first non-European since the Great Schism, reflecting the growing shift in faith and power of the church to the developing world.
If it is Latin America's turn, the leading candidates there are Odilo Scherer, archbishop of the huge diocese of Sao Paulo, or the Italian-Argentine Leonardo Sandri, now heading the Vatican department for Eastern Churches.
Joao Braz de Aviz, a 65-year-old Brazilian, is said to have brought fresh air to the Vatican department for religious congregations when he took over in 2011. He supports the preference for the poor in Latin America's liberation theology, but not the excesses of its advocates.
80 year old Cardinal Francis Arinze
Even the selection of the strongly credentialed Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Quebec would end 1,500 years of European or Mediterranean rule.
As prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, the former Archbishop of Quebec has vetted and selected bishops all over the world. He is multi-lingual and completed years of missionary work in South America.
He would tick the “global church” box without unnerving European cardinals alarmed that the election of an African would result in a decline in their power. However, he once said becoming pope "would be a nightmare."
Predicting a future Pope is an uncertain business. John Paul II appeared out of the blue late in the game, and many observers failed to pick Joseph Ratzinger last time round.
Two senior Vatican officials recently dropped surprisingly clear hints about possible successors. The upshot of their remarks is that the next pope could well be from Latin America.
"I know a lot of bishops and cardinals from Latin America who could take responsibility for the universal Church," said Archbishop Gerhard Mueller, who now holds the pope's old post as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
"The universal Church teaches that Christianity isn't centred on Europe," the German-born archbishop told Duesseldorf's Rheinische Post newspaper just before Christmas.
Swiss Cardinal Kurt Koch, head of the Vatican department for Christian unity, told the Tagesanzeiger daily in Zurich at the same time that the Church's future was not in Europe.
"It would be good if there were candidates from Africa or South America at the next conclave," he said, referring to the closed-door election in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel.
Asked if he would vote for a non-European over a European candidate if they were equally qualified, he responded: "Yes."
There are scholars who claim that Victor I, from 189 to 199, was the first black pope. He was born in the Roman province of Africa, as were Pope Miltilades (311-314) and Pope Gelasius I 492-496. Images from the time make it hard to determine their skin colour.
Cardinal Turkson’s name is mentioned most often as the first black pope. He is current president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace since he was appointed by the Pope in October 2009.
He is regarded as a great communicator, and given that Pope Benedict’s age was the key factor in his decision to retire, Turkson’s relative youth – 64- might count in his favour.
But given the abruptness of Benedict’s departure, the 80-year-old Cardinal Arinze might seem a safer bet. His name was mentioned in 2005 when the current pope was elected.
Both are sufficiently doctrinal to please conservatives, while their developing world background will please liberals.
There are several other cardinals who are papabili – potential popes – and speculation over the next fortnight before the Pope officially stands down will be feverish.
If the college of cardinals plays it safe and stays in Europe, Cardinal Angelo Scola of Milan would be in pole position. His theological background is in the family issues that the Church in Europe increasingly feels must be addressed.
Other old continent contenders include Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga
About half the cardinals who can vote are from Europe, even though only a quarter of the world's Catholics live there.
Pope John Paul II, a Pole, was the first non-Italian pope in the modern era since 1523, while his successor Benedict XVI was the first German.
Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson attends a Mass for Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, in this April 13, 2005 photo. (Pier Paolo Cito/AP Photo)
Two African Cardinals in the Running to Be Pope
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/02/two-african-cardinals-in-the-running-to-be-pope/
By ABC News
Feb 12, 2013 9:09am
By BAZI KANANI and PHOEBE NATANSON
ROME – After Pope Benedict XVI became the first pope in hundreds of years to voluntarily resign, the Roman Catholic Church could be in for another first in recent history—an African pope.
Two African cardinals are rumored to be among the top candidates to succeed Pope Benedict, and many Vatican watchers believe the election of a non-European pope is a very real possibility at a time when the majority of the church’s growth is in the developing world.
Cardinal Peter Turkson, 64, of Ghana, is considered to be near the top of the short list of likely successors. (British bookmakers offering odds on the next pope have already made Turkson their 3 to 1 favorite.)
After serving for more than 30 years as an ordained priest, Turkson was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2003. He currently serves as president of the Vatican’s Council for Justice and Peace. Colleagues describe him as a “people person” with excellent communication skills. He is considered a conservative who is unlikely to steer the church in a new direction on issues such as contraception, abortion and gay rights.
Turkson outlined for ABC News Monday the challenge facing Benedict’s successor.
“The new pope has to be very sensitive to the present condition of humanity and yet recognize the task of having to still keep the Gospel in its pure form. That’s a big challenge that we all pray for,” he said.
“I think what we should be looking for, probably what we should be doing rather is recognizing the nature of the church… pray God will provide us with the leadership that can confidently lead the humanity in the church in the year ahead. The challenges are not going to cease. They’re going to be increasing and we need somebody with God’s guidance to get us through all this,” Turkson said.
Cardinal Francis Arinze, 80, of Nigeria is again being mentioned as a possible pope, as he was in 2005 when Pope Benedict was elected. Arinze served as a priest for 27 years and became one of the world’s youngest bishops before Pope John Paul II elevated him to cardinal in 1985.
He was appointed to lead the Vatican’s Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and colleagues compliment his ability to cooperate with people of other faiths. Arinze is also considered a conservative.
If the conclave of the College of Cardinals were to choose either Turkson or Arinze, it would be the first selection of an African pope in more than 1,500 years. Scholars say in the first five centuries of the church there were three popes from North Africa. But the selection of Turkson or Arinze would be the first pope from sub-Saharan Africa and the first-ever black pope.
Vatican watchers also believe it is possible a Latin American pope could be selected. The cardinals considered leading candidates from Latin America are said to be Leonardo Sandri from Argentina, Oscar Maradiaga from Honduras, Odilo Scherer from Brazil, and Joao Braz de Aviz from Brazil.
