one of these men will be the next pope

[xchrom]

http://www.businessinsider.com/who-will-replace-pope-benedict-2013-2?op=1


Cardinal Marc Ouellet

Country: Canada
Position: Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, formerly Archbishop of Quebec.
Age: 68
Likelihood: Paddy Power ranks him 5/2. Most qualified. He speaks English, French, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish and German fluently. He has done missionary work in South America. Last year we said that our money was on Ouellet. His rank among the betters has shot up dramatically.



Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson
Country: Ghana
Position: President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace
Age: 64
Likelihood: High odds according to Paddy Power: 4/1, which seems way high to us even though he is a very strong candidate.
What His Election Would Mean: That the Cardinals recognize the future isn't in Benedict's Europe but in the explosive growth of the Church in the "global South"



Cardinal Angelo Scola

AP
Country: Italy
Position: Archbishop of Milan
Age: 71
Likelihood: Paddy Power ranks him a strong 7/1, which seems exactly right to us.
What His Election Would Mean: A Church focused on re-Christianizing Europe.



Cardinal Tarsicio Bertone

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone
AP
Country: Italy
Position: Secretary of State
Age: 78
Likelihood: Paddy Power ranks him 12/1, which seems about right.
What His Election Would Mean: That the most skilled Vatican politician wanted to become pope before he died.


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/who-will-replace-pope-benedict-2013-2?op=1#ixzz2Kb8pXjhk

[CBGLuthier]

1. Oh please let it be the second guy.

My catholic Sister in law and her husbands are racists and it would make their fucking heads explode.

[ananda]

2. Yeah a Black pope would be great!

A Black female pope would be even better!

[xchrom]

3. there's actually a pretty liberal italian in line for the job.

i'm hoping it's him.

[ButterflyBlood]

6. Him being named "Peter" is actually a little creepy

due to that "Peter the Roman" prophecy. It'd be interesting to see how many people who flip out and what craziness would befall us.

[Hosnon]

12. That is creepy. I don't believe the prophecy but it's quite a coincidence.

I'm not worried about the world ending; I'd like a black President and a black Pope at the same time.

[RevStPatrick]

4. It's going to be Scola...

He will take the name Peter.
He will be the last Pope.
Rome will be destroyed.
Then it will be Judgement Day...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophecy_of_the_Popes

[TlalocW]

5. No, it's going to be Sicola

Soda sales will soar in Italy once Pope Sicola is put on the throne... or wears the hat and slippers or whatever it is...

TlalocW

[Sheldon Cooper]

7. Pope Sicola!!

[Duer 157099]

16. You get a heart for that

[quinnox]

8. it would be really cool if it was the black guy

and about that Scola guy, he looks like Jerry Springer.

[jsr]

9. Bertone looks like a jerk

[xchrom]

10. There are more candidates at the link. Nt

[lpbk2713]

11. My money's on this guy ...

[Zorra]

13. He's got my vote! He'll lobby for same sex marriage, female priests, make the trains run on time,

and increase the take at every holy shrine in Italy.

[Cleita]

14. They really need a younger man in his fifties.

Those old fossils are flirting with dementia as it is.

[Liberal_in_LA]

17. they need a woman

[Cleita]

18. They do but first they will have to admit women to the priesthood. That will take

a visionary Pope to accomplish that so for the time being we are stuck with a male.

[Egalitarian Thug]

15. The bookies like Turkson.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/feb/11/eu-pope-odds/
Bookmakers have been quick to offer odds on candidates to replace Pope Benedict XVI, with cardinals from Ghana, Nigeria and Canada among the early favorites.

Ghana's Cardinal Peter Turkson, Canada's Cardinal Marc Ouellet and Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria lead in betting with Britain's major bookmakers.

William Hill made Turkson _ one of the highest-ranking African cardinals at the Vatican _ its 3/1 favorite Monday, followed by Ouellet at 7/2 and Arinze at 4/1. Ladbrokes also had Turkson as favorite, followed by Arinze and Ouellet.