Reply #24: There's never a shoe-in [View All]

[tjwmason]

"He who enters the conclave a Pope, leaves it a cardinal."

That he is the front-runner is the biggest reason for him not getting it.

It's also far from certain that he wants it - there's a perfectly good chance that he might turn it down if elected.

It has been very clear for a few years that he just wants to retire and write books on Liturgy (I must confess to liking his liturgical thoughts) - but he would never have asked the late Pope to allow him to retire.