As the College of Cardinals opened their daily talks to sketch an identikit for the Roman Church’s new leader, here’s a dozen names frequently mentioned for Pope
Narrowing down lists of about a dozen potential popes to a handful of serious hopefuls will be one of the main tasks of the closed-door meetings that Catholic cardinals began yesterday.
The lists circulating in public, mostly drawn up by Vatican journalists based on private chats with Catholic prelates, look more credible than some that floated around during the last conclave in 2005, according to Chicago Cardinal Francis George.
“All of them I’ve seen – unlike last time – are in fact good candidates,” he told journalists. “You’ve done our work for us.”
As the College of Cardinals opened daily talks to sketch an identikit for the next Pope and ponder who among them might fit it, Cardinal George declined to name any names.
An informal list of possible candidates is probably emerging, he said, “but it isn’t winnowed yet”.
One reason the process is so mysterious is that candidates do not announce their ambition and canvassing votes is taboo.
While there are no official candidates, several names are frequently mentioned in Rome as papabile (potential Pope).
The following list of the names most often cited is alphabetical, not in order of their chances, and may change between now and when the conclave is held next week.
Electing the next Pontiff
• Up to 120 cardinals will take the momentous decision over who will next lead the millions of Catholics around the globe.
• The influential College of Cardinals are now meeting in Rome to choose Pope Emeritus Benedict’s replacement in a tradition dating back almost 1,000 years.
• Since 1059, the selection of the next head of the Catholic Church has been reserved to the College of Cardinals who are appointed by the Pope.
• Up to 120 cardinals, aged under 80 and from all over the world, will vote.
• The College becomes immediately responsible for the day-to-day running of the Church as Vatican offices are suspended but it is forbidden to take any decisions that would normally be reserved for the Pope.
• The cardinals’ coming together is known as the conclave – from the Latin cum clave, meaning ‘with a key’ in reference to them being locked in the Apostolic Palace until they produce a result.
• Under regulations introduced in 1996, the cardinals will be housed in a building inside the Vatican’s walls called the Domus Sanctae Marthae (St Martha’s House).
• They will move from there to the Papal Palace and the Sistine Chapel for the actual voting beneath Michelangelo’s fresco of the Last Judgment.
• Throughout the process they are sworn to secrecy and forbidden to speak to anyone not involved in the election.
• Any breaches could result in their excommunication.
• The cardinals wear a traditional black cassock with piping and red sash, a skull-cap, pectoral Cross and ring throughout the process.
• The 1996 voting rules now allow for just one method of selection, by two-thirds majority.
• It replaced the traditions either of cardinals agreeing to one name without prior arrangement or by compromise.
• The first vote is held on the afternoon of the first day if possible and there are then two ballots each morning and each afternoon thereafter until a result is declared.
• Each cardinal enters a name on a special ballot paper and then, in order of precedence, puts it in a receptacle on an altar.
• Three chosen cardinals, known as scrutineers, go through the votes one by one and announce the name on each paper.
• The names are counted and if a name has received two-thirds of the votes, the Pope has been elected.
• If the first ballot does not produce a result, the process is repeated for three days, after which there is a day’s rest for prayer, reflection and informal discussions.
• The voting then begins again for a series of seven more ballots and then another break.
• The process is repeated twice more and, if there is still a stalemate, the chamberlain will declare a result can come from an absolute majority or by a vote on the two names that received the largest number of votes in the last ballot.
• The candidate is then asked if he accepts and what name he wishes to take.
• Tradition dictates that once a Pope has been elected, white smoke will billow from the Vatican chimney – representing the burning of the ballot papers.
• If the person elected is not already a bishop, he shall be immediately ordained and becomes the Bishop of Rome.
• He is then announced to the people in St Peter’s Square.
• There is no coronation ceremony, but the pontificate is inaugurated at a ceremony in St Peter’s, usually within a matter of days.
Joao Braz de Aviz (Brazil, 65)
• Having, brought fresh air to the Vatican department for religious congregations when he took over in 2011, Cardinal de Aviz supports the preference for the poor in Latin America’s liberation theology, but not the excesses of its advocates. Possible drawbacks include hislow profile.
Timothy Dolan (US, 63)
• Becoming the voice of US Catholicism after being named Archbishop of New York in 2009, Cardinal Dolan’s humour and dynamism have impressed the Vatican, where both are often missing. But cardinals are wary of a ‘superpower Pope’ and his back-slapping style may be too American for some..
Peter Erdo (Hungary, 60)
• Cardinal Erdo’s two terms as head of a European bishops council and strong links with African Church leaders shows strong support among two important groups. He ranks as a possible compromise candidate if the conclave’s European majority do not back an Italian but are wary of a Pope from overseas.
Sean O’Malley (US, 68)
• Appointed to Boston in 2003 after a major crisis there, Cardinal O’Malley sold off archdiocesan properties and prompted protests by closing down little-used churches. At his first conclave, he “had been using the internet a lot” to read up on other cardinals. He has been touted as a ‘clean hands’ candidate since he was named to three US dioceses in a row to settle sexual abuse scandals.
Marc Ouellet (Canada, 68)
• Effectively the Vatican’s top staff director as head of the Congregation for Bishops, Cardinal Ouellet once said becoming Pope “would be a nightmare”. Though well connected within the Curia, the widespread secularism of his native Quebec could hurt him and even friends say he is not charismatic.
Gianfranco Ravasi (Italy, 68)
• Cardinal Ravasi has been the Vatican’s culture minister since 2007, representing the Church to the worlds of art, science, culture and even to atheists. This profile could hurt if cardinals decide they need an experienced pastor rather than another professor as Pope.
Leonardo Sandri (Argentina, 69)
• Born in Buenos Aires to Italian parents, Cardinal Sandri held the third-highest Vatican post as its chief of staff in 2000-2007. But he has no pastoral experience and his job overseeing eastern churches is not a power position in Rome.
Odilo Scherer (Brazil, 63)
• Ranking as Latin America’s strongest candidate, Cardinal Scherer – Archbishop of Sao Paulo, largest diocese in the largest Catholic country – is conservative in his country but would rank as a moderate elsewhere. The rapid growth of Protestant churches in Brazil could count against him.
Christoph Schoenborn (Austria, 67)
• A former student of Pope Emeritus Benedict, with a pastoral touch the pontiff lacks, Cardinal Schoenborn, Vienna’s archbishop, has been seen as papal material since editing the catechism in the 1990s. But some cautious reform stands and strong dissent by some Austrian priests could hurt.
Angelo Scola (Italy, 71)
• Archbishop of Milan, a springboard to the papacy, Cardinal Scola is many Italians’ bet to win. An expert on bioethics, he also knows Islam as head of a foundation to promote Muslim-Christian understanding. His dense oratory could put off cardinals seeking a charismatic communicator.
Luis Tagle (Philippines, 55)
• Having a charisma often compared to that of the late Pope John Paul, Cardinal Tagle is also close to Pope Emeritus Benedict after working with him at the International Theological Commission. While he has many fans, he only became a cardinal in 2012 and conclaves are wary of young candidates.
Peter Turkson (Ghana, 64)
• Head of the Vatican justice and peace bureau, Cardinal Turkson is the top African candidate. He is the spokesman for the Church’s social conscience and backs world financial reform. He showed a video criticising Muslims at a recent Vatican synod, raising doubts about how he sees Islam.