Another cardinal falls; conclave to start in 2 weeks, new Pope by Easter

[$tevie]

Did someone say Cardinals?

[Lemon Drop]

RgrF wrote:

He used his superior position to force unwanted sexual attention to those who served under him, the fact they were homosexual attentions is secondary. Now that the Cardinal has resigned his bishopric responsibilities, he can devote full time to deciding who he'll vote into the Papacy. He'll be joined by Cardinals Law, Montgomery and a number of other RC clerics who should be looking for bail money instead.

You must know more about what went on than what was reported.

He will not be allowed to vote for pope. The UK will have not representation at the conclave. That's what I find odd about the timing of this resignation.

[RgrF]

If he's not going to vote for the next Pope it wil be his decision not one made by the Church. Once a Cardinal always a Cardinal.

[Sam3]

RgrF wrote:
If he's not going to vote for the next Pope it wil be his decision not one made by the Church. Once a Cardinal always a Cardinal.

Correct. He is choosing not to go. That was mentioned in the first linked article:

He remains a cardinal and would be entitled to join the conclave selecting the new Pope after Benedict XVI announced on 11 February that he would resign - but said he would not go.

"I do not wish media attention in Rome to be focused on me - but rather on Pope Benedict XVI and on his successor," he said.

[Gutenberg]

The new pope will be Italian.
The new pope will be very conservative.
The new pope will be pretty much like the old pope, only younger.
If the direction of the church changes, it will be toward the right.
The church will be run by the old guard, who will anoint cardinals who are just as conservative as they.
When the new guard becomes the old guard, they will be as conservative, or more conservative, as today's old guard.

[Sam3]

Gutenberg wrote:
The new pope will be Italian.
The new pope will be very conservative.
The new pope will be pretty much like the old pope, only younger.
If the direction of the church changes, it will be toward the right.
The church will be run by the old guard, who will anoint cardinals who are just as conservative as they.
When the new guard becomes the old guard, they will be as conservative, or more conservative, as today's old guard.

So much for the 2nd Vatican Council and (to a lesser extent) John Paul II's legacy.

[Black Tea]

RgrF wrote:
If he's not going to vote for the next Pope it wil be his decision not one made by the Church. Once a Cardinal always a Cardinal.

Actually: "because of reforms enacted by Pope Paul VI in 1970, cardinals who are age 80 or over by the time the conclave starts are excluded from the closed-door proceedings."

[$tevie]

The RC Church seems determined to rework itself as some kind of backwards cult.

[Black Tea]

Gutenberg wrote:
The new pope will be Italian.
The new pope will be very conservative.
The new pope will be pretty much like the old pope, only younger.
If the direction of the church changes, it will be toward the right.
The church will be run by the old guard, who will anoint cardinals who are just as conservative as they.
When the new guard becomes the old guard, they will be as conservative, or more conservative, as today's old guard.

Actually more likely:
The new pope will not be Italian.
The new pope will be orthodox.
The new pope will be pretty much like the old pope, only younger.
The direction of the church will not change.
The church will be run by the old guard, who will anoint cardinals who are orthodox.
When the new guard becomes the old guard, they will be orthodox as well.

People in the church are not liberal or conservative, they are either orthodox or heterodox.

About half the positions of the Church are liberal and about half are conservative.

[Lemon Drop]

Sam3 wrote:
[quote=RgrF]
If he's not going to vote for the next Pope it wil be his decision not one made by the Church. Once a Cardinal always a Cardinal.

Correct. He is choosing not to go. That was mentioned in the first linked article:

He remains a cardinal and would be entitled to join the conclave selecting the new Pope after Benedict XVI announced on 11 February that he would resign - but said he would not go.

"I do not wish media attention in Rome to be focused on me - but rather on Pope Benedict XVI and on his successor," he said.

Thanks for clearing that up sam3.

I lean towards what Black Tea said, that the next Pope will be other than Italian - African or South American seems likely to me. Benedict has many strong connections with Latin America, as I understand.
Will be interesting to see.