The Pope’s successor. Likely candidates.

Qui pour succéder à Benoît XVI ?

 Au lendemain de l’annonce de la démission du pape, le monde entier s’interroge sur son successeur. Benoît XVI quittera ses fonctions le 28 février, un nouveau pape sera désigné “pour Pâques” avant le 31 mars, a indiqué le Vatican. Alors sera-t-il Italien, Africain, Latino-Américain ? Passage en revue des prétendants.
For French to English direct Translations by Bill Nelson see below. Pour les traductions direct Francais-Anglais par Bill Nelson voir plus bas que l’Anglais.

Since the resignation of the Pope, everyone is examining his likely successor. Benedict XVI leaves his role on 28 Feb at 20h00, a new Pope will be appointed ‘for Easter‘ before 31 March, according to the Vatican. So will he be Italian, African, Latin American? The conclave will form  between 15 and 20 days after Benedict’s last day. Lots of speculation since yesterday. Here’s the 11 runners below.

Only Benedict (German)and JPII(Polish) have been the non-Italian bishops of Rome since 1523. And a quarter of the cardinals, from which the new resident will be chosen, are Italians.

1.Angelo Scola, 71 years, Archbishop of Milan, a favourite among Italians but only recently appointed.

2.Among the Italians, also is Gianfranco Ravasi, 70 years, the Vatican minister of Culture since 2007.

3.And the Vatican Secretary of State, and 2nd in command Tarcisio Bertone

A non European Pope to occupy the Holy Seat is a popular hypothesis and the bookies are suggesting an African Pope.

4.The big favourite is the Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze, 80 years old. Has occupied prominent positions in the Vatican and was very close to JPII.

5.Another African, Ghanaen Peter Turkson, 64 years, president of ‘justice and peace’ and spokesman for social conscience for the Church is a reformist favourite.

Latin America has 42% of the world’s 1.2 billion catholics, when Europe can only count 25%.

6.The Brazilian, Joao Braz de Aviz, 65 years is carrying a fresh wind into the Vatican for the religious congregations since 2011.

7.Another Brazilian, Odilo Pedro Scherer, 63 years old, Archbishop of Sao Paolo, the biggest diocese in the largest catholic country in the world.

8.The Argentinian, Leonardo Sandri, 69 years old, born in Buenos Airés of Italian parents, a cardinal since 2007, for seven years he occupied third highest position to the Holy-See.

9.Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, 68 years old, prefect of the bishops congregation, (like Vatican personnel director). Although in the past he has said that becoming Pope ‘would be a nightmare’

10.The Austrian Christoph Schonborn (67 yrs) is a former student of Benedict. He is in favour of married priests, which might not suit the Vatican.

11.The American Timothy Dolan (62 yrs) has become the voice of Catholicism in the USA since his nomination as Archbishop of New York in 2009. But his pushey style might appear too familiar in the eyes of many.

Voilà une question qui devrait agiter la place Saint-Pierre dans les prochaines semaines : qui pour succéder à Benoît XVI ? Le pape a annoncé son “renoncement” lundi, à la surprise générale. Il quittera officiellement ses fonctions le 28 février à 20 heures. Un conclave se tiendra au plus tôt 15 jours après, au plus tard 20 jours. Son successeur sera désigné “pour Pâques” avant le 31 mars, a indiqué le Vatican. Depuis lundi, les pronostics vont bon train.

Encore un Italien ? (Again an Italian?)

Hormis Benoît XVI (Allemand) et Jean-Paul II (Polonais), seuls des Italiens ont exercé les fonctions d’évêque de Rome depuis l’an 1523. Et un quart des cardinaux chargés de choisir le nouveau souverain sont Italiens. Only Benedict (German)and JPII(Polish) have been the non-Italian bishops of Rome since 1523. And a quarter of the cardinals, from which the new resident will be chosen, are Italians.

  • Plusieurs Italiens sont donc logiquement en lice : Angelo Scola,  71 ans, archevêque de Milan, favori pour de nombreux Italiens. Le pape l’a d’une certaine manière montré du doigt, en allant à Milan encore très récemment.  Angelo Scola, 71 years, Archbishop of Milan, a favourite among Italians but only recently appointed.
  • Parmi les Italiens, il y a aussi Gianfranco Ravasi, 70 ans, “ministre de la Culture” du Vatican depuis 2007. Among the Italians, also is Gianfranco Ravasi, 70 years, the Vatican minister of Culture since 2007.
  • Et le cardinal secrétaire d’Etat Tarcisio Bertone, actuel numéro deux du Vatican.  And the Vatican Secretary of State, and 2nd in command Tarcisio Bertone.

Un pape africain ? (An African Pope?)

Mais plusieurs responsables du Saint-Siège ont donné récemment davantage de crédit à l’hypothèse d’un pape extra-européen. Les bookmakers misent sur le nom d’un successeur africain. A non European Pope to occupy the Holy Seat is a popular hypothesis and the bookies are suggesting an African Pope.

  • Grand favori : le cardinal nigérian Francis Arinze, 80 ans. Cet ancien préfet du Vatican pour le dialogue inter-religieux puis le culte divin, est devenu évêque à la fin du Concile en 1965. Il était très proche de Jean-Paul II, ce qui n’est pas forcément un avantage. The big favourite is the Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze, 80 years old. Has occupied prominent positions in the Vatican and was very close to JPII.
  • Autre Africain pressenti : le Ghanéen Peter Turkson, 64 ans, président du conseil pontifical “justice et paix”. Il est le porte-parole de la conscience sociale de l’Eglise et se dit favorable à une réforme du monde financier. Another African, Ghanaen Peter Turkson, 64 years, president of ‘justice and peace’ and spokesman for social conscience for the Church is a reformist favourite.

Un pape latino-américain ?

L’Amérique latine représente aujourd’hui 42% des 1,2 milliard de catholiques dans le monde, quand l’Europe n’en compte que 25%. Latin America has 42% of the world’s 1.2 billion catholics, when Europe can only count 25%.

  • Le Brésilien, Joao Braz de Aviz, 65 ans, a apporté un souffle nouveau au département du Vatican pour les congrégations religieuses qu’il préside depuis 2011. The Brazilian, Joao Braz de Aviz, 65 years is carrying a fresh wind into the Vatican for the religious congregations since 2011.
  • Autre Brésilien pressenti : Odilo Pedro Scherer, 63 ans, archevêque de Sao Paolo, le plus grand diocèse dans le premier pays catholique au monde. Another Brazilian, Odilo Pedro Scherer, 63 years old, Archbishop of Sao Paolo, the biggest diocese in the largest catholic country in the world.
  • L’Argentin Leonardo Sandri, 69 ans, né à Buenos Aires de parents italiens, est cardinal depuis 2007, il a été pendant sept ans au troisième plus haut poste au Saint-Siège. The Argentinian, Leonardo Sandri, 69 years old, born in Buenos Airés of Italian parents, a cardinal since 2007, for seven years he occupied third highest position to the Holy-See.

Un pape européen ou nord-américain ? (European or North american Pope?)

  • Le cardinal canadien Marc Ouellet, 68 ans, préfet de la Congrégation pour les évêques. Sorte de directeur de personnel du Vatican. Même si il a dit par le passé que devenir pape “serait un cauchemar“. Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, 68 years old, prefect of the bishops congregation, (like Vatican personnel director). Although in the past he has said that becoming Pope ‘would be a nightmare’
  • L’Autrichien Christoph Schönborn (67 ans) est un ancien étudiant de Benoît XVI. Il est favorable au mariage des prêtres, pas sûr que le Vatican veuille évoluer autant. The Austrian Christoph Schonborn (67 yrs) is a former student of Benedict. He is in favour of married priests, which might not suit the Vatican.
  • L’Américain Timothy Dolan (62 ans) est devenu la voix du catholicisme aux États-Unis depuis sa nomination comme archevêque de New York en 2009. Mais son style un peu décalé pourrait paraître trop familier aux yeux de beaucoup. The American Timothy Dolan (62 yrs) has become the voice of Catholicism in the USA since his nomination as Archbishop of New York in 2009. But his pushey style might appear too familiar in the eyes of many.

About bill

Worked in the technical / engineering area as a Science Laboratory Technician and as an Aeronautics Engineer. The artistic side involves writing under the nom de plume of Billy Olsenn, his recently written play 'A Case of Wine' was staged by the players group Straight Make-Up at the 2012 Birr one act drama festival. It's next staging was in the one act circuit is in Cavan, at Maudebawn on Sat 10 Nov 2012. Then it was performed in the Bray, Co.Wicklow at the very popular one act festival in January 2013. Next play is FEAR. A dark tale about revenge on the cruel death of two pensioners by young thugs. Neighbours hatch a devious and dangerous plan to exact old-style revenge. Bill is a member of the Drama League of Ireland and his plays have been critically vetted and certified as original pieces of work by the DLI. Another literary project is that of commemoration of an aircraft crash on Djouce mountain in Wicklow in 1946. Bill wrote articles for the 50th, 60th and most recently the 70th anniversary, (12 Aug 2016) all were published in the Wicklow Times and ensured the survivors of the crash, all French Girl Guides, were not forgotten. Articles reproduced on this website. But mostly this site gives a more general European and specific French slant on popular and not so popular articles of French news, translated to English by the author. Each article is translated on a paragraph by paragraph basis so easy to read in either language and even possible to improve either language by comparison of the short English and French paragraphs. Amusez vous bien. The author is currently writing an easy to read technical aviation book centered around the Fokker 50. Another interest is that dealt with in another of Bill's websites www.realnamara.net, a Statue of the mother of God, Mary. It was erected in 1972 in Dublin, at the end of the Bull Wall near Clontarf, and my grandfather William Nelson, was the main instigator of that project. I give talks on the history of the statue and my grandfather's adventurous and dangerous life at sea. Technical assistance with each website is by J O'N.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.