Dolan: “Highly possible” next pope will not be from Europe

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:59 pm by Deacon Greg Kandra

Dolan: “Highly possible” next pope will not be from Europe 2016-09-30T16:59:47-04:00 Deacon Greg Kandra

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

From the New York Times:

CardinalTimothy M. Dolan, the Roman Catholic archbishop of New York, said on Tuesday that he believed it was “highly possible” that the next pope could come from a non-European country.

“When I was growing up, it was presumed the pope would be an Italian,” Cardinal Dolan said, discussing next month’s conclave to elect a new pope during his live radio show, “Conversation with Cardinal Dolan,” on Sirius XM satellite radio. He said that, when Karol Wojtyla of Poland was elected pope (he took the name John Paul II) in 1978, “that was thought to be an earthquake.”

“And we don’t even think that anymore, do we?” he said. “The pope is the earthly, universal pastor of the church. To think that there might be a pope from North America, to think that there might be a pope from Latin America, a pope from Asia, a pope from Africa, I think that’s highly possible, don’t you?”

As he has since Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation on Feb. 11, Cardinal Dolan, 63, played down the idea that he might himself be chosen as the next pope.

“I could be the next shortstop of the Yankees too,” he said. “Anything is possible!”

Meantime, a columnist in the Boston Globe — the former mayor of Miami, in fact—turns his attention to another American cardinal getting some serious attention, Sean O’Malley and explains why he should be pope:

I met Sean O’Malley in the 1970s, when he was just a humble Capuchin friar ministering to the poorest and most marginalized Hispanics in the nation’s capital. He had been sent by his order to head the Spanish Catholic Center, and he took the assignment seriously enough that he found an apartment in the same dilapidated, tenement-style building where the offices of the center were located.

O’Malley rejuvenated the Spanish Catholic Center. He quickly attracted the best and the brightest of the Hispanic professionals in Washington; soon the center offered not only English-as-a-second-language classes, but also a free dental and medical clinic.

Many of the professionals he attracted belonged to Agrupación Católica Universitaria, a Cuban-based Catholic organization founded by the Jesuits in Cuba to help university students pursue studies in theology and philosophy. Soon, as D.C. chaplain of the ACU, he was embraced as a member of the organization and given the medal of full-fledged “agrupado,” or congregant.

He was unofficially but universally recognized as Hispanic, and it didn’t hurt that he had obtained a doctorate in Spanish and Portuguese literature at Catholic University. Those of us who were educated there were often flabbergasted when he outperformed us in Spanish fluency…

…His participation in the 1980s in the Central American post-insurgency treaty known as Esquipulas II culminated with well-received testimony to Congress. As the only fully bilingual bishop in the delegation sent to Central America by the US Conference of Bishops, his understanding of the issues, the history, and the personalities involved was extraordinarily valuable in bringing the conflict to an end.

O’Malley relates well to Europeans, who control 62 eligible votes in the college of cardinals. It is true that 28 of those are Italians, but the trend does not favor an Italian to replace Pope Benedict XVI, since there is a recognition that diversity must be fostered — not to mention linguistic skills. O’Malley speaks fluent English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French. And, as far as sheer cultural diversity, who could be more diverse than an Irish-American who received his doctorate in Spanish and Portuguese literature?

There are all kinds of reasons given for Pope Benedict’s resignation, but the main reason, other than his health, is likely the clergy sexual abuse scandal. O’Malley played a big role in restoring confidence in the church after sexual abuse scandals in Fall River, Boston, and Ireland.

Read the whole thing.

Pope

Cardinal Dolan

Sean O'Malley

Previous Post

February 20, 2013

Pope Benedict's farewell to be broadcast live

Next Post

February 21, 2013 Who is the only living cardinal to have voted in three conclaves? —UPDATED

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category "Mad Men" 9/11 advent All Things New Amazing video amazing videos amazon america Anglicans Anti-Catholicism art ascension thursday ash wednesday Atheists baltimore Bible Bishops Blogging bonnie engstrom Books bridgeport Brooklyn Chaplains children christian art christmas Church Churches CNEWA Converts criticism Deacons Death Penalty easter eastern christian Eastern Christians Ecumenism education Education Eucharist Europe euthanasia Evangelization Exorcism Family Feasts Gay rights Good Friday Great links Great Moments in Journalism Hanging with the saints heather renshaw Hispanic Catholics Hispanics History homelies Homilies Humor Hymn of the Week Immigration indianapolis Inspiration Interfaith news ireland Jesus Jews Journalism Judaism lent Liturgy logos Marriage Mary Media Medical news Mental health Middle East Monks Movies Music Muslims My world and welcome to it New Evangelization new york News Nuns Parenting Parish life peoria Persecution politics Politics Pope pope francis pope john paul Prayer Preaching Priests Pro-life Quote of the day radio rebecca frech ripp Ripped from the headlines rippred from the headlines Sacraments saints Scripture sex abuse Sex abuse crisis SEX ABUSE CRISIS TAGGED WITH: SEX ABUSE CRISIS The people in the pews the visitation project theatre This & that Thomas Merton Trappists TV Uncategorized uncategorized Vatican VATICAN vocation Vocations Voices & Views Women Worth a thousand words Writing Year of Faith year of mercy young people

Select a Month December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who saw the vision of the valley of dry bones?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Isaiah Daniel Ezekiel Jeremiah

Books by This Author Books by Deacon Greg Kandra

See All Titles »