The Pope and Latin America

Colegas:

Two articles on the Pope’s resignation and Latin America, both in the Washington Post. There is speculation, as there always is in recent decades, that a papabile is to be found in Latin America. Potential candidates include cardinals from Mexico, Honduras, Argentina, and Brazil. According to an Italian papal handicapper, the top 10 candidates also includes a Nigerian. What are the chances of a Latin American pope? Depends on what the College of Cardinals considers to be the criteria for electing the next Papa. Some 40% of the world’s 1 billion Catholics are Latin American, and Latin  American churchmen have high responsibilities in Rome. But numbers alone do not determine who will get the humo blanco. Who can perform the pastoral functions best will be among the criteria. Youth over age? Perhaps.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/with-worlds-largest-catholic-population-latin-america-wants-a-latin-pope-but-odds-are-slim/2013/02/11/26aec3de-74a8-11e2-9889-60bfcbb02149_story.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/02/11/pope-benedicts-resignation-lauded-as-a-great-lesson-in-latin-america/

Gabriel Marcellla