I have seen dozens of lists of papabili. I have seen the odds on Paddy Power and Intrade. The one thing they all have in common is that none of them have a name I think should be on the list.
I am not predicting anything, for how could I know. But a Cardinal I think people should keep an eye on is…
Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, Archbishop of Lyon (France)
Cardinal Barbarin is 62. I think that the cardinal-electors will choose a man of vigor in his 60s this time around for some obvious reasons.
I refer you to some background information on the Cardinal.
He has offered the Traditional Mass (a small club among Cardinals)
But has little patience for the SSPX
He opened a seminary that teaches both forms of the Mass.
Remember, if I am wrong, you will forget all about this post. If I am right, I am a genius. Either way, remember you heard it here first.
I have many reasons for having him on my dark horse list that I will keep to myself, but I thought I would just let you in. Pope or not, we should pay attention to him.
February 17, 2013 at 7:31 pm
Cardinal Vingt-Trois of Paris is also one to look out for among the French, but the French list ends there.
February 17, 2013 at 8:55 pm
Pat, why is it good that he has little patience for the SSPX? Isn't unity in the Church a good thing?
February 17, 2013 at 9:05 pm
…. private list … like in the prophecy about the blessings that will come from France. If so, I will give it to you, too.
February 18, 2013 at 4:50 am
And what r these prophecies specifically? Just wondering.
February 17, 2013 at 9:05 pm
…. private list … like in the prophecy about the blessings that will come from France. If so, I will give it to you, too.
February 17, 2013 at 9:38 pm
I follow French Catholicism from a distance. He doesn't give me the warm fuzzies the way Pope Benedict does. He's not the man. Lots of good talk, but never shows up at the Paris March for Life and a bit aloof from orthodox Catholics. We can do better. The French candidate I would like best would be Bishop Marc Aillet from Bayonne, France. He unequivocally supports the pro-life movement, seems to be in tune with the Church's problems. He gives me warm fuzzies. He doesn't have a hope in …whatever. 🙂
February 17, 2013 at 9:46 pm
This comment has been removed by the author.
February 17, 2013 at 9:47 pm
I just posted your article to the French twittosphere. Expect your French readership to pick up.:D
February 17, 2013 at 11:55 pm
Brian, although I'm not privy to what's in Pat's brain, my guess is that impatience with the SSPX is with its insistence that a) they're in Communion with Rome while b) insisting that Rome needs to change to meet their demands.
February 18, 2013 at 12:04 am
I'm still dreaming of a real outsider – Father Robert Barron!
Yeah, I know, not likely. But theoretically possible. Who says the next pope has to be a current cardinal? And I think he has a lot to offer.
February 18, 2013 at 1:12 am
Secular– Why would you wish that on poor Fr. Barron?
February 18, 2013 at 5:01 am
@A Secular Franciscan: I agree with you, Fr. Barron would be fantastic, but a bit young for Pope, as he's in his 50's, I believe. It's too bad he's not a cardinal! But I fully expect him to be a bishop one day.
Your fellow Secular Franciscan 🙂
February 18, 2013 at 6:22 am
@Brian: Unity in the Church is indeed a good thing. Hence impatience with the SSPX, who are far too close to being in schism.
February 18, 2013 at 9:26 pm
and I do believe Barbarin was born in French Colonial North Africa, the long awaited "African Pope" at last!
February 20, 2013 at 9:37 pm
I'm French and I like both French papabile (if you define that term in the loosest sense) Cardinals, Cardinal Philippe Barbarin of Lyon and Cardinal André Vingt-Trois of Paris (the current joke in France is that André Vingt-Trois already has a "Pope name" : Vingt-Trois means "23" and the stupid media actually often write his name as "André XXIII"). I would actually be sad to lose "my" Archbishop, being Parisian, and so I rejoice in the fact that his chances are very close to 0. You may be right that Cardinal Barbarin may have some higher chances but probably still very low. As I said I like both of them : they're both "conservatives" (for lack of a better term), very intelligent and actually quite charismatic, with some sense of humour (Cardinal Vingt-Trois of the "deadpan snarker" category, sometimes hilariously directed at ignorant journalists, Cardinal Barbarin more of the warm Dolan-style category). However, if by, any chance, one of them is elected be warned that you would probably not find much enthusiasm to that unlikely news in France, not only among the 95% of non-catholics, which is to be expected, but also, I am sad to report, among French conservative Catholics. You see, it is a national pastime among French conservative Catholics to badmouth French bishops. This pastime may have had some very solid justification during the 1970-1980's, and still some very solid ground against a few standing bishops, but is kept mostly as a meaningless and unfair tradition against other orthodox "conservative" bishops such as Vingt-Trois and Barbarin. The reason of their unpopularity among many French conservative catholics is quite unclear (for example, they are often categorized as anti-Latin mass despite some very encouraging signs from their part in this matter, as you noted) and disconcerting. So a head's up…that will probably be useless. Anyway, thanks for this post !
And Dan, Barbarin was actually born in Rabat (Morocco) : so a triple combo : French, African and Arabic Pope (actually Moroccans are not arabic but that's besides the point) !