Pope Benedict’s elder brother, the Rev. Georg Ratzinger has given
insight into why the coveted position of Catholic Pontiff may elude
Africa as the Church begins the process of appointing a new pope. Much
speculation has focused on whether Benedict’s successor might come from
Africa or Latin America, rather than Europe, where Roman Catholic
congregations are shrinking.
The pope’s brother, the Rev. Georg Ratzinger, speaking in Regensburg,
Germany, said he expected to see a pope chosen from outside Europe one
day but not just yet. “I’m certain a pope will come from the new
continents but whether it will be now, I have my doubts,” he said. “In
Europe, we have many very able people, and the Africans are still not so
well known and maybe do not have the experience yet.”
Among those considered frontrunners for the role are Cardinal Angelo
Scola, archbishop of Milan; Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, who heads
the Vatican’s office of bishops; Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, an
Argentinian, Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana and Cardinal Francis Arinze
of Nigeria. Whoever gets the nod, the selection of a new pontiff is
expected to go smoothly. “We’re not going to have a problem of two
competing popes. If Pope Benedict still wanted to have influence, he
wouldn’t have stepped down,” said senior Vatican communications adviser
Greg Burke. While not quite unprecedented, Benedict’s resignation is
certainly historic.
Source: Sunnewsonline.com
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