# Who are the front runners for the next Pope? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 18, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498 "2010-04-18T01:10:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/1 "2010-04-18T01:10:52Z")
Not that I think that Benedict XVI will abdicate over the molestation contraversy but he is so very old and this certainly cannot be good for his health. So if for whatever reason Pope Benedict is no longer Pope before the end of the year, who are the most likely candidates to take over the RCC? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/2 "2010-04-18T01:47:33Z")
[Peter the Roman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophecy_of_the_Popes#Petrus_Romanus)? ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/3 "2010-04-18T02:04:59Z")
Well there’s [Francis Cardinal Arinze](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Cardinal_Arinze). He was was one of John Paul II’s closest advisors, and was considered papabile the last time around. He’d be the first African pope since the 4th century and possible the first black pope ever. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/4 "2010-04-18T02:11:46Z")
Here’s one person’s list of the top 10: [http://www.popes-and-papacy.com/papabili.htm](http://www.popes-and-papacy.com/papabili.htm) His top ten are Cardinals Scherer, Antonelli, Oellet, Napier, Scola, Barbarin, Maradiaga, Schoenborn, Vallini, and Policarpo. I don’t think it’s going to be Arinze. He’s 77, and more or less retired. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/5 "2010-04-18T02:18:55Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > [Peter the Roman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophecy_of_the_Popes#Petrus_Romanus)? The schedule would be appropriate I’d guess especially as it matches with 12-21-2012. But quite frankly I’d like to see the next Pope take the name Peter II to disprove the theory. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/6 "2010-04-18T02:59:51Z")
You know, I don’t think they generally release the short list until the current Pope gets really sick. Tris ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/7 "2010-04-18T03:19:17Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > His top ten are Cardinals Scherer, Antonelli, Oellet, Napier, Scola, Barbarin, Maradiaga, Schoenborn, Vallini, and Policarpo. Heh! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/8 "2010-04-18T04:17:13Z")
It’s not you! ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/9 "2010-04-18T12:02:48Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > The schedule would be appropriate I’d guess especially as it matches with 12-21-2012. > > But quite frankly I’d like to see the next Pope take the name Peter II to disprove the theory. OR to prove it!!!😃 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/10 "2010-04-18T15:11:54Z")
How about Jean-Bertrand Aristide? I know he’s not a priest any more, but he was once, and at this point the Church could use a healthy dose of Liberation Theology. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/11 "2010-04-18T15:42:53Z")
He’s not a cardinal (you don’t have to be, but still), like you said, he’s not a priest anymore (you don’t have to be, but still). he didn’t just leave the priesthood, he was kicked out by his order for inciting violence, and liberation theology is considered vaguely heretical, and unless the Catholic church changes drastically, there’s no way anyone involved with it will become pope. ---
**Author:** ![Estilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Estilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Estilicon)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/12 "2010-04-18T23:54:16Z")
Last time, The Archbishop of Buenos Aires, [Cardinal Bergoglio](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Bergoglio), was a strong contender. He would become the first Latin American Pope. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/13 "2010-04-19T00:36:34Z")
> [@Estilicon](#): > > Last time, The Archbishop of Buenos Aires, [Cardinal Bergoglio](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Bergoglio), was a strong contender. > He would become the first Latin American Pope. If any those allegations of his involvement in the Dirty War pan out things could get very “awkward”. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/14 "2010-04-19T00:50:12Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > How about Jean-Bertrand Aristide? I know he’s not a priest any more, but he was once, and at this point the Church could use a healthy dose of Liberation Theology. No it does not. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/15 "2010-04-19T14:06:30Z")
> [@Estilicon](#): > > Last time, The Archbishop of Buenos Aires, [Cardinal Bergoglio](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Bergoglio), was a strong contender. > He would become the first Latin American Pope. Flying spagheti monster save us from that!. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/16 "2010-04-19T14:49:59Z")
> [@Triskadecamus](#): > > You know, I don’t think they generally release the short list until the current Pope gets really sick. > > Tris Define “gets really sick”. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/17 "2010-04-19T15:37:43Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Define “gets really sick”. In practice it’s probably defined as “can no longer perform ceremonies in public.” ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/18 "2010-04-19T15:51:06Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > Flying spagheti monster save us from that!. I assume that’s not strong approbation? What’s he like? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/19 "2010-04-19T16:08:22Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I assume that’s not strong approbation? What’s he like? Marinara sauce, maybe with some Italian sausage or meatballs. None of your Latin American sauces with chorizos and shit, that is an Abomination before the IFSM! ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498/20 "2010-04-19T16:29:33Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I assume that’s not strong approbation? What’s he like? Without delving too much into Bergoglio’s history (which I don’t know very well, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it contains “obscure chapters” around the 1976-1983 period), the very last thing I’ll like to see is the shot in the arm having an Argentinian pope would give to the Catholic Church in this country. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-front-runners-for-the-next-pope/536498.md?page=2)