If Saint Patrick has anything to do with it . . .

. . . . perhaps an Irish-American cardinal will emerge as the next pope.  Catholic thought has it that whenever cardinal electors (there are 115 of them in Rome today) gather in the Sistine Chapel, the Holy Spirit guides the proceedings.

Shortly before 3:00 p.m. EDT today, Angelo Scola
of Milan and Odilo Pedro Sherer of Sao Paolo, Brazil
are thought to have emerged from the first round of
voting as leading candidates.
(FoxNews TV Screenshot/by Dick Bergeron) 

If so, perhaps the patron saint of Ireland, a man who certainly earned his wings through successful efforts to tame the Emerald Isle, could whisper a recommendation or two in the ears of the Almighty.

I like Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York (age 62), and Séan O’Malley of Boston (age 68), both very different, yet both highly qualified. 

Cardinal Dolan has boundless energy and a strong character.  John Allen of the National Catholic Reporter describes him as “evangelization on steroids. . .easily the most charismatic, media savvy and engaging personality” of the 115 candidates.  Moreover, this man knows how to draw a line in the sand.


Also eminently qualified is Cardinal Séan O’Malley of Boston.  He is is a Capuchin friar, a monk who didn’t lobby for the job of cleaning up the filth of sexual abuse left behind by his predecessor, the discredited Cardinal Bernard Law.  Yet he painfully took it on and succeeded.

O’Malley is a compelling pastor and an able administrator.  His education is superb.  According to Allen, he “speaks Spanish fluently, holds a doctorate in Spanish and Portuguese literature, and ministered to the Latino community in Washington.”  He also knows Italian.

Those multi-lingual characteristics – especially Spanish – are strong advantages.

Though less outwardly gregarious than Dolan, he has an understated, yet effusive and compelling personality.  He would grow into a beloved global pope

However, for both of these men, it needs to be underscored that if tradition is any indicator, Rome may not look favorably upon an American cardinal – the odds are stacked against us. 

The unstated reason is always the same.  Traditionally, a papabile (an otherwise qualified cardinal) coming from a superpower has not been looked upon favorably.

I’ve never understood this reasoning.  Particularly now, when the world is in such a mess, whether viewed from a secular or a religious standpoint, the sourcing of a pope from the U.S. projects strength, a much-needed attribute that isn’t forthcoming from within the boot of Europe. 

Furthermore, the Old Guard in Rome has become improbable in guiding the Ship of Faith.  It needs to be reinvigorated.  (More bluntly, it needs a shake-up.)  Roman Catholicism is fading in Europe. 

In the U.S., despite the loss of thousands of faithful since the mid-1960’s, Catholicism has held its own.  It has even enjoyed stability, largely due to the immigration of Mexicans and Latinos from south of the border.  

Despite significant problems, American Catholicism remains more vigorous than anywhere else in the world, except, perhaps, for the emerging Church south of the equator. 

Like it or not, the next pope faces the challenge of addressing major problems, some of which are:

·         Reform of the Vatican Curia.

·         Restructuring the Vatican Bank and fixing the Vatileaks.

·         Nailing the specter of sexual abuse once and for all.

·         Defending the Church emerging from below the equator.

·         Vigorously speaking out against the persecution of Christians on the African continent, as well as in The Middle East, elsewhere in the East and in Asia.

·         Maintaining and enhancing relations with the source of Christianity, Judaism.

Above all, back to the basics:  there is great need for a new leader at the helm of this worldwide band of 1.2 billion souls who knows how to pragmatically renew and disperse the original core message of Christianity.

Changes have to be made:  old age and weakness were not the only reasons why Benedict XVI decided to call it quits. 

A final thought:  Whoever enters the Conclave lobbying hard to become pope, comes out still a cardinal.