A list of possible sucessors I found

[JohnKleeb]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/world/3114807
Of these, I would probably want Ratzinger the least, the others though for the most part sound good.

[Reverend_Smitty]

1. I'd say out of that list, I like the Belgian the best

GODFRIED DANNEELS (BELGIAN), BORN JUNE 4, 1933

Danneels, the archbishop of Brussels, is a gifted preacher ranked as the main liberal contender for the papacy. He has taken a leading role in a drive to revive the Catholic faith in European cities.

He made waves by urging the Vatican to allow women to hold top posts normally taken by cardinals, by saying condoms could be used in the fight against AIDS and by arguing that Islam in Europe has to reform in order to integrate there. He also wants local bishops to have more say in running the Church.

Danneels, a jovial man who gives lively interviews in his native Dutch as well as English, French and Italian, has been a key player at Vatican synods in the past decade.

But judging by his bio, he probaly has no shot at all

[regnaD kciN]

9. I'd probably rank Danneels highest, too...

...followed by Rodriguez Maradiaga, Bergoglio, and Hummes.

The rest of them look like "bad news" that would only lead to a continuation and reinforcement of the more negative aspects of John Paul's papacy.

[JohnKleeb]

10. Yes I like those ones too

Beroglio impressed me because he seems like another learned guy and he lives humbly too.

[IronLionZion]

2. I'd like to see a more liberal Pope like Danneels

he supports contraception to combat AIDS and abortion, also to build our relationship with the Islamic world. We're not likely to see major reforms from any of these guys, but even a little bit is good.

Whoever it is, I hope he is a pleasant fellow who travels around giving hope to people. In other words let's avoid a bureaucrat. That and since Catholicism is growing rapidly in non-white countries and diminishing rapidly in white countries, it would be good to have a non-white Pope.

[JohnKleeb]

3. I like Danneels too

If he were non-white he be near perfect IMO. Yes Catholicism is on the rise in Africa, Asia, etc. We could have another landmark like we did with the recently deceased who was the first non Italian pope in 500 years. I agree with both of you being of the more socially liberal way of thinking.

[TheMightyFavog]

4. That's why I think Arinze will get the nod

Al though the Belgian guy would be interesting, even though he has no bloody chance to get elected.

[AngryOldDem]

5. I am looking at Arinze

It will be someone from the Third World.

But I am well aware of the maxim, He who enters a Pope, leaves as a Cardinal. We shall see.

[IronLionZion]

6. Yeah, Danneels is probably too reformist

I think Arinze would be a good Pope. Most of the non-whites care deeply about social injustice because they come from poor countries. And Arinze looks like a pleasant and cheerful guy.

[JohnKleeb]

7. Yeah I don't expect a social liberal

If the guy cares about fighting injustice and poverty and wronged wars around the war, i will be happy, I of course do wish we had a social liberal but thats ok. An African like Arinze would be a great gesture that said. Ha it would mean the papacy is a more diverse instiution than the US Presidency :).

[regnaD kciN]

11. I'm more concerned with what a new Pope would do internally...

To be honest about it, as Andrew Greeley pointed out years ago, a Pope can speak out on global affairs all he wants (and might wield some influence in that area), but what really matters is how he governs internal matters within his own Church...and, I would add, his ties with other denominations.

If a new Pope speaks out against militarism and poverty, I would consider it a good thing; however, if he combines that with "restoring authority" and stamping out dissent within the Church, concentrating the Church's political activity exclusively on outlawing abortion and homosexuality, and giving back-of-the-hand treatment to other western Christian denominations, it frankly doesn't matter to me how eloquently he may speak out in favor of the poor.

[regnaD kciN]

8. While it may be unfair to pigeonhole people...

...my experience in Anglicanism would make me very leery of clerics from Nigeria. In our denomination, they are by far the most outspokenly reactionary (in particular, they have been prime movers in trying to expel the American and Canadian churches for being "liberal" and hence "apostate"). I would point out that the general atmosphere in Nigeria (I refer to both Christians and Moslems) concerning homosexuality is an almost pathological hatred. (A common term there for homosexuality is "white person's disease.")

I can't be sure that Arienze would share such opinions, but I see no reason to expect anything other than a continued turn to the right (in other words, back to pre-Vatican II Catholicism), were he chosen as the next pontiff.

[IronLionZion]

12. Here's some more info on these possible candidates

http://channels.netscape.com/ns/news/story.jsp?id=2005040220420002711809&dt=20050402204200&w=RTR&coview=