Betting under way
Whether the college picks a younger pope or not, Benedict’s resignation in the face of ill health also was seen Monday as precedent-setting and important because modern medical technology is likely to make the occasion of a frail but alive pope more common than before.
“For the century to come, I think that none of Benedict’s successors will feel morally obliged to remain until their death,†Paris Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois said.
According to news reports, two cardinals from Africa have emerged as top
contenders for the papacy:
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• Cardinal Francis Arinze. Born in Nigeria, Cardinal Arinze, 80, has been the bishop of Velletri-Segni, a cluster of Roman suburbs, since 2005 — when he succeeded Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who became Benedict XVI.
• Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson. Born in Ghana, the 64-year-old cardinal is the archbishop of his native country and is a member of councils focused on evangelization, worship and Catholic education.
About 176 million people in Africa are Catholic, nearly one-third of all Christians across the continent, according to a December 2011 study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
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British bookmakers offered odds on candidates to replace Benedict, with Cardinals Turkson and Arinze taking lead positions. Speculation turned to other likely contenders among the College of Cardinals, including:
• Cardinal Marc Ouellet. The head of the Vatican’s office for bishops was born in Quebec 68 years ago, and has been a cardinal since 2003.
• Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. Born in the Philippines, he is the archbishop of Manila and 56 years old. He has been a cardinal since 2012.• Cardinal Leonardo Sandri. Born in Buenos Aires, Cardinal Sandri, 69, heads the Vatican’s Asian churches department.
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