LOOKING TOWARD THE MID MARCH PAPAL CONCLAVE FOCUS FALLS ON FOUR CONTENDERS.............

Following Pope Benedict's announcement on Monday that he will resign the Papacy on February 28th, the first speculation about a likely successor as the next Holy Father, centered on five Cardinals; three Italians, one Canadian, and one Argentinian.  The front runner considered the current Archbishop of Milan, Italy; Angelo Cardinal Scola, 70.  Now the revised focus as being presented by the "Clerical Whispers" blog is that four contenders are emerging as the most likely choices.  Cardinal Scola is not on the second list of four, but still a highly likely contender.  They are Odilo Cardinal Scherer, age 63, the Archbishop of Sao Paulo. Brazil, in South America; Peter Cardinal Turkson, 64 years old, a former Archbishop from Ghana in Africa; currently leading the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, at the Vatican; Leonardo Cardinal Sandri, age 69, former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, in South America; now heading up the Vatican's Pontifical Council of Oriental Churches, who is on the earlier lidt of five; and the youngest of the four possible contenders at 62 years old, the Archbishop of New York, USA; Timothy Cardinal Dolan, who is also presently the President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.  Whether the College of Cardinals is willing to elect an American Pope; or choose to return after 35 years to electing an Italian Pope; or decide on choosing a Pope from the largest region of Catholics, the Continent of South America; or the fastest Catholic growing, Continent of Africa, will be part of the anticipation of next month's Election of the next Successor to the Petrine Ministry.  Catholic belief that the 120 member College of Cardinals who are the electors of the new Pope, choose the new Supreme Pontiff by a two thirds vote or greater, through the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we will learn if one of these four contenders, or others already mentioned on Monday, becomes the new Pope, in the next four to six weeks, after the Papal Conclave opens on March 15th.............Fr.  Troy