A Church in transition

In the wake of Pope John Paul II's passing, the most pertinent question on many peoples' mind is: who will the cardinals elect to replace him?

Reuters UK has published an article outlining possible successors to John Paul II.

Although the appointment of a new pontiff really doesn't have any direct effect on my life, considering I'm not Catholic, these are a couple of my favorites (just in terms of ideology and credentials):

FRANCIS ARINZE (NIGERIAN), BORN NOV. 1, 1932

Cardinal Francis Arinze was for nearly 20 years the Vatican's point man for relations with Islam, a key element cardinals choosing the next pope may take into consideration.

This has fueled speculation he could become the first African pope in more than 1,500 years.

A very spiritual man, he is sometimes seen walking to his office near the Vatican clutching rosary beads while praying, smiling all the time.

A theological conservative, he was born into an animist family in the village of Eziowelle. He was not baptized until the age of nine, when he converted to Catholicism.

He now heads the Vatican department for divine worship.

Aside from the fact that I think it would be cool to have an African pope, I also like how he is familiar with Islam (very important in today's world) and is described as generally pious and happy.

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.

Although clearly a liberal, in some ways I think he has just what the Church needs right now. He is clearly someone who is unafraid to confront the challenges of the modern world. Secularism, AIDS, women's rights, and the rise of Islam are very important issues that must be addressed, and this guy seems to have the experience and the energy to do so.