Next Pope 'could be anyone' - Herefordshire Abbot

5:09pm Tuesday 12th March 2013 in News Exclusive By Adam Knight, Reporter

AS the world awaits news of a new Pope, Belmont Abbey's own Abbot is as anxious as anyone to see who emerges as the successor to Pope Benedict XVI.

Around 200, 000 Catholics will be packing into the Rome's historic Saint Peter's square to see first-hand the famous white smoke rise above the Vatican.

The process can take days, sometimes even weeks or months, with cardinals voting four times a day until they reach a majority of ‘two-thirds plus one’.

Each time a vote fails to produce that majority, the cardinals send up a plume of black smoke from within the conclave – white smoke and the thousands waiting know a decision has been reached.

“I don’t think there is a clear favourite this time – it could take a while,” said Right Rev Dom Paul Stonham.

With no one outstanding candidate there has been speculation in the media that the door could be open for the first African, Asian or Latin American pope.

 

And both Brazilian Cardinal Odilo Scherer and Ghana’s Cardinal Peter Turkson are among the hot favourites with Paddy Power.

“These days everyone wants something new, something novel, but it could be anyone,” said Father Paul.

“But the bookmakers often get it wrong.

“They could go to another Italian, to Archbishop Angelo Scola, or to a South American or African cardinal.”

However Father Paul doesn’t like the chances of US Cardinals Sean O’Malley and Raymond Burke – both currently among the favourites.

“It certainly won’t be an American,” he said.

Read more in this week's Hereford Times.

Comments(22)

Grid Knocker says...
9:05am Wed 13 Mar 13

"Could be anyone"? Not quite, Father Paul. I think it's down to one of the 115 blokes wearing red dresses and party hats!

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Gillian1961 says...
11:40am Wed 13 Mar 13

What about having a woman pope for a change

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littlewhitebull says...
12:47pm Wed 13 Mar 13

Could Bobby be king and pope?

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silentbull says...
12:52pm Wed 13 Mar 13

Personally i think ALL RELIGION SHOULD BE BANNED!!!!!
Just think of all the wars that's caused by it

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Clarkester says...
1:13pm Wed 13 Mar 13

Ha ha! Silentbull living up to his/her name there and shouting!!!
Love it!
Don't ban religion, it gives the unenlightened something to do on the weekends.
Personally, I'd vote for King Bobby too.

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bobby47 says...
1:40pm Wed 13 Mar 13

Yes, the interview for Pope went well. Better than I'd hoped. They of course asked, 'who in Gods name are you'? and I got 85% on that.
We covered condoms, the Succubus, the incubus, a little bit on excorcism and of course they were keen to know if I believed in God.
Where I do believe I have scored well is when I exposed myself displaying the marks of the stigmata until some fool shouted, 'it's bloody eczema'.
Anyway, just wait for the white smoke and see whether or not I've got the job.
Im confident!

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silentbull says...
1:47pm Wed 13 Mar 13

Sorry for shouting 'Clarkester' but i do find that i need to shout sometimes as i work in a very noisy environment :-(

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Mr.Herefordian says...
1:50pm Wed 13 Mar 13

Graham Powell could do it he likes preaching his visions to us all, he could then get a quick miracle done then he will be St. Graham.

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Clarkester says...
1:54pm Wed 13 Mar 13

No need to apologise Silentbull. It tweaked my amusement nerve.
Apparently though whoever it is, certainly won't be an American, that's for sure...
Tip for you all there.

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littlewhitebull says...
4:57pm Wed 13 Mar 13

How dare young Bobby upset me with his reminder of incubus and succubus.
Just last week I waited in an incubus, and the flaming bus went straight past - so we all shouted: "Succubus!"
Who the devil organises these buses?
I had to exorcise myself by walking to work!
Anyway, just off to have a shower with my pope on a rope.

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bobby47 says...
7:49pm Wed 13 Mar 13

Never a break. Never a boost. It's who you bloody know.

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TwoWheelsGood says...
9:39pm Wed 13 Mar 13

littlewhitebull - get yerself a very nice off white overcoat and any bus will stop on demand, thinking you're Saint Graham on his way to meet you half way.

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bobby47 says...
9:51pm Wed 13 Mar 13

TWG, Bless him. I do admire his courage. He gets kicked around and still comes back for more. I like him and of course his lovely coat.
Now what will happen to the Falklands?
Yeah!!! its a thought aint it. Take care mate.

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Grid Knocker says...
8:29am Thu 14 Mar 13

Bad luck Bobby! Why not have a go at the Priddis vacancy? Should be an absolute doddle. Live in The Palace, be waited on hand-and-foot. Get The Dean to do all the grafting and just put in occasional appearances at rural confirmation services.

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bobby47 says...
1:26pm Thu 14 Mar 13

Grid Knocker, it's a thought. Mind, there's only so much praying Im prepared to do. I've got no problem with the Harvest Festival, Lent, Pancake Day, Easter and Christmas but I'll be damned if I spend all my time blessing this, that and the bloody other just so some fool can download me onto Youtube cozying up to the Hereford Bull and fiddling with some medieval relic that's supposed to be the scrotum of Doubting Thomas.

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dippyhippy says...
2:27pm Thu 14 Mar 13

Can't believe you didn't get the job - its their loss. Trouble is Bobby, you are ahead of your time!

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Roger J says...
3:35pm Thu 14 Mar 13

They don't want the Falklands now that they've got Vatican City.

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bobby47 says...
4:19pm Thu 14 Mar 13

Dippy, thank goodness you are back.

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Ubique5740 says...
5:52pm Thu 14 Mar 13

Sure he is not related to Jim Bowen?

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Ubique5740 says...
5:54pm Thu 14 Mar 13

To clarify, it's the Pope I am suggesting could be related to Jim Bowen. - not Bobby!

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littlewhitebull says...
6:34pm Thu 14 Mar 13

TwoWheelsGood wrote:
littlewhitebull - get yerself a very nice off white overcoat and any bus will stop on demand, thinking you're Saint Graham on his way to meet you half way.
I'm sure you're right TwoWheelsGood.
I wonder if he would meet me half way on a new battery!

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tenor12 says...
7:32pm Thu 14 Mar 13

Yes Jim Bowen has won celebrity pope idol

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