Catholic faithful ponder future
Offer ideas on who should be next pope
SAO PAULO — Faithful attending Sunday Mass on five continents for the first time since Pope Benedict XVI’s retirement had different ideas about who should next lead the Roman Catholic Church, with people suggesting everything from a Latin American pope to one more like the conservative, Polish-born John Paul II. What most agreed on, however, was the church is in dire need of a comeback.
Clergy sex abuse scandals and falling numbers of faithful have taken their toll on the church, and many parishioners said the next pope should be open about the problems rather than ignore them.
Worshippers in the developing world prayed for a pope from a poorer, nonEuropean nation, while churchgoers in Europe said what was more important was picking a powerful figure who could stop the steep losses in Catholic numbers.
Some South African Catholics called for what they said was a more pragmatic approach to contraception given the AIDS epidemic devastating that continent. They also suggested ending the celibacy requirement for priests, insisting on what’s viewed as the traditional importance of a man having a family.
Catholics likely will find out this week whether such hopes become reality, as cardinals worldwide arrive in Rome for a conclave that could elect a new pontiff. Many expect the church to pick another European to replace the Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who resigned Thursday.
The archbishop of Sao Paulo, Odilo Scherer, is considered by many to be Latin America’s leading candidate to become pope.
Benedict’s predecessor, John Paul II, is still much admired in his native Poland and elsewhere, and many faithful said the next pope should strive to be as beloved as him.
“I have been praying for a new pope to be just like Pope John Paul II, who was close to the people,” said Charlene Bautista, in Manila, the Philippines.
The Southeast Asian country has a cardinal being mentioned as a papal candidate, Father Antonio Luis Tagle. That encouraged Rev. Joel Sulse as he celebrated Mass in Manila.
“How we wish that, you know, there will be a pope coming from the third or fourth world,” he said, so that the pontiff would understand the suffering in poor nations.