The Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor met the Pope yesterday to discuss his retirement and the man who should be his successor. Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor met Pope Benedict XVI at the Holy See in Rome where there is growing speculation on the man who will be chosen to lead one of the most important Roman Catholic archdioceses in the western world.
According to a survey of senior Catholic laymen and women by The Times, the two favourites, the Archbishops of Birmingham and of Cardiff, would be among the best received.
Many leading Catholics also favour the Dominican friar Timothy Radcliffe, who has in the past been the head of the worldwide order but who is thought unlikely to be backed by Rome because he lacks experience as a diocesan bishop.
The “terna” or list of three names has been received by Rome but a fourth name is also understood to be under consideration.
However, the Pope could decided to choose someone else entirely.
John Wilkins, former editor of The Tablet, a Catholic weekly, disclosed that a much longer list of names was sent to Rome earlier this year and returned with five of those names highlighted as favoured.
No decision is expected before February, sources in Rome told The Times.
As well the Archbishop of Birmingham Vincent Nichols and the Archbishop of Cardiff Peter Smith, senior lay Catholics favour Edmund Power OSB, Abbot of St Pauls-without- the Walls in Rome and Abbot Christopher Jamison of Worth Abbey.
Father Radcliffe remains the clear favourite among the senior laity in the UK, The Times found.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce
(Source: TTO)