The astonishing resignation of Pope Benedict XVI means that the
Catholics of England and Wales will have no say in the choice of the
next Pope: Archbishop Vincent Nichols has not so far been created a
cardinal, though Cardinal Keith O'Brien of St Andrews and Edinburgh,
aged only 74, will have a vote. Dare I suggest that this is not the end of the world?
The leaders of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, though delighted to welcome the Holy Father to these shores in 2010, have never shown much interest in Benedict's spirituality or (especially) his liturgical reforms.
They were slow to set up the Ordinariate for ex-Anglicans, while many of them have done their best to frustrate the Pope's wish to make the traditional Latin Mass more widely available.
Strangely enough, it will be a new generation of young, orthodox Catholic laity and clergy who will most miss the gentle wisdom and historical imagination of Benedict XVI.
The bishops will have mixed feelings.
Some of them will hope that the Pontiff's early departure from the scene will enable them to continue in their half-hearted implementation of documents regarding the Latin Mass and the Ordinariate.
What will Archbishop Vincent Nichols be thinking now?
We can only guess, as he keeps his cards so close to his chest.
He must be aware, however, that the delay in appointing him a cardinal may rob him of his only opportunity to vote for a Pope.
Nor will Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, now over 80, be eligible to take part in the conclave.
This is no occasion to score cheap points, but traditionalists are unlikely to lose much sleep over the absence of a liberal English cardinal in the Sistine Chapel.