SHE may be a woman, married, a feminist and only 49, but an Irish
theologian called Linda Hogan is being tipped as the Vatican’s first
lady in red.
There has never been a female cardinal, but since
Pope Francis took charge in Rome eight months ago and emerged as a
social liberal the unthinkable has become possible.
Speculation is
rampant that the reformist Argentinian Pope will invite a woman to don
the red hat and sit in the Holy See’s papal conclave, which will pick
his successor one day.
In theory she could become pope herself.
The
new Pope has repeatedly said he wants to increase the role of women in
the church and that it needs to develop “a truly deep theology of
women”.
The story first appeared in Spanish paper El Pais which suggested that Pope Francis is planning to appoint a woman cardinal.
The recently elected pontiff has said that he wants women to have a stronger presence in the church.
The
Sunday Times article says the conclave which elected him pope last
February was widely criticised for the absence of women, other than to
serve the cardinals’ meals.
A native of Callan in Kilkenny, Hogan has published work on gender, ethics and religion.
She
graduated from St Patrick’s College in Maynooth in 1993 and has
lectured at the University of Leeds and at the Jesuit-owned Milltown
Institute in Dublin.
The report says her
name was first floated by Fr James Keenan, a New York Jesuit attached
to Boston College, on his Facebook page.
Former President of Ireland Mary McAleese is also a possibility for the role.
However, having qualified in canon law, she has publicly criticised the Vatican’s silencing of six Irish priests.