Tuesday, February 03, 2004

The next papal conclave may be the most crucial since 1534...

Thinking about the Papal Succession

The Church is still grappling with the consequences of the European Enlightenment. The next papal conclave will define the terms of the struggle.
By James Hitchcock
In a recent book (Frankly: Six Discussions with the Cardinal), Cardinal Godfried Danneels of Mechelen-Brussels predicts that, if Pope John Paul II becomes incapacitated, he might resign. This was a forecast made previously by Bishop Karl Lehmann of Mainz, president of the German bishops' conference. Bishop Lehmann later said that he had been misunderstood, while Cardinal Danneels' remarks brought an unusually curt response from an official Vatican spokesman: "That's his opinion."

Dr James Hitchcock has an excellent article here.



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