Reaction to My Newsweek Article on Benedict XVI

I had a feeling my recent article in Newsweek looking at possible contenders to succeed the Holy Father would cause a little controversy.

Phil Lawler of Catholic Culture - someone whom I respect very much - has weighed in here with some charitable comments and sound points. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was reluctant to write the piece for the reasons he implicitly points out. But my reasoning was that they were going to get someone to write it, and I felt I could do it with enough sensitivity, without getting into unnecessary Church politics. It also didn't start out as a papabili piece, but rather a reflection on BXVI's vision for the Church.

Also for the record, the published piece is quite different to the one I originally wrote, and it's as much a work of the editors as it is of mine. The opening paragraph - and much else - is not my wording, though the words 'potential frailty' I thought were well chosen as they referred to his relative fitness for someone of his age - in other words, thankfully the Holy Father's not yet frail in the sense of being struck down with disease, and well enough to continue for a number of years yet.

As for the list of papabili, I chose them not because they are allies of Pope Benedict, but rather because I believe they would be the most favoured in a conclave on the grounds of their holiness, character and personal gifts. I left Cardinal Bertone off the list because although he is by all accounts an excellent priest, his running of the Secretariat of State is not at the same level, and I feel sure most of the College of Cardinals would not want a poor administrator as Pope. He also doesn't speak English which is a severe handicap.

Hopefully the article has served some purpose, if anything in showing what a great Holy Father we have, and putting something of a dampener on any further speculation who his successor might be.

Ad multos annos Santo Padre!