Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-02-01
TO
Be PICKED FROM
TEN CARDINALS
Most Of 81 Members OF Sacred
College Not In Running 10
Head Church

Head Church
P0NE. Feb. |. - Well-mformed
,orsons in ecclesiastical circles here
oro unable to point to any one cardi-
nal as the most probable successor to
Benedict XIV.
But every one in vatican circles
agree on two points.
One-That the next pope will be
an Italian.
Two-That he will be picked from
among the pastoral cardinals-those
in charge of various dioceses-ra-
tber than from the members of curia,
or pope's council.
That the next pope will be an
Italian is certain, ecclesiastical eX-
perts say, because 81 of the 81 men,
bels Of the Sacred College, major
iCy-are of Italian birth.
Prediction On Past
And the prediction that the next
pope will be pastoral cardinal is
based on a careful study of the pa
pal elections of the last two centu-
rcs.
Observation has shown vatican OBJ
servers that whenever so-called
"poIitcal' pope is elected, he is fol
lowed by religious" pope as a
sort of reaction.
And, in the same way, when "re-
Hgious" pope occupies the pontifi-
cate, he is followed by a political"
pope.
Thus Leo XIII. is called political"
because of the world conditions un-
der which he wa selected
He was followed by Piux X, pure
ly religious" pope.
And Benedict XIV. quite naturally,
was a "policital' pope, having been
elevated to the pontifical seat at a
time when The whole Christian world
was in a turmoil.
OihA , u ANSbkA1uS \ bPG
That's why experts predict a ire
ligious" successor to Benedict XIV.
Now, of the 81 Italian cardinals,
q are members of the curia. They
live in Rome, sit on various eccles-
iastical tribunals and aid the pope in
governing the church.
None of these can be considered
as probable ,popes-not only be-
cause they are eliminated by the
luIe of religious" and political
succession but because all the out
standing curia members are too old
to assume the burdens of the ponti.
ticate.
Cardinal Gasparri is 70. And he
is exhausted from the tremendous la
Dor OF codifying the canon law, which
was one of his duties as papal secre.
tary Of state.
Cardinal Vannutelli, an outstand
ing cardinal, is 81. Cardinal di Bel.
monte is 70. Cardinal Vico is "a.
Ten Only Possibilities
30 the possibilities narrow down tt
Inc 10 Italian pastoral cardinals who
mead various dioceses.
Cardinal Maffi of Pisa is one of
tneSe. He is extremely popular in
ITALY, He's Cd and has been a cardi-
nal ID years. He is strong Italian
patriot and stands for reconciliation
between the vatican and the Italian
government.
Another leading possibility is Car
0lhal Rstti of Milan. Ratti has beer
d cardinal only one year, but Pope
benedict had been cardinal onl,
loW months when elevated.
Rattl started his career as curato
IN the Libraries of Milan and tn
Vatican.
Then he became apostolic visitor t
roland while Poland was strugglir
Tor freedom.
When Poland was freed he becan
papal nuncio. He also acted as a
nt"'astlcal diplomat in Finland an
russia, making an enviable recon
vi accomplishment.
cardinal La Fontainc of Venic
",so oa Is considered La Fontaine
W ana was made cardinal in 1916.
"!eSSio Ascaliessi of Benevent
L a' 0een mentioned. among these. Bl
Oy most he is considered too youn
he's 49.