And the Next Pope is…

Cardinal Tarcisio Pietro Evasio bertone

On the eve of the papal conclave convening to elect the successor to pope benedict xvi, it’s still anybody’s guess. Athough some names come up in the press, nobody emerges as the clear front-runner.

I read that some odd makers have taken bets on who it will be by treating the favored cardinals like race thoroughbreds. Is it in bad taste or not? I leave it to the bettors to decide.

At the same time, I don’t think I’d be crossing the line of decency by telling you to whom I’m putting my bets. After all, everybody is entitled to his own opinion. If I were proven wrong, it’s no big deal. I wouldn’t be losing money. I may just have to eat my shorts, that’s all.

I predict that the new pope will be elected based on the St. Malachy prophecy dating back almost a thousand years. It is said that St. Malachy had a vision of future popes and identified each of them using a Latin phrase or motto.

Opinions vary as to their authenticity. Many swear by it. Others claim it is malarkey.

If anything, I consider it a self-fulfilling prophecy. If it doesn’t fit, then do something about it. For example, Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, the 111th pope, was described as ‘Gloria Olivae‘ (the glory of olive). By assuming the name that correlates to the Benedictine order also known as the Olivetans, Benedict XVI caused the prophecy to come true.

The successor to benedict XVI was referred to as ‘Petrus Romanus’ (Peter the Roman). Some cardinals seem to fit this profile bearing the name of Peter or variants thereof. These include Odilo Pedro Scherer, Peter Erdo, Peter Turkson, and Tarcisio Pietro Evasio Bertone.

I see the new pope as neither too young nor too old. He will be a caretaker and not a visionary of a church under siege. In this capacity, he will circle the wagons and protect the church over allegations of mismanagement and corruption at the Vatican and scandals over clerical sexual abuse. Only time will tell if this strategy will hasten or prevent the destruction of the city of seven hills.

With some reservations, I predict that the new pope will be Cardinal Tarcisio Pietro Evasio Bertone. His name is Tarcisio Pietro (Peter) and he is an Italian (Roman).

If the ancient prophecy is true, he will be the last pope. I hope that I’m wrong and the cardinals get it right.