The first thing to watch in this pontificate will be...

Written on 2:40 PM by Jack B.

As Hugh Hewitt pointed out a couple of days ago"By my count, 48 of the cardinal-electors are 74 or older, meaning they will not vote on the next pope if the new one reigns for a half dozen years". I've thought about this too. I always thought that Pope John Paul's successor would come from the next consistory that he convened but since that was not to be I am really curious who Benedict picks in the next group of Cardinals. Especially since there will soon be a lot of places to fill as a lot of electors are approaching 80. I wouldn't be surprised if in fact that Benedict's successor is someone who he gives the red hat too and not one of the Cardinal's who elected him.

If that becomes the case we could concievably have the case where Benedict XVI (made a cardinal by Paul VI) will be succeeded by someone he made a cardinal and thus decreasing the chances that any of the 100+ men John Paul the Great created in his papacy (the 3rd longest in 2000 years) would ever become pope. Ironic, no?

According to Fr. Fessio, Benedict XVI's former student and publisher (at Ignatius Press), in a radio interview (also with Hugh Hewitt), the former Cardinal Ratzinger was a fan of Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver. Personally of all the American hierarchs I would love to see him a Cardinal. Orthodox, Franciscan and Native American he would drive the media crazy and would be a great contrast to more medicore figures (in my opinion) like Mahony of LA and Egan of NY.