We could do worse. Benedict had no charisma and was a technocrat and insider. Hopefully we will get someone with charisma like Dolan, the Filipino, or the Argentinian Cardinals. We need to grow the church and bring people back since these are hard times and harder times are ahead. People need God and need to come home to him.

No way .. The church is gonna say , Where do we need this good , eloquent yet humble man ?" ..we need him fighting , leading on the front lines... Against Barry´s minions ...., against true evil , toe to toe ... Ain´t gonna be NYc´s own Dolan ...

Cardinal Dolan would be a great choice...remember at the Dem Convention when the cardinal was initially not invited and the platform was all about anti-Catholic principles...but then Cardinal Dolan came and gave a beautiful blessing that expressed his principles ..and I believe touched many hearts...and his message was a good one that brought people to him because he had the strength to speak the truth ..

the USA needs the leadership of a good man, now more than ever before Obama has corrupted and destroyed freedom and the USA. I pray God leads us to a new Pope that will lead the church and the world to a better place.

An American Pope??? LOL.........fat chance!

#1 Benedict was a great man, great intellectual, trying to hold the line against the progressive/liberal secular humanist tide in the church. He actively pushed for reinstating Tridentine Mass and that was a big one for me.

The last thing the Church needs now is an American who will be susceptible to Jugears´ influence.I wonder if Benedict´s traditional values conservatism was not shared by as many as needed and he was forced out. I want a deeply holy man who lead how and where God tells him.

Since the Pope is also a head of state (Vatican City) I can just see the "usual suspects" making a fuss an attempting to strip him of US Citizenship.

I suspect the odds are about 1000 to 1 against. The College of Cardinals is relatively immune to the kind of hype being touted in this article.

I´m hoping for Angelo Bagnasco. Barnhardt recommends him and I respect her opinions.

The only ´con´ I have read is he is not well traveled. If that´s all, then he should be considered.

I´m afraid Dolan´s fantastic exuberance and charm would be somewhat stifled were he pope, and both he and those of us who admire him would end up a little disappointed. I still think Turkson would be a disaster. Love Dolan and O´Malley but bow to the inevitable, and wouldn;t mind Scola or Scherer or Bangnasco.

I question how conservative he really is wrt homosexuals.

Actually, O´Malley is at 14:1, Burke is at 16:1, and Dolan is at 20/1.

Benedict has been the intellectual impetus for reversing the progressive errors of the post Vatican II era. Right guy, right place, right time. What was needed when needed.
Similarly, the courage and charisma of JPII was vital to the collapse of the Soviet empire, and the revitalization of the Church in the third world.
So now these leaders must decide among themselves what the problems and priorties now are--- the secularization of West, the unifying force of Christianity in Africa and South America, and the internal administrative problems that seemed to have flourished within the Vatican. In many ways, it parallels the problem of the republican party: those who have long held the power, but used it ineffectively- the establishment, want it back and don´t want to see that power relinquished to populist, conservative, positive Catholic leadership (Dolan) that would continue JPII and BXVI.
So they pray and hope that the Spirit provides guidance and direction. And as the OP points out, Dolan is every bit Bing Crosby in Going My Way and Bells of Saint Mary´s--- remind Catholics and Christians that the spiritual world is the source of optimism and joy in the present. Beloved.

Ain´t gonna happen. Put the Pon-poms down, and stop the cheerleading, you look silly.

An American pope? While not impossible, I agree with many folks that it is improbable.

Not gonna happen. From the standpoint of most of the world´s Cardinals, the Church in America has been poorly managed. The pedophile priests and the clumsy way the Bishops and Cardinals handled them are still an issue. Church membership, though strong locally, is down nationwide. Cardinal Dolan is a mighty fine fella; I like him a lot. But Pope? No.

I hope it is not o´malley from boston. If that is their choice, than he probably will be the last pope. It would be hard to find a more demoralized and empty church than the ones in MA.

It´ll be the African Communist. We´re having a run on them.

The rumor is that the Italian cardinals want the papacy returned to Italian leadership, and thus the next Pope will probably be a conservative Italian.

I somehow don´t see the gregarious, baseball loving Dolan as a Pope. He can do much more important work right there in New York, defending religious freedom from Obama´s depredations.

May the Holy Spirit guide them to choose the right man.

Amen #6! For the sake of all that is holy, let us hope and pray that whomever is chosen is as far from the US and Washington influence as possible! Obama has wormed his way into everything else, dear God, not this too.

I would weep.for the world, I seriously would.

Dream on. I suppose this is "fill the blank space" news because that is what it is. The chance of an American becoming Pope is, at best, extremely remote.

Check the facts, folks. One. I doubt that any politician would ever influence Dolan´s position on matters of doctrine. Two, under Cardinal O´Malley enrollment in the diocesan seminary has increased something like five or six fold fold since he was installed bishop. There is no better indicator of the health of a diocese than an increase in vocations. Three, if you think the Americans loused up with the sex scandals, the European bishops have done even worse.

The biggest story so far has been the Vatican Press office being ham handed with the media covering the conclave Dolan, O´Malley and Wuerl are all media saavy compared the rest of the College of Cardinals. Dolan´s biggest drawback is his lack of fluency in languages other than English, That an an unfamiliarity with the workings of the curia. O´Malley is fluent in several languages and Wuerl worked inside the curia years ago as a priest.

I´m with ZM on this one. I like the sound of Popesi Cola.