The Coming Conclave

By Domenico Bettinelli, Jr. ( articles - email ) | Apr 02, 2005

In December 2003, we published in Catholic World Report, a series of articles on the coming conclave that remain relevant, especially today obviously, as the Catholic Church prepares to elect a successor to Pope John Paul II:

• "The Coming Conclave" tells us what to expect from the conclave, what trends will be apparent, what the different factions may be, what the makeup of the College of Cardinals is.
• "Powers and Personalities" profiles the major figures in the conclave, not just those who may be elected pope, but also those who will play a major role in guiding the selection of that pope.

While 16 months have passed since the publication of those stories, and a few names have changed, it still remains particularly on-target.