Cardinal Peter Turkson

Cardinal Turkson would be a good choice for Pope.  He is more centrist than many of the other choices and Africa is an area where the Catholic Church is growing right now.  He is young enough to understand the youth of the Church, to set a vision for the future and see it through.  The Church needs to call upon young leaders who have a mind and energy for the future.  Pope Benedict set a good example by retiring when it was time to do so and I hope the Cardinals who are voting will trust that the Holy Spirit has provided younger leaders to move the Church forward.  Cardinal Turkson said he had reflected on the enormous personal burden of becoming the leader of the Catholic Church. "It would certainly mean a lot if I had to be a pope," he said. "It would signal a lot of [personal] change. It is going to be a life-changing experience and I think that is what it has been for Benedict and those who have gone before us. The challenge will also be with the individual to want to make his mark, not trying to fit into anybody's shoes but finding his own shoes to wear."  I read this to mean that Cardinal Turkson would be his own man and a true leader.  He also said the Vatican needs to "restore and repair" an image that has been "badly compromised by recent scandals, and to relevantly address issues and the credibility of our own ministry and leadership. The Church, if you adopt the imagery of a boat, is going through quite a bit of a storm and it does not appear to be over yet," he said. He sees the challenges realistically and is ready to meet them with creativity, courage and innovation.  I would be advocating for Cardinal Turkson if I were in the conclave and I hope that he emerges as Pope.