The College of Cardinals and the Papal Conclave

Cardinals meet today to begin the voting process to elect a new Pope. It is unlikely that any that any American cardinals will be considered for the position, but several Latin Americans have been mentioned as the potential first pope from the Third World. According to the Associated Press, they include Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes and Honduran Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga. There is also talk of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, or Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Vicar of Rome and a powerful Italian Cardinal, as possible successors to John Paul II. Or, will it be Cardinal Scola, the Patriarch of Venice? The truth is: no one really knows much about this process, let alone who will be elected to be the next Pope. Jeff Israely, Time magazine bureau chief in Rome, and Father James Fredericks, Professor of Theology, Loyola Marymount College, join Larry to discuss the Papal succession.