The cardinals who might be pope

Image 5 of 14

Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah TurksonCardinal Francis ArinzeCardinal Odilo SchererCardinal Joao Braz de AvizCardinal Marc OuelletCardinal Luis TagleCardinal Leonardo SandriCardinal Timothy DolanCardinal Angelo ScolaCardinal Dionigi TettamanziCardinal Gianfranco RavasiCardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez MaradiagaCardinal Claudio HummesCardinal Christoph Schoenborn

Marc Ouellet of Canada serves as prefect of the Congregation of Bishops, essentially the Vatican's chief of staff. He is also president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. Ouellet spent most of his religious career as a professor in Canadian seminaries and was primate of Canada when John Paul II elevated him to the cardinalate a decade ago. Ouellet, 68, has been critical of what he suggests has been an overly liberal interpretation of the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, which he says has led to many Catholics drifting from core tenets of their faith. His name surfaced as a long-shot possibility to succeed John Paul II in 2005, and is seen as having moved up in the list of papal contenders. He is multilingual and spent years in missionary work in South America.

Cardinal Marc Ouellet

( Patrick Hertzog / AFP/Getty Images / October 21, 2003 )

Marc Ouellet of Canada serves as prefect of the Congregation of Bishops, essentially the Vatican's chief of staff. He is also president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. Ouellet spent most of his religious career as a professor in Canadian seminaries and was primate of Canada when John Paul II elevated him to the cardinalate a decade ago. Ouellet, 68, has been critical of what he suggests has been an overly liberal interpretation of the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, which he says has led to many Catholics drifting from core tenets of their faith. His name surfaced as a long-shot possibility to succeed John Paul II in 2005, and is seen as having moved up in the list of papal contenders. He is multilingual and spent years in missionary work in South America.

Comments are filtered for language and registration is required. The Times makes no guarantee of comments' factual accuracy. Readers may report inappropriate comments by clicking the Report Abuse link next to a comment. Here are the full legal terms you agree to by using this comment form.