Pope quits; Tagle joins others in choosing successor

He has the rare chance, like 116 others, to choose the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics. And who knows? He himself may become the successor of Pope Benedict XVI, who will be resigning on February 28. Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, who has ignited hope he would become the first Asian pope, belongs to a minority. He is among 11 Asian cardinals among a group of mostly Europeans, who have traditionally chosen one of their own to lead the Catholic Church. Most cardinal electors come from Italy, which has 21 prelates, or 17.9% of the group, joining the conclave days after Pope Benedict XVI steps down on February 28. Other cardinal electors include 19 Latin Americans, 14 North Americans, 11 Africans, and one from Oceania.


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