Prognostications of the Papabili

Because, of course, simply everyone cares what I think (wink), here are those I see as most papabile:

1) Timothy Cardinal Dolan
2) Daniel Cardinal DiNardo
3) Gianfranco Cardinal Ravasi
4) Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith
5) Seán Cardinal O'Malley
6) George Cardinal Pell
7) Angelo Cardinal Scola
8) Jorge Cardinal Bergoglio
9) Raymond Cardinal Burke
10) Antonio Cañizares y Llovera
11) Kurt Cardinal Koch
12) Oscar Cardinal Rodríguez y Maradiaga
13) Marc Cardinal Ouellet

Here is a list of all the electors.

My own two cents:

Dolan speaks several languages, the most important being today's lingua franca. However, his greatest gift is as a modern day Fulton Sheen. To the extent the electors see that as a need, he stands a good chance. But he's American.

DiNardo has the temperment and Vatican chops. Does he speak enough languages? Plus, he's American.

Ravasi, this article is a quasi-profile of him and gives the pros and cons.

Ranjith is the favorite of many Traditionalists and many "conservatives", along with Burke. Both are probably too conservative for the electors, but they can help anchor the choice in a more traditionalist setting, and I suspect they see that as their job.

O'Malley, some are saying he has a chance. I can't see it at all, but maybe someone know something we don't.

Pell is sorta like Ranjith and Burke, but with possibly fewer perceived drawbacks than either man. He's an interesting intellectual force along the lines of Ouellet.

Scola is the one I think most likely of all the Italians to bring the papacy back to Italy, if you will. Intellectual heft, interreligious dialogue, and former primate of two sees that have produced more than their share of popes and papabili.

Bergoglio was the all the buzz for those on the "Vatican II as a rupture" crowd last time, it seemed. Is that still the case?

They don't call Cañizares "Little Ratzinger" for nothing. If the electors want to keep things going on the same theological track, I imagine he's as good a choice as any.

Koch could be a choice if the electors think that the response to secular humanism will require someone who is perceived as more orthodox than Kasper and yet still adept at dialoguing with our separated brethren so that Christianity may put forward its most compelling foot.

Rodríguez y Maradiaga is, I'm guessing, the odds on hope for the National Catholic Reporter's core readership, but given that most cardinal electors are not likely big fans of that theological worldview, I'm guessing that's more a detriment to him than help.

Ouellet is the most like Ratzinger/Benedict in so many ways. But I agree that the next Pope needs an ability to clean house and knock heads, and I don't see Ouellet, as much as I really like him, having that ability. Pell, yes. Ouellet, not so much.

Finally, why not Peter Cardinal Turkson, the prelate from Ghana? An article quoted him not long ago as saying, "I stand ready to serve" or something to that effect. That amounts in many people's eyes to campaigning, which is a drop dead no-no. He shot himself in the foot. Ergo, no pope from Africa yet. Some day, but not this year.