VATICAN CITY (CNS): French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, 69, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, is the “proto-deacon” of the College of Cardinals and will be the one, at the end of the conclave, who will announce to the world, “Habemus papam” (“We have a pope”).
The cardinal said he hoped to be able to introduce a new pope who, like Pope Benedict XVI, knew how to teach the Catholic faith to others.
In an interview with the French Catholic agency, I.Media, he was asked about the qualities a new pope should possess.
“Christians must be able to give a reason for their faith with knowledge of the contents of this faith,” the cardinal said.
“He must also be a pope very open to dialogue with cultures and religions.”
When Cardinal Tauran said the next pope really would have to “reform the curia” and promote more co-ordination among offices, the reporter asked if Pope Benedict had not also set out to do that.
“Yes, but the curia is a big machine. It may need a younger pope,” he said.
Asked the ideal age for the next pope, Cardinal Tauran said, “The ideal age is more or less 65 years … even 70 years if he is in good shape.”
The former Archbishop of Philadelphia Cardinal Justin Rigali, 77, told Knoxnews.com on February 25, “Nobody has all of the qualities – everybody’s human, huh? – so they have to find someone who has the most important ones.”
For Cardinal Rigali, the most important qualities include communication, media and language skills to “get his message to the people”, an ability to connect with different kinds of people and the strength to “confront all the issues that affect humanity”, including issues of social justice and the defence of human of life, the cardinal said.
