THE battle to succeed Pope John Paul II broke into the open yesterday as Roman Catholics in Latin America began to press for the election of the first pontiff from their continent.

Cardinal Nicolás de Jesús López Rodríguez, 68, Archbishop of Santo Domingo and a contender himself, said that a Latin American pope had to be considered because the continent was now home to nearly half the world’s Catholics.

Before Cardinal Rodríguez left the Dominican Republic for the Pope’s funeral, hundreds of Dominicans cheered him and chanted: “We hope they pick you.”

President da Silva of Brazil, the world’s most populous Catholic nation, said that he hoped for a Brazilian pope. Cardinal Cláudio Hummes, 70, Archbishop of São Paulo, Latin America’s largest diocese, is another contender.

In Europe, supporters of Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, 71, the Archbishop of Milan, who is widely considered to be the leading Italian contender, chanted “This is the pope, long live the next pope” as he emerged from a Mass in Milan Cathedral.

The jostling began as the College of Cardinals, which will elect the next pontiff, met for the first time since the Pope’s death to begin to consider the future of the Church and its 1.1 billion followers.

Only 65 cardinals had arrived in Rome in time for the meeting yesterday. Its formal purpose was to discuss arrangements for the Pope’s funeral.

The full conclave of 117 cardinals under the age of 80 who are eligible to vote for the next pope will not meet in the Sistine Chapel for another two weeks, but a discreet setting out of stalls has already begun.

Cardinal Rodríguez said that John Paul II had acknowledged the importance of Latin America to the Church by making repeated visits to the region. Asked if the next pope should come from Latin America, he replied: “Whoever is elected must think that the largest number of Catholics are concentrated in this continent.”

Cardinal Tettamanzi said that the late pontiff had been not only “our Father and Master” but also an “indomitable defender of Man and human rights and of dialogue with other religions and cultures”. Like most other contenders, both cardinals were appointed by John Paul II and are doctrinally conservative.

Cardinal Hummes, who is seen by many as the top Latin American contender, said: “I think the next pope should be a wise and saintly presence in the world. But he also needs to be a person who shows that he and the Church are at the service of humanity.”

Cardinal Hummes could have been describing himself. He added that the next pontiff should “should continue the dialogue with the sciences, religions, society, with biotechnology, biology, bioethics.”

Lobbying groups also began to press their cases. We Are the Church, a reform movement, issued a slew of demands, including women’s ordination and the right of priests to marry.

Christian Terras, director of Golias, a Catholic magazine, said that the new pope needed to “bandage the wounds at the heart of the Church, notably concerning priests, bishops and theologians who have been repressed. John Paul II’s rigour paralysed the most active and dynamic members of the Church. He must take a more compassionate line on many problems.”

Cardinal Jorge Medina Estévez, of Chile, said: “I want to vote for someone who is, above all, a shepherd. I’m not voting for a politician. As for being conservative, every pope must be conservative. A pope cannot be liberal in Church doctrine.”

Marco Politi, a veteran Vatican-watcher, said that pressure was building for a pope who combined the “pastoral role” of John Paul II with a “Third World profile” to help the Church to deal with the challenges of Islam and global terrorism.

Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa, Archbishop of Santiago, said: “I do believe there will be a big opening up toward the Third World. No one believed 26 years ago we would have a Polish pope — and God gave him to the Church. The day will come for a Latin American or African Pope.”

PILGRIMS’ WISH LIST

“He did so much for Africa by travelling there so much. I would like to see an African pope, but I don’t think we’re ready”
Kabelo Gilbert Mafura, Lesotho’s Ambassador to Italy

“I think he should have the same character as John Paul II. I would like to see a pope visit China”
Chen Tao, from Shanghai

“The last Pope stood by the Sikhs . . . One day there will be an Asian pope. But it doesn’t matter where he comes from — he needs to travel all over the world”
Balraj Singh, from Amritsar, Punjab

“Of course, I would like to see a South American pope. There are so many Catholics there. There is a great candidate in Claudio Hummes of São Paulo”
Peter Osario, from Lima

“I would be proud to see an Italian pope again, but it would be great for the Church if there was a pope from another continent. The important thing is that he reaches out to young people like me”
Paolo Vigentini, from Milan

What changes should the next Pope make?
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