There has been a lot of speculation, led by the BBC, CNN and bookmakers, about who will take over from Pope Benedict XVI as head of the Roman Catholic Church since Benedict stepped down Thursday.

Will it be a Latin American or an African, since these are the areas where the church is actually growing, not shrinking, the media asked breathlessly?

Or how about an American, a people's pope after the intellectual Benedict, or someone who will be in touch with the reality of modern life, not one blinded by the dust of ancient dogma?