Shelf Life. - The War Against the Terror Masters: Why It Happened. Where We Are Now. How We'll Win; An Autumn of War: What America Learned from September 11 and the War on Terrorism; Conclave: The Politics, Personalities, and Process of the Next Papal Election; How to Beat the Democrats and Other Subversive Ideas - book review

National Review, Sept 30, 2002 by Michael Potemra

Allen inclines toward the liberal side of various Church controversies, but Conclave: The Politics, Personalities, and Process of the Next Papal Election (Image, 231 pp., $12.95) is fair to the more conservative cardinals. Dionigi Tettamanzi of Genoa, for example, is "moderate to conservative on theological issues" and "close to the conservative Catholic organization Opus Dei" -- words that strike fear into the hearts of liberal Catholics; but Allen also notes that Tettamanzi "has a roly-poly, affable bearing reminiscent of John XXIII."

Another cardinal who bears watching is Ricardo Vidal of Cebu in the Philippines. He is little known, compared to his fellow cardinal, Manila's Jaime Sin. Allen writes that Vidal "is said to be modest, deeply spiritual, and very safe on doctrinal issues" -- add that to his second-fiddle status in the Philippines, and he sounds alarmingly reminiscent of the fellow who emerged from Cardinal Wyszynski's shadow in Poland to become a world leader. Vidal for Pope? Not as crazy as it sounds.

-- Michael Potemra