Cardinal Scherer, 63, is a well-respected Latin American prelate, of German extraction, he is considered to be "measured" and who speaks good Italian.

He worked in the Vatican's Congregation for Bishops from 1994 to 2001 and with Cardinal Re, who later became head of Congregation for Bishops and ensured Scherer became a bishop.

Among the proponents of this initiative are two leading cardinals - Angelo Sodano, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, and Giovanni Battista Re, the Deputy Dean, and the man who because Sodano is over 80, will take over from Sodano once the Conclave is formed.

It is no secret that Sodano and the current Secretary of State, Cardinal Bertone do not see eye-to-eye.

At the same time as promoting Scherer, Sodano and Re are suggesting, as part of a 'ticket', either Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, the Prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, or Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, as the Secretary of State.

Both Piacenza and Sandri are said to know the Roman Curia well.

Sandri had the post of 'Substitute', that is the third ranking position in the Vatican, in the last phase of the pontificate of John Paul II and the beginning of Benedict XVI's reign.

However, John Allen in his NCR blog, is quick to point out that Andrea Tornielli, widely seen as the best-connected of the Italian Vatican writers, maintains that no one enjoys the early obvious support that Ratzinger did at the last conclave.

Allen also draws attention to Tornielli's colleague, Giacomo Galeazzi, who in a separate piece in La Stampa, points out the obvious, that even if there are 38 voting cardinals from the Roman Curia voting as one in this conclave, they number well short of a two-thirds majority, which also means they are in a position to stop the election of a candidate, but not impose their own.

Source

• Vatican Insider
• NCR
• NCR (Photo)

Pell criticised the outgoing Pope, saying that despite being a great theologian and a brilliant teacher, governance and government wasn't his strong point and that Benedict's resignation leaves future Pontiffs vulnerable.

Pell also dismissed priest paedophilie and sex abuse scandals as the greatest issue facing the Church, proffering that the biggest problem the Church faces is the spread of unbelief in the first world.

However Professor Neil Ormerod, of the Australian Catholic University, dismissed Pell's comments as just "posturing" and signalling to cardinals what attributes Cardinal Pell wants to see in the next pope.

Father Michael Elligate, priest at St Carthage's University parish in Parkville said Cardinal Pell's comment that the greatest issue facing the Catholic Church was not sexual abuse but declining belief amid the developed world was "appalling".

Other Australian Catholics are similarly critical.

Community activist Father Bob Maguire praised Benedict's resignation, saying it proved the Holy Spirit still moved amid the bureaucracy at the Vatican.

"As Vatican II said, 'Open the windows and let the fresh air in.' Lo and behold, Benedict XVI appears to have opened the windows," Father Maguire said.

Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart said he did not want to speculate on whether the resignation would destabilise future Popes. "I trust the church and I trust the papacy," he said.

He said he took the ailing Pope's decision in good faith. "He has conscientiously done what he believes to be right and it is what the church has long provided for," he said.

Asked if Cardinal Pell's comments signalled his aspirations to become pontiff, Archbishop Hart said: "Not at all."

Sources:

• The Age
• Yahoo News

Just two hours after Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation, Irish bookmaker Paddy Power was out with their odds and within 48 hours, they saw more than $200,000 in bets.

"We are expecting this pope betting to be the biggest round of non-sporting betting in Paddy Power history - it's a big market," says spokesman Rory Scott.

"It's going to pick up as we head into conclave and we think it will reach about 7 million dollars," he said.

Cardinals Peter Turkson from Ghana was the early favourite with odds of 11-4, however however on Monday 4 March at 7:30am, he's dropped back and been joined as co-favourite by Cardinal Angelo Scola from Milan. Both are currently listed at 3-1.

Next in line:

• Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone from Italy with odds of 4-1
• Cardinal Marc Ouellet from Canada with odds of 8-1
• Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco from Italy with odds of 10-1
• Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi from Italy with odds of 10-1
• Cardinal Peter Erdo from Hungry with odds of 14-1
• Cardinal Odilo Scherer from Brazil with odds at 16-1
• Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines with odds at 16-1
• Cardinal Christoph Schonbourn from Austria with odds of 16-1
• Cardinal Leonardo Sandri from Argentina with odds of 18-1

The Philippines Catholic Bishops however are urging Filipinos to refrain from betting on who will be pope. Rather they are encouraging Catholics to pray for the Cardinal electors.

"It is better to just pray for all the cardinal electors that the best among them may come out to lead the Church according to the direction of the Holy Spirit the New Evangelization beyond this year of faith," said Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo.

However, already a significant market, Paddy Power spokesman, Rory Scott, said Thursday, the Irish bookmaker is expecting betting will intensify when the process for choosing the Benedict XVI's successor begins.

Paddy Power is also offering books on

• the name of the next pope
• the country of the next pope
• the age of the next pope
• when the conclave will start
• the length of the conclave
• the number of ballots held
• the new pope's first foreign visit, and
• the number of foreign visits in the first year of the new pope's papacy

Using these odds, gamblers' are picking the new pope to be under 65, Italian and to take the name Peter. Punters currently think that the Papal Conclave will start between 11 - 13 March, will last 2 days and the new pope elected after just four ballots.

They are also picking the new pope will make his first visit to the Philippines, and that he will make 3-4 foreign visits in the first year of his pontificate.

Sources

• Paddy Power
• USA Today
• New Advent Buzz Meter
• Global Nation Inquirer
• The Atlantic

He was joined in the Italian government chopper by his personal secretary and assistant secretary, his personal physician, his new valet and an official of the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household.

Joining the Swiss Guards in the courtyard were dozens of bishops, monsignors, priests, nuns and laypeople who work in the Vatican Secretariat of State and other offices nearby.

The pope greeted his vicars for Vatican City and Rome — Cardinals Angelo Comastri and Agostino Vallini — before using his to cane walk down a few steps into the courtyard. He was greeted with applause.

As soon as the pope's car pulled away, the bells of St. Peter's Basilica began tolling their farewell. Driven to the helipad in the Vatican Gardens, his flight to Castel Gandolfo began at 5:07 p.m.

The pope arrived in a helicopter from the Vatican and rode by car through the fields and formal gardens of the papal villa before reaching the residence.

As soon as he entered the residence, the pope went upstairs and, standing on the balcony overlooking the main square, he greeted the crowd.

"Dear friends, I am happy to be with you, surrounded by the beauty of creation and by your friendship, which does me such good," he told them.

"You know that for me, today is different than the days that have gone before. You know that I am no longer supreme pontiff of the Catholic Church — until 8 o'clock I will be, but not after that."

"I am a simple pilgrim who begins the last stage of his pilgrimage on this earth," he told them. "But with all my heart, with all my love, with my prayers, with my reflection, with all my interior strength, I still want to work for the common good and the good of the church and humanity," he told them.

Pope Benedict thanked the people for their support and asked them to continue to pray and work for the good of the church, too.

"With all my heart, I impart my blessing," he told them, before giving a simple blessing, in Italian, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Just after the pope arrived, two Swiss Guards stood at the main doors of the residence and two more stood just inside. They closed the doors at 8am New Zealand time and returned to the Vatican, since their job is to guard the pope.

Sede Vacante, the seat of Peter is now vacant.

Earlier in the day Benedict met with all the Cardinals and vowed "unconditional obedience" to his successor.

"Among you there is also the future pope, to whom I promise my unconditional obedience and reverence... Let the Lord reveal the one he has chosen," he said.

Sources

• CNS
• CNS
• Sky News

Timing is important because Holy Week begins March 24, with Easter Sunday March 31. To have a new pope in place for the church's most solemn liturgical period, the chosen candidate would need to be installed by Sunday, March 17.

The decision itself may also be drawn out as cardinals struggle to overcome deep divisions and rivalries over who is best placed to get a grip on the Vatican and move the church forward from an era of scandal and intrigue.

"My sense is this could go on a while," said NBC News' Vatican expert, George Weigel.

"There's no clear front-runner. There is also a serious concern at the way in which the bureaucracy is operating amid all of this. It could be a very contentious conclave."

Church officials could be forgiven for being nervous: The longest papal election in history dragged on for two years and three months, lasting so long that three cardinals died and a fourth resigned before a decision was reached, in 1271.

The most recent conclave, in 2005, lasted only 24 hours - not least because the death of Pope John Paul II was not unexpected and cardinals had been positioning to take over for many years.

In contrast, Benedict's decision to abdicate appears to have taken most of the Catholic hierarchy by surprise.

Rev. Thomas Reese, author of "Inside the Vatican: The Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church," said, "I don't expect them to take more than three days. Last time it went over five days was in 1831."

The Rev. Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, told the Catholic News Service on Wednesday that it is possible the world's cardinals will not begin meeting at the Vatican until Monday, and a conclave start date cannot be set until they have met.

Lombardi said Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, will send out letters Friday formally informing the world's cardinals that the papacy is vacant and calling them to meet at the Vatican.

Many Vatican insiders believe the timing now points to a conclave starting Monday, March 11.

Sources:

• NBC
• Image: EuroNews

The first pope to have his own Twitter account, @Pontifex, Tweeted shortly before his departure from the Vatican: "Thank you for your love and support. May you always experience the joy that comes from putting Christ at the centre of your lives."

However that message was also deleted, leaving the standard Twitter message for someone who has a Twitter account and hasn't yet tweeted, "@Pontifex hasn't tweeted yet."

The name of the account has also changed from Pope Benedict XVI to "Sede Vacante," referring to the period when there is no pope.

For those who never had a chance to read his final tweet for themselves, and all his other tweets, they are available at the Twitter archive for BXVI.