Jane Austen to influence choice of next Pope!
Well, not really…but Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop of Westminster, told the New York Times that he might be reading some Jane Austen during his downtime at the conclave.
The cardinals will also have scripture and other religious writings to reflect upon, but they may bring other reading material, too.
Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor said he would certainly be bringing “pious” books, but also some secular works. “It’ll be a sort of Brontë,” he said, “or Jane Austen.”
Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor, we understand, is on the shortlist. Imagine having a Pope who is a Janeite!
April 9th, 2005 at 1:46 pm
That would be exciting, the first English Pope for nearly 900 years. He has other Janeite connections; went to school in Bath, and served as a priest in a number of places in Hampshire. His first parish was in Southampton.