The Association of Catholic Priests has welcomed an interview in which Pope Francis said the Catholic Church needs to consider whether to ordain married men who could then minister in parts of the world where there are too few priests.

Pope Francis today offered intimate insights into the moments after his papal election, telling an audience with the press that he was immediately inspired to take the name of St Francis of Assisi because of his work for peace and the poor.

THE worldwide outpouring of affection for Pope John Paul II may have convinced the cardinals choosing his successor that today’s Roman Catholic Church has no room for a so-called “transitional” leader.

OPPOSITION has now emerged to a German seen as a frontrunner to be the next pope, leaving Roman Catholic cardinals divided as they prepared for a conclave to elect the successor to Pope John Paul II.

SOME Vatican insiders say that when cardinals come to elect a successor to Pope John Paul II they may prefer to return to a safe Italian candidate, like the vast majority of past pontiffs.