Welcome to Vol. 64 of the Spanish Online Newsletter! Part of the Spanish Learning Blog - your weekly lessons with mp3 files, as well as links to Spanish travel spots and more.

This week's events are of great importance to Latin America and the Spanish speaking world, as I'm sure many of you have heard from TV reports that up to 50% of the world's 1 billion or so Catholics reside in Latin America. Since there's even a chance the next Pope will be chosen from among the Latin American cardinals, knowing some vocabulary related to the Vatican could help you communicate should you find yourself among Spanish speakers who are discussing a related topic. In addition to vocabulary, we'll also take a quick look at a few of the Latin American countries who have a guy considered to be "in the running" for the papacy - quite an exciting thought for people in each one of these countries!

El Papa y el Vaticano - Spanish Vatican Vocabulary

For a lesson on general religion related words, click here.

Worksheet/Activity: Vatican Vocabulary in Spanish

Quiz: Vatican Spanish Words

Latin American "Papabili"

Here are some potential Papal contenders among the 20 or so Latin American cardinals that will be attending the conclave in the next few weeks (note: I gathered these from various news sources, none of the opinions below reflect my own):

Argentina

Jorge Mario Bergoglio (d.o.b. 12/17/36)

A Jesuit and the archbishop of Buenos Aires, Bergoglio is seen as a genuine intellectual. If he were to be elected, Bergoglio's simplicity and humility could become a hallmark of his papacy. In Argentina, for example, he rides public transportation rather than a chauffer-driven car. (read more...) another long Spanish article here.

Brazil

Claudio Hummes (d.o.b. 8/8/34)

A strong Latin American candidate, Hummes is a member of the Franciscan order, like the legendary Cardinal Paulo Evaristo Arns whom he replaced in Sao Paolo. Like Arns, Hummes was born in southern Brazil from German parents. Hummes could strike some electors as the right mix between doctrinal caution and social engagement. (read more...)

Colombia

Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos (d.o.b. 7/4/29)

Favorite of archconservatives, Cardinal Castrillon is the head of the Vatican office of the clergy. A defender of traditional doctrine, he's taken a bold stance against his country's powerful drug lords. He once dressed as a milkman and went to the house of notorious drug trafficker Pablo Escobar in Medellín to ask him to repent for his sins. (read more...)

Honduras

Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga (d.o.b. 12/29/42)

Rodriguez Maradiaga, archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, is widely seen as a rising star in the Latin American church. He speaks near-perfect Italian and English (along with passable French, Portuguese, German, Latin, and Greek), plays the piano, and has taken pilot training. He is ferocious on social justice issues. Rodriguez has a warm smile and a ready sense of humor. (read more...)

Mexico

Norberto Rivera Carrera (d.o.b. 6/6/42)

Rivera Carrera, whose ancestors were Tepehuene Indians, and entered the seminary at age 13. Rivera Carrera is a traditionalist on doctrine and liturgy. His criticism of globalization and political corruption so annoyed Mexico's Salinas government that it threatened to adopt a law forbidding priests from commenting on politics. (read more...)

More Reading:

CNN's article on the next Pope

Slate.com - Papal Chase

Guardian.com The Leading Contenders

Rome, Italy

While Rome isn't the first place you think of to practice your Spanish, a Spanish speaker finds himself quite at home with the Italian language, and it's great fun to give it a try. With a little work and the aid of even a simple travel dictionary, you'll find you have no problem converting vocabulary and even basic verbs into Italian. While some people worry about mixing up their romance languages, I think it strengthens your language skills as a whole when you explore a related language. While you'd have a tough time getting a hotel room anytime soon, a trip to Rome (particulary in the Winter) is a great idea for any Spanish student.

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© Spanish Online 2005, Newsletter Volume 64, 4/02/05