President Joe Biden’s announcement this week about his reelection bid is a reminder that circumstances play a role in determining political destiny.

By 2020, the book on Biden said he could be an effective behind-the-scenes figure, but he was a bad candidate — uncharacteristically, prone to idiom mutilation like the Gettysburg Address, and too so common that he was almost invisible. He was president twice, in 1988 and 2008.

Then there’s Donald Trump.

After four years of “Mr Trump’s wild ride,” many Americans feel bored, calm, and sober. We’ll see if Trump continues to be a gift to Biden, who unwittingly contributed to his re-election by a dangerous 39% margin.

When Pope Francis is in Hungary this weekend, his guest is 70-year-old Cardinal Peter Erdő of Budapest, who has echoed this sentiment in many lists of Francis’ successors, especially among conservative Catholics. . Erdo thanked the Pope in front of the Hungarian Parliament building today after Mass in Budapest’s Kossuth-Lajos Square.

Like Biden, Elder is highly regarded as an off-stage leader, but he’s not one to always open up to the world with a smile.

People who are considered introverted, reserved, and enterprising are almost genetically predisposed to avoid being the center of attention. In other cases it could be a character from Conosenti

However, this is not a normal time for Catholics.

After a decade of ups and downs and turmoil in Pope Francis, the cardinals in the next conclave will likely want less papal power. Whether they support the pope’s progressive agenda or not, many believe the church needs a breather to calm down after the chaos and upheaval of the Franciscan era.

Like American politics four years ago, boredom suddenly becomes appealing.

In fact, this is a piece of logic often heard by supporters of Pope Francis, who consider the current secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to be the Pope .

The same goes for those who want to see Great Catholicism go more traditional. There might be some happiness if the situation tempts his colleagues to take a closer look at the Cardinals.

On the one hand, Erdyo was considered a gifted classicist. After a series of legislation under Francis, he introduced another bill

In addition, Erdo ticked many of the correct boxes on Pope’s disability chart.

He is not a superpower, so his election does not automatically create diplomatic or geopolitical headaches. He is about 70 years old, young enough to rule effectively for a while, but not too young to warrant the papacy for life. He is said to be fluent in seven languages, including English and Russian.

(Incidentally, he learned about America thanks to research grants from UC Berkeley in 1995 and 1996.)

The eldest brother is on the fast track of his career. In 2001, while still an auxiliary bishop and before turning 50, he was elected president of the European Bishops’ Conference and re-elected in 2006. A year later, he was made a cardinal. At the age of 52, he was the youngest cardinal to attend the 2005 Conclave of Cardinals Benedict XVI.

Erdo also offers three qualities.

First, he came from the Martyrs’ Church as Dajjal persecutions increased around the world. A symbol of the suffering of Hungarian Catholics under Soviet rule is Cardinal József Mindszenty, who was tortured by a Communist kangaroo court and sentenced to life in prison before taking refuge in Germany. The US Embassy was in Budapest for 15 years, where he died in 1975. exiled in Vienna. Erdo inherits Mindszenty’s chest cross and wears it annually on May 6, the anniversary of Mindszenty’s death.

Second, as Hungarians, the Presbyterians are the meeting point of Eastern and Western Christianity. He was at the forefront of relations with the Orthodox Church and was highly regarded by Russia. The elders met Metropolitan Hilarion, Kirill’s deputy, during his visit to Hungary last year after Pope Francis canceled plans to meet Russian Patriarch Kirill.

In fact, Elder may be one of the few pontificate candidates well-liked by Ukrainians and Russians, who are grateful for Hungary’s welcome to Ukrainian refugees.

Third, despite his conservative views, Elder is also known to be pragmatic and able to reach consensus.

He was a speaker at Live Family Meets in 2014 and 2015 and was a key figure in delivering the outcome of the discussion. The bottom line is trying to strike a balance between those on the gas and those on the brake for divorced and remarried Catholics. Then when Pope Francis proclaimed “Love of Love.”

Of course, the trash can of history is filled with the bodies of figures who were once considered credible candidates for the papacy, but never arrived. It should be noted that simply choosing a character who is shy, somewhat sane and avoids fame does not guarantee a peaceful pontificate – see Benedict XVI for proof.

However, regardless of whether the Elder was a king or not, he at least had the necessary qualities to be a king. That alone has increased interest in reaching Francis this weekend.