Who is Jose Tolentino de Mendonca, candidate for the Pope

Jose Tolentino de Mendonca is one of the youngest members of the Cardinal College. Literature lover, a poet who grew up in Angola, closely associated with Francis. His name appears in the context of Peter's throne.

Cardinal José Tolentino Calaça de Mendonça is a poet, biblical and teacher in his hometown Portugalas well as prelate of a very progressive wing of the church, closely associated with Pope Francis. He is an avid reader and literature lover. His poetry is highly valued by specialists, more in a secular than religious sphere.

Born in Madeira in 1965, he is one of the youngest members of the Cardinal College. He spent the early years in Angolawhich left a strong mark on it. There he witnessed the murder that had a deep influence on him and he later wrote in his poetry.

After returning to Madeira in 1975, Talentino joined the lower seminary, and in 1989 he obtained a diploma in theology at the Catholic Portuguese University in Lisbon. He was ordained the following year. He speaks smoothly in Portuguese and Italian and well in English, as well as in the ancient languages ​​necessary for his scientific work – Hebrew and Greek.

Tolentino aroused controversy during his priestly life. He sympathizes with a tolerant approach to homosexuality from the doctrine (although he never publicly spoke against teaching the Church in this field). He also allied with the radical feminist sister Benedictine, who accepts the abortion, ordination of women, marriage of people of the same sex and adoption of children by homosexual couples.

He perceives such actions as part of the efforts to involve the Church in contemporary culture. Talentino is seen as a potential compromise candidate in the next conclave.

Cardinal Tolentino held numerous managerial positions, proving that he had leadership skills. Some, however, question his administrative skills, suggesting that he is not a team player and can be difficult to cooperate.

He was close to Francis in most issues and he respects the Argentine Pope very much. For those cardinals-electricals who want continuity, someone with maybe an even larger revolutionary impulse than Francis, a Portuguese cardinal can be an ideal candidate.