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Michael Kelly
Opinion Pope Francis risks liberals' wrath by seeing it as his job to protect doctrines of Church
In the papal conclave that elected Angelo Roncalli in 1958, there were cardinals from just 21 countries. Europe was very much still the centre of power of Christianity. The man who emerged as pope, taking the name John XXIII, was to be a transitional pope, Vatican-watchers said. At almost 77 years of age, the cardinals perceived him to be a safe pair of hands to give them a breather after almost 20 intense years of the great war-time Pope Pius XII.