Now that Pope Benedict XVI has officially resigned from his  post as pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, many Roman Catholics await  the election of a new pope. Many Roman Catholics are wondering if the  selection process for the new pope can be hastened. Some of them are  maybe thinking if it's possible for a Black man or an Asian man to be  elected as pope. Some Roman Catholics are also thinking if a  non-European can be chosen as pope. There has never been someone from  either Africa or Latin America who got elected as pope. The conclave  would have to elect someone who is younger than 80 years old, so that  the new pope can effectively fulfill his duties and tasks as a minister  of God. The would-be elected pope should be in good health, so he can  act decisively as leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

I'm wondering if the would-be elected pope can accept  stem-cell research as legitimate, because such endeavor has opened new  doors for curing life-threatening diseases like cancer. I'm also  thinking if the would-be pope can become open to certain feminist ideas  like giving women greater role within the Roman Catholic Church. Would  he allow women to hold offices in Vatican City? Would he allow married  people to become priests and nuns? Would he allow priests, nuns and  cardinals to have the free choice to get married? I'm hoping that Pope  Benedict XVI's successor will be open to progressive ideas, so that the  Roman Catholic Church would be seen as a dynamic institution that can  asapt to modern-day situations.