Report: Tagle Most Active Papabile in Social Networking World

Gma News
March 10, 2013

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/298587/scitech/socialmedia/report-tagle-most-active-papabile-in-social-networking-world

When it comes to presence on social networks, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle may have a huge advantage over other prospective cardinals who may succeed Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

Tagle, 55, is the most active cardinal on Facebook, Discovery News cited a social media analysis by the Italian start-up Decisyon.

"Tagle, regarded as 'The Asian Karol Wojtyła,' boasts 123,000 ‘Likes.’ Decisyon established that since Jan. 1, his page has accounted for 52 percent of cardinals’s social-media use, producing more than 57,000 posts, comments and shares," Discovery News said.

As of 8 a.m. Sunday, Tagle's Facebook page has 126,177 likes, with 4,628 talking about it.

Tagle has also gained the support of SNAP, the Survivors’ Network of those Abused by Priests, along with Austrian cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, it added.

"Indeed, the Filipino cardinal is seen by many Vatican analysts as a papabile, a strong candidate to become the 266th successor of St. Peter," Discovery News said.

It said Decisyon’s analysis showed Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan of New York is number two in social media appeal.

"With his @CardinalDolan account, the American cardinal been engaging almost 90,000 followers. His posts include comments and links to his interviews and public appearances," it said.

But he was featured as No. 1 on SNAP’s blacklist, even as he expressed doubt at rumors he would become the first American pope.

Highest ranking in social interaction

Discovery News also noted Tagle is the "highest-ranking prelate when it comes to social interaction," and has "few competitors among the voting cardinals" in this regard.

"Only 17 out the 155 cardinals who will choose the new Pope are on Twitter," it said.

Discovery News said Cardinal Peter Turkson from Ghana activated his @TurksonCardinal account on Feb 28, producing only four tweets.

Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer from Brazil sent about 1,600 tweets to the more than 26,000 followers of his @DomOdiloScherer account.

Italian Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi has more than 42,000 followers and 900 tweets.

"South African cardinal Wilfrid Napier, who answers all tweets at his @CardinalNapier, entertains his more than 5,000 followers describing the pre-conclave atmosphere," Discovery News said.

On the other hand, it noted other cardinals such as the French Jean-Louis Tauran and the Italian Tarcisio Bertone, suspended their accounts until the election of the new pope.