Chain-smoking bishop tipped to lead : Report

LONDON: A chain-smoking priest could be chosen to lead the 4.3 million Roman Catholic in the UK, with Archbishop Peter Smith emerging as a top contender to succeed Cardinal Cormac Murphy-OConnor.
 
Sixty-five-year Smith, the Archbishop of Cardiff, is seen as a strong candidate to succeed the Cardinal Murphy-OConnor when he retires next year, the Mail online reported.
 
The report, based on unnamed sources, said Archbishop Smith is being pushed for the key post by the Vaticans ambassador in London, Archbishop Faustino Sainz Munoz, whose main role is to advise Pope Benedict XVI on appointments.
 
Smiths appointment to lead the countrys 4.3 million Catholics would surprise many as 63-year-old Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Birmingham has been the clear favourite.
 
Archbishop Smith is responsible for moral issues. A blot on Archbishop Smiths record is his mistake in approving a book that questioned Christs resurrection, for which he was upbraided by the Vatican, the report said.