And over the last decade many Vatican commentators openly compared him to a future Pope-in waiting-always dangerous!

It was rumoured that when he finally became Pontiff he would encourage women to seek the priesthood, perhaps quickly compromise the churches birth control teachings. Then quickly begin to dismantle the 800-year old Catholic tradition on celibacy. Even announcing a future Vatican III Council that would clear up the problems the other two didn't-or couldn't.

But it didn't happen!

On April 19th 2005, the white smoke from the Sistine Chapel announced that a new Pope had been chosen and surprise, surprise (but not my son James), it wasn't the darling of the liberals but the old German shepherd himself: Josef Ratzinger.

I remember watching on television a young nun in the square below the chapel desperately praying as she watched the plume of smoke crying: "I hope its not Ratzinger." Sadly for her it was. And it was a coup!

Well according to those in the religious loop Martini's supporters in the first ballot picked up 40 votes as opposed to 38 for the German.

The South American lobby was gaining ground or as one member remarked afterwards: "Getting elected Pope is more a question of how many enemies you have than friends."

Things then started to change quickly. As voting intentions began to surface.

A suggested three strikes against Martini were openly aired. The first was that he was a Jesuit. The church has never had a Pope elected from that order. Secondly he was too liberal for many clerical tastes.

And finally hadn't he courted too much publicity in the press for his own good?

Jealousy to can be a decisive voting factor as well! I also suspect that his debilitating Parkinson's disease also swayed many. He has spent a great deal of time in hospital. Health has to be an important factor in this job. And apart from an eye ailment, Ratzinger seems positively beaming with good health since he became Pope.

Martini's candidacy it seems was finally scuttled. Permanently.

Now in retirement the 80-year-old author of some 80 books lives quietly in Jerusalem.

However we at this ministry look forward to the coming of Jesus Christ to reign in Jerusalem for a thousand years. Unless the rapture arrives first of course.

For Carlo Martini it might be too late. He and his church have chosen to reject much of our eschatology-that's their choice. But I pray that Catholics who read this will not. Remember: "And ye shall know the truth and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32.)

This wonderful verse may just apply to you!

PS. On a personal note I remember an elderly nun, who's opinion I respected, telling me that she had heard Martini speak in London's Westminster Cathedral, in the mid 1990s. She claimed there was something about him that made her feel very uncomfortable. I wish now I had asked her what it was.