Rome - Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini yesterday called for a "rethinking" of the role of the papacy in order to achieve Christian unity.
Cardinal Martini, Archbishop of Milan, is the favourite of liberal Catholics to succeed the ailing Pope John Paul. He has expressed more openness to debate on topics such as sexual morality and the role of women.
"The balance sheet of ecumenism is on the whole positive," Cardinal Martini (72), said in an interview with Italian radio. "But the Catholic Church still has to take some fundamental steps. The way of exercising the primacy of Rome is one of them."