Inspired by William Safire’s annual column of predictions, I have come up with my own exercise in prophetic futility, only in a deluxe Catholic version, “The 2009 Catholic Pool.”Some seriousness, some piffle, the columnmay do neither well, but itis well-intentioned—and safely posted over here at “Pontifications” on Beliefnet.A sampling:NINE: The biggest name to become Roman Catholic in 2009 will be:

a) George W. Bush;b) Philip Seymour Hoffman;c) Mahmoud Ahmadinejad;d) Mel Gibson;e) David Gibson.

TEN: The biggest name to be canonized in 2009 will be:

a) Pope John Paul II;b) Pope Pius XII;c) Pope John XXIII;d) Pope Pius IX;e) NCR’s John Allen, after he is credited with a miracle of bilocation.