Could the Next Pope Be an African?

[Bombtrack]

Could the Next Pope Be an African?

NIGERIA'S newly appointed cardinal has expressed caution on the chances of a fellow African churchman succeeding the ailing John Paul II to become the Roman Catholic Church's first black pope.

The promotion of the Archbishop of Lagos, Anthony Okogie, and the failing health of the current Pope have revived interest in the prospects of Nigeria's other cardinal, Francis Arinze.


Arinze was made a cardinal in 1985 and has risen to become the fourth most senior Vatican official, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments. He has been tipped as a possible future pope....

http://allafrica.com/stories/200310040238.html

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I don't know if this would cause more good than bad, but it sure would be a fascinating show.

The cardinals election should be the ultimate controversy.

[La_Serpiente]

1. That's awesome

that's awesome...it would be great and it could actually allow the church (which has neglected Africa for some time now) to focus its humanitarian efforts there.

[arwalden]

3. Oh That WOULD Be Nice, Wouldn't It???

They could help to eliminate ALL access to family planning and condom use for AIDS prevention and control.

I'm guessing that a total hands-off approach might be more beneficial in the long run. When I say "total" I mean TOTAL.

-- Allen

P.S. One guilded chair + one guilded chalice = food for a month for an entire village. WTF? Some things are so shameful.

[Bombtrack]

5. I think if you oversimplify, it seems like it would be great

and of course liberal americans and europeans aren't going to mind.

But there would be possible downsides. In Latin America for example. That's an entire hemisphere that really has a legitimate claim to be the most loyally catholic.

The more unstable and more socially conservative parts of that part of the world might react unfavorably because of there natural preference for a latin pope first

[arcos]

6. I don't want a Latin American pope...

precisely because those socially conservative parts may react very favorably and get energized to push their agenda.

[arcos]

2. I doubt it...

The Papacy will remain in European hands for quite a while, IMHO.

[emad]

4. It has been an Opus Dei prime directive since late 1990

to elect the next one from Taiwan or mainland China.

Poppy Bush is known to have canvassed on that one, claiming JP2 was the conduit for ousting the Commies from the USSR. Bet that Dumbo has been machinating for a Chinese Pope too...

NB The Chinese are virulently anti-Catholic and insist that all Vatican nominations for clerical posts in China are first approved by the govt. They are on record as stating they think the Catholic Church is a terrorist organization and that they have enough trouble in their own back yard without some foreign cults adding to the agenda....

edit: terrible typing today, must be the schwarzenbugger news....

[arcos]

7. where did you read that?

I'm not saying I don't believe you, but it does indeed surprise me since I've never heard of this. Got any more info or links?

[emad]

8. Just checking my Sunday papers from September and trying to

find the online link......

[Name removed]

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