Pope Benedict XVI's resignation opens the possibility of the fourth Black Pope in the Catholic Church. Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria and Cardinal Peter Kodwo of Ghana have been mentioned as possibilities.
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| Cardinal Arinze-Nigeria |
I heard the notion from the mouths of several news commentators and read an article in "The Grio" about the possibility that the new Pope could be a Black Man. The idea never crossed my mind. Research, shows that there were 135 million African Catholics in 2005 and by 2025 there will be close to 230 million. Today that number may be closer to 170 million, according to some news reports.
Here are some of the reasons "The Grio" explored the idea:
As the Catholic College of Cardinals prepare to merge on the Vatican to elect their next pope, eyes from around the world have centered on the continent of Africa.
Much of the focus is due to speculation that the next pope could potentially be from Africa. But there is another reason why as well.
Catholics are on the rise in Africa.The article goes on to tell us that the surge in African Catholics is due "to a strong cultural sense of community, a deep understanding of the existence of a higher being, a deep sense of sacredness, conservatism and hardship." The similarities between Catholicism and the traditional religious practices of many African tribes, support the belief that many of the rituals blend well. The data shows that there are 16-18 Cardinals in Africa.
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| Cardinal Peter Kodwo-Ghana |
Personally, I don't hold out hopes of the next Pope being a Black man. How many Africans or persons of color have achieved sainthood? How much media attention has ever been given to people of color in a role within the Catholic Church? I don't think the Western world is ready to accept that change and history tells us that there are geographic and racial favorites in the selection process. Also, Cardinals from Africa have little involvement in pre-requisite Church activities to aspire to the papal seat at this time.
Would it be wonderful to have a Black man as Pope? When I consider the plight of the first African American president of the United States, I'm not sure I can say "yes" right now. But, what do I know.
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