The New Pope

Faithfulservant · 04-05-2005, 06:03 AM

Ive been hearing on the television that the new Pope may come from Africa or South America.. Do you think the world is ready for a non-European Pope?

lunamoth · 04-05-2005, 02:33 PM

I think it would be great and the Pope is wildly popular in Africa and South America (guess he is everywhere).

but, I am not Catholic, so what I think does count for much in this.

lunamoth

didymus · 04-05-2005, 04:45 PM

Faithful, are you serious? I don't think the world would take issue at all with a non European Pope. Do you? If any did they would certainly be the minority. I think it's about time there was a noneuropean pope.

Faithfulservant · 04-05-2005, 05:51 PM

You are asking me if I take issue with a non-european pope? umm no.. interesting that you took a simple question on world view and personalized it. I think though that there is still a traditionalist view on Catholism in many places in this world that might have a problem with it. I am not Catholic but I admire what Pope John Paul II did in his time in that office and I believe his shoes will be very hard to fill for the Catholics.

didymus · 04-05-2005, 08:20 PM

Faithful, I was surprised by your question that's all. I never thought that someone would have trouble with a non european pope. I asked for your opinion because I figured you probably had one or you would not have posed the question. Wasn't your question personal?

You asked our opinions...

Kaldayen · 04-05-2005, 08:50 PM

If we take a look a the world's catholic diaspora, we have :

1) America 541M +45%
2) Europe 282M +5%
3) Africa 143M +150%
4) Asia 113M +74%
5) Oceania 9M +49%

The % beside is the growth from 1978 to 2005 (JPII as pope)

I'm sure the cardinals will have to keep that in mind when making their choice.

Brazil has, by far, the biggest catholic population with 151M. That may help Claudio Hummes, the brazilian "papabile".

Is the world ready for a non-european pope, yes.
Is it ready for an african pope, i would personally like to say yes but i have some doubts about some other people/countries.
___
Kal

Faithfulservant · 04-06-2005, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by didymus

Faithful, I was surprised by your question that's all. I never thought that someone would have trouble with a non european pope. I asked for your opinion because I figured you probably had one or you would not have posed the question. Wasn't your question personal?

You asked our opinions...

Its strange to me that You seem so shocked by the question. There are still many cultural prejudices as much as people today seem to think we are beyond that. No as a matter of fact the question was not personal.. I thought it would be a good thread starter that might get some discussion going.

People are being persecuted every day for their ethnic background and their religious beliefs...

lunamoth · 04-06-2005, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lunamoth

I think it would be great and the Pope is wildly popular in Africa and South America (guess he is everywhere).

but, I am not Catholic, so what I think does count for much in this.

lunamoth

Haha, of course what I meant to say is that what I think does NOT count for much in this.

lunamoth

I, Brian · 04-06-2005, 09:21 AM

An African succession has been suggested for years, though it remains one of a number of options.

BluejayWay · 04-06-2005, 11:11 AM

Although I didn't catch the publication, the BBC World Service Overnight just reported a current headline: "American Pope Highly Unlikely."

That's probably something of an understatement

Seriously, I believe it's essential for the Roman Catholic Church to choose a non-European leader very soon. Tradition suggests that the next Pope may be an elderly person whose short reign will serve as a caretaker administration. Perhaps it would be more likely, and practical as a demonstration of the universality of the Church, for the next Pope after to be a non-European.
Or we could all be surprised.

I'm also not Catholic, but any faith that is embraced by 1.1 billion (thousand million) individuals certainly is to be respected--and I do respect many aspects of the Church.

KnightoftheRose · 04-06-2005, 11:18 AM

Whoa!

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...npopeastronomy

miclason · 04-07-2005, 04:50 PM

Perhaps Catholics (and the world) are ready for a non-european Pope...perhaps it's just that we haven't realized it yet!! (the world WAS surprised by the news of a non-Italian Pope when JPII was chosen!!...)

Faithfulservant · 04-07-2005, 09:16 PM

Good point