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After Benedict’s Resignation Will Catholics Get Their First Black Pope?
Pope Benedict shocked the world today with his surprise resignation, and more historic changes may be in store as two of the top contenders to replace him are black.
“I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.”
The fact that Benedict has become the first pope to resign since 1415 is big, but the damage that he leaves behind may be even bigger.
Terry Sanderson at the National Secular Society makes the case that Benedict has fatally undermined the Vatican, “Under Ratzinger the Vatican has become despised and resented throughout the world. He has played a major role in reducing the Catholic Church’s popularity and its authority. Catholics have deserted the Church at an increasing rate, repelled by the inhumanity of Ratzinger’s unbending adherence to what are perceived as cruel doctrines.”
With the child sex scandals still raging, and Catholics tuning out the Vatican in increasing numbers, the church may elect the first black pope.
According to the gambling website Paddy Power the early favorite to replace Benedict at 9/4 odds is Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana. (Turkson comes with his own baggage. He is known for holding the view that theological dialogue with Muslims is impossible.) Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet is second with 5/2 odds, and in third is Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria at 3/1. If either Turkson or Arinze are elected, they would become the first black pope.
Under Benedict, the Catholic church became even more politically irrelevant. In the United States, the Republican Party embraced the Church’s opposition to Obamacare because of birth control and saw Catholic voters go big for Obama over Romney. The turn back the clock mentality of Benedict only served to leave the church further behind modern culture.
Even if the Vatican does elect a black pope, the systemic problems within the Catholic Church will remain. The next pope, white, black, or Latin American will take over a troubled church that is in desperate need of leadership; vision, modernization, trust, transparency, and repair of a deeply damaged public image.
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37 Responses to After Benedict’s Resignation Will Catholics Get Their First Black Pope?
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Peter Barnett
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 10:09 am
I’m sorry, but I don’t see why the Church needs modernization. Regardless of whether or not you agree with the church’s ideas, I don’t see why the church’s faith should sway with the political winds of the time. The church should always have defined ideas, and they should not change to keep up with the times, even if doing so costs the church followers.
Reynardine
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 10:49 am
They have changed, enormously, over time. As just one example, they burned Giordano Bruno and silenced Galileo for propunding heliocentricity, but now they accept it. I shan’t even catalogue others. And they must continue to do so if they are to keep on existing as anything other than a few relict congregations.
Peter Barnett
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 1:27 pm
There’s a difference between modernizing dogma and modernizing scientific fact. There is no way to modernize the dogma of the church. It is set and stone and can’t be changed. Women can’t be priests. It is set in stone. Regardless of whether or not if anybody thought they should be able to, even the pope, it can’t be changed.
The idea of Galileo was something that could be changed. Yes, the church was wrong. So they changed. But it wasn’t dogma so it was able to be changed.
And I would also like to note that the reason the church did that to Galileo was due to the abundance of heresies going around. All of them were false doctrines and lies (some even concerning space and the stars), and Galileo just had the bad fortune of being around during that time. The Church made a mistake, and they recognized it.
Reynardine
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 2:47 pm
First of all, let me tell you that your “set in stone” screed has an oddly panicky sound. And I will then tell you that in the early days of the Church, conhospitae and abbesses did perform many of the functions currently restricted to male priests. Until the Eleventh Century, Catholic clergy could marry, as Uniate priests still do (and Eastern Orthodox priests who serve parishes are required to). In fact, technically, the Roman Catholic Church is a heretical schism of the Eastern Orthodox one. Now, let’s see you spazz, Mr. Barnett.
Peter Barnett
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 2:58 pm
Actually, you’re 100% wrong. The only female ordination was that of deaconesses, and their only faculty was baptism. This is because baptism was by submersion. So no, you can lie about female priests, but you’re wrong.
And yes we are. In fact, every Christian is a branch off of Judaism, so we are all technically schismatics. What’s your point?
Reynardine
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 3:19 pm
That your set-in-stone beliefs are not only not an accurate representation of anything, Mr. Barnett, but if you believe that “true doctrine” was ever set in stone, then you, yourself, are a heretic.
And I note that although many subjects were brought up for debate, you yourself are harping hysterically on how there never were, and must never be, women priests (which I did not even refer to). Is something frightening you, Mr. Barnett?
Peter Barnett
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 3:23 pm
I harp on that because that is always the first thing people go after. You know this to be true, and so I find it logical to address that.
And ok. You said conhospitae and abbesses. What you meant was the idea of women with faculties similar to a priest. Sorry. I thought you could connect the ideas.
And the question is not whether or not if the theology is true. The question is should they change that doctrine. The answer is no.
I’m finished arguing. Neither of us will change our opinions on this topic I feel. Nice to see someone willing to discuss their ideas though. Have a nice day. :)
Reynardine
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 4:32 pm
Well, Mr. Barnett, when you state that, though church doctrine should be both a lie and destructive, it must never change, even though it has changed and Roman Catholicism is itself a heresy, you have said volumes about yourself. And it has changed, even several times in my lifetime. My citing of conhospitae and abbesses was simply in response to your phobic citing of women priests, though, now that you mention it, they’d not be buggering hapless altar boys, would they?… The point is that such functions as hearing confessions, performing marriages, and administering communion and last rites, have been exercised by females in the past and could be in the future, whether one called them priests or not; that, like many points of doctrine and practice, changed in the past and could in the future. Even the Pope was not counted infallible until one pronounced himself so in (if memory serves me) the Nineteenth Century. Another one could pronounce popes fallible again. And now, take your hands off your fly: no one is coming to cut it off.
dragonpuff
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 11:34 am
You don’t think its about the church modernizing, huh?
Well, maybe it is about an amazing amount of men who are running an enterprise that claims to care for the poor, but didn’t care about hiding evidence of molested children under their care. Maybe its about all male clergy screaming about women’s reproductive health issues while claiming poverty should be fought wholesale (forget about all those poor children born to women who can’t afford them and a church who doesn’t think having control of ones reproductive life is a health and poverty issue.) Maybe its about the Catholic Bishops and other hierarchy trying to put the nuns who are out there facing the real concerns of Catholics “back in their places”.
Maybe its about hypocrisy.
But if you think its about modernization why don’t we all just go back to the old Testament and get slaughtered for eating shell fish and kill children who disobey parents . . . .
Peter Barnett
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 1:30 pm
Do you know who runs the biggest charities in the world? The Catholic Church. Do you know who has the largest string of hospitals in the world? The Catholic Church. Do you know how many Catholic men and women (specifically priests, monks, and nuns) sacrifice their entire lives to help educate and take care of children in Africa, India, and elsewhere? You are illogical. You take the disgusting and perverted acts of a few and pin them on an entire organization.
Hell, why not say all teachers are perverts. There are roughly twice as many perverted teachers than priests! But you never hear about that, because that doesn’t sell newspapers.
And then like a typical Catholic/Christian hater, you always try to reference the Old Testament as if the New Testament never existed….sigh…
dragonpuff
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 2:22 pm
When those at the highest level of the Catholic church (no matter how many charities they give to) hides those supposedly “few” pedophiles in their midst and continually sends them forth to destroy the lives of other children—yes, I guess I can be labeled a hater. Of course maybe knowing a couple of victims that the church helped victimize might be a little more helpful in making me a hater
And by the way, wouldn’t those charities be considered indulgences?
Peter Barnett
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 2:44 pm
Actually no. Pope Benedict XVI was the strongest against such pedophilia. As a cardinal, he personally asked Pope JPII if he could oversee the investigation. He defrocked thirteen bishops in Ireland for covering it up.
Yes, there were cover ups. But if you seriously label an entire organization because of a few sick individuals, then you have no argument.
And no that’s not an indulgence. Don’t ask silly questions.
David Wilson
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 12:42 pm
The Earth is flat, we’re sticking to it!
Elizabeth 44
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 4:58 pm
I disagree. While the church cannot go with every gust of wind, the church must continue to evolve with the continuing witness of faithful people throughout the world. Today, we have a better understanding of the Biblical literature thanks to scholars and archeologists. We have better understanding of science and medicine due to constant increases in knowledge in those areas. People from many different cultural/language traditions share with us their understanding/experience of God and we all are enriched. To desperately hang on to a centuries old tradition refusing all change is lose a lot of the beauty and joy of the present.
Chrys Jones
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 11:18 am
There have already been three African Popes over the Catholic church. But I see tons of articles spreading misinformation on this issue. Tragic.
www.catholicafricanworld....
www.questia.com/library/1...
www.nbccongress.org/black...
Shiva(Moderator)
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 11:27 am
If you look at the pictures of the three, none of them are black
Read your last link, the 3 men are “Probably” african
Reynardine
Feb. 12th, 2013 at 2:30 am
Though I know nothing about these Popes, “African”, at that time, probably meant from Mediterranean Africa, peopled in large part by descendants of Carthaginians and even by Vandals. Even today, natives of that area would seldom appear “black” to us.
pattyo
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 11:41 am
the catholic church is ideologically rigid and I would not expect it to change in the future which is unfortunate because over the many years of their existence they have drifted further and further from the teachings of Jesus and become more interested in power and pomp than in love and forgiveness.
Shiva(Moderator)
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 12:01 pm
The power structure of the church is far too big to be effective. Far too many places to put skeletons in their closets. It is rooted in dogma that comes from a time that does not relate to today.
Other churches are opening their doors to people who are gay and other non-Christian minorities. They are allowing people to be and their ministry that would not have been in their even 10 to 15 years ago. These churches will be successful.
All the Catholic Church has left unfortunately is people who are born into the church. Getting converts in America and Europe is a pretty tough task right now. The church will be left filled with people who belong to yesterday
djchefron(Moderator)
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 12:20 pm
Well whoever is the next pope he will have to deal with this…
Cardinal Mahony used cemetery money to pay sex abuse settlement
The Archdiocese of L.A. took $115 million from its cemeteries’ maintenance fund in 2007, nearly depleting it. The move seems legal, but it was not announced, and relatives of the dead were not told.
www.latimes.com/news/loca...
Shiva(Moderator)
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 12:29 pm
As I was watching an old kung fu movie last night, a Chinese emperor blurted out “those who are dead no longer have value “
Sharin Khosa
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 12:30 pm
The Catholic Church Administration Complex over centuries to this day has propagated so much of hatred, prejudiced and injustice in the cloak faith and belief. They have never been called to account for their wrong.
People who truly have faith in God, believe in his existence and are very aware that they would one day have to account for any evil and dogma they have inflicted on innocent people.
People who are good ensure they do Good and make a concerted effort to stop evil in its tracks.
Good people and leaders ensure evil conduct of others in their own flock, is eradicated: especially evil conduct such as paedophilia; crimes against women such as the goings on in Catholic Hospitals where women are allowed to die needlessly; stances taken by the Republican party in the name of Catholic teachings where women’s rights and dignity are taken away through invasive procedures, lack of care for rape victims, lack of OBGY assistance, by life/procedure decision making issues made by priests rather than the trained doctor, vaccinations to stop papiloma virus; treatment of LGBT etc, etc, etc.
Knowing very well that the above people and issues have wronged many, many, many innocent people yet, the Catholic Church support these people/issues. The basic Commandment of ‘love thy neighbour’ is blasphemised. This is 2013, the Catholic Church has had many hundreds of years to make right many wrongs, yet they hide. What example are they portraying to those billions of people who actually pray with faith? Do as I say and don’t do as I do is the motto. If the Catholic Church say that God speaks through them, I say they should be very, very careful.
God is the embodiment of love and compassion: the above evil acts embody none of these values. I say God does not speak through the Catholic Church Complex.
The cracks are appearing in the Catholic Church Complex.
skifri3
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 12:34 pm
“turn back the clock mentality”?
Turning black the clock implies that change took place. By staying the same, the Catholic Church isn’t turning back the clock, it is remaining consistent.
The Church needs to continually modernize its approach, while remaining true to its core principles, since many of the values that modern society embraces seem to be very contrary to God and the teachings of Jesus.
Shiva(Moderator)
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 12:43 pm
I do not think they will get a black pope, but I do not think it’s out of racism. I do not think that the Catholic Church can think that far out of the box and get someone who is not really European and who does not toe the line.
The Catholic Church at this time is under bombardment to a degree from many sides. Whoever becomes Pope and better be a person with great vitality
LadeeSarah
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 12:48 pm
First Black Pope? Why do the Catholics want our people of color after 2013 years? Fear of Islam continuing to accept all the people of color is why the First Black Pope is chosen, there is no other reason!
Sugapea
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 1:06 pm
As someone who experienced 12 years of Catholic School teachings…I learned far more regard for goodness, kindness and love from the Nuns. They are the ones who should have more leadership in the Catholic Church.
When Women have more prominence in our world…then we will see positive changes.
Shanna Carson
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 1:23 pm
I don’t think that Catholics will get their first black pope. Cardinal Marc Ouellet, formerly the archbishop of Quebec City, has the best odds of replacing Pope Benedict XVI, but he is an extremely conservative man who will definitely not want the Catholic church to change. He is expected to be a carbon copy Pope Benedict XVI.
Elizabeth 44
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 5:10 pm
All of the current voting Cardinals were appointed by one of the last two popes, both very conservative men. “Birds of a feather…” reflects a truism that we are more comfortable with those like ourselves. I don’t expect any changes.
Just A Dumb Fireman
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 2:18 pm
A N- n-n- nenene- n-n- nnnnnnNEGRO pope? Oh, NO! Say it isn’t SO!
noStone
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 9:43 pm
The only thing set in stone is this:
I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen
And even this didnʻt come about until about 350 AD.
noStone
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 9:46 pm
And if we really want to follow in Jesusʻ wake, the new Pope should be an Arab Jew.
Shiva(Moderator)
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 11:04 pm
Thats fine for you, but some of us dont believe in fairy tales and made up stories.
AKinPA
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 10:00 pm
The only way they will “elect” a black pope is if he’s from the African country which is considering instituting the death penalty for being gay. (Too lazy to google. Sorry.)
PS to Peter Barnett
Wasn’t the concept of Limbo a doctrine? And didn’t the present pope change that doctrine?
RICHARD LETHRIDGE JR.
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 11:29 pm
There were three (3) African Pope’s and three (3) African Prime Ministers of Rome. When Constantine had his meeting in Nice and began his idea of Christianity all African involvement with the Catholic Church began to end. So please understand that there where African Pope’s in the Catholic Church.
Shiva(Moderator)
Feb. 11th, 2013 at 11:46 pm
There were several links given to this earlier today. None of the links confirmed the guys were from Africa. The pictures that were painted of them indicated they were not black
Sammy
Feb. 12th, 2013 at 2:09 am
Yeah, akazillion years ago. Also, too, no info I haveread indicates that the three black popes were really black.
IrishEyes
Feb. 12th, 2013 at 1:38 am
I, for one, would like to see the College of Cardinals elect a Pope from North America. He might be from the USA or Canada. I don’t know whether this would revitalize the active participation in parishes or not. More importantly, there needs to be a moderate conservative, who leads his flock in a new way. By this I mean a Pope, who is forward thinking, young, resilient intellectually, spiritually wise, and physically healthy.