Okay, so on Art Bell, (From “Coast to Coast AM” radio show) he came out with his predictions for 2005. Predictions
One of his predictions is that after Pope JP passes, he will be replaced by a black pope.
Who could this black pope possibly be?
I vote for the Artist Currently Known as Prince.
Michael Jackson could be it. His genes say he is black, he has an interest in little boys as many Catholic priests seem to, he drinks “Jesus Juice”, and it wouldn’t take much to change his name from “King of Pop” to “Pope of Pop.”
I’m going to be warned for this. :eek:
My Catholic friends tell me that Nigeria is a teeming hotbed of priests (go figure), and one in particular — Cardinal Francis Arinze — is considered to be in the running. Actually as far as black priests go, he’s pretty much the only one.
I predict that in 2005, Art Bell will continue to smoke pot and commission Donnatella Versace to design for him a more stylish, “hipper” tinfoil hat.
I, for one, am boning up for a new black pope.
“Does a bear shit in the woods? Does the pope smoke crack?”
“Two popes are walking across a bridge and have to take a piss. Pio XIII says, ‘Man, that water is cold!’. To which Invictus IV replys, ‘Yeah, and its DEEP.’”
From now on, turkey tails, and not chicken tails will be known as “Pope’s noses”.
Hey, who is that knocking at the dooor? OH NO! Its the “PC” Police and they are dragging me away from the keyboa
The mood of the College of Cardinals is decidedly conservative nowadays. The African bishops tend to be more conservative than all but the older European and Asian bishops. The likelihood of an African cardinal becoming Pope is high. Of course, an Opus Dei pick is also pretty likely, given JPII’s approval of that ministry.
If I were a gambling man, I’d give 30/60 odds on a black pope once old Karel meets the Big Guy and 60/30 odds on someone with an Opus Dei connection. You may have to dig a little to find it, but it’ll be there.
Are there really many black Cardinals seriously considered by the Church to be capable of following John Paul II, or is this a stretching, hopeful dream by some in the Church?
I’d say it was possible, but not–in all likelihood–probable. They’ll undoubtedly go and elect one of the cardinals and have done with it. shrugs
Purely because he is black. Even if he deserves it.
IMHO the college of cardinals could not stand against the wave of bigotry that would come if they did.
Me?
I’m not Catholic.
Don’t mean squat to me.
The college of Cardinals does not much resemble the college that elected Karol Wojtyla back in 1978. At that time, the great majority of Cardinals were European, and heavily Italian.
The current group may be of a mind ideologically, but geographically and ethnically, they’re a very diverse bunch now. A Third World Pope is not at all unlikely, and several black African Cardinals would be strong contenders, including Francis Arinze (who SEEMS, superficially, to be a good man).
There’s even a chance of a Jewish Pope! (Google on “Cardinal Lustiger” if you don’t believe me!).
There’s ZERO chance of a Pope from the United States… but almost anything else is conceivable.
This article (from 1999) about John Paul II’s potential successors notes that a black man, Gelasius I, was Pope from 492 to 496. It suggests Cardinal Arinze as a possiblity, noting that Father Cyprian (the priest who baptized him) has been beatified, but also quotes a theology professor at Notre Dame who expresses a view similar to Reeder’s belief that the move would be too risky. The “Potential Popes: Profiles” link on the article page also mentions Benin native Cardinal Bernardin Gantin as a candidate. However, time appears to have passed him by, as the Dean Emeritus of the College of Cardinals is now 82 years old. Arinze (born in 1932) is a relative youngster.
I’ve heard rumors that Chris Rock is lobbying for the part.
I, for one, welcome our new Black Pope Overlord.
Moreso if he is like Laurence Fishburn.
What?
First old pope will be dead.
Of course, you can just see what would be in your e-mail the day after Arinze gets elevated…
“Greetings, my name is Brother Xavier Ngazoluba. I am acting special secretary to the Nigerian Episcopal conference, after my predecessor joined Francis Cardinal Arinze in Rome after his election as Pope Sixtus the Sixth.
His Holiness has personally requested of me that I seek the assistance of people of goodwill in order to safeguard the Church’s funds. He has authorized me that I reward anyone generously who offers such assistance…”
Well, if you have to be a Cardinal first how about Ozzie Smith?
Actually, you don’t even have to be a priest. There have been peasant popes before, straight from the fields to the Chair. Of course, it’s been a few centuries since Il Papa came from somewhere other than the College, but there’s still no rule against it.
One does not need to be a cardinal first. St. Augustine was black. Whoever the new pope is, he will be very conservative. The roots of the church in Africa are ancient. Remember priests do take an oath against modernism. If the new pope is black, it will be because he has conservative views, not because they are trying to be modern or make a show of diversity. This pope is Polish. That was considered out there at the time he was elected. He has done a very thorough job of filling the College of Cardinals with conservatives. He has replaced more modern minded bishops with very conservative ones.
Do you have a cite for this, lee? I knew he was from Africa, but I had always assumed it was Roman Africa and that he was European/Levantine. Is this something with evidence behind it or is it along the lines of “Cleopatra (the famous one) was black”?
Yup. Anyone cane be elected to be pope. Provided that in your definition of anyone, you exclude women, gays, non-catholics.