Exclude the openly gay, perhaps. Considering the (very) long-time use of the priesthood as a haven for men who didn’t fit into the “get married and have children” expectations, and some of the excesses of the medieval and Renaissance popes, and some of the proclivities of some of the most talented artists patronized by them, I’d say that “exclude…gays” was, in practice, a moot point.
Well, my understanding comes from very conservative older white priests. I was told that my college’s St. Augustine dorm was named for him, that Augustine Tolton chose the name at least partly because Saint Augustine was black. Saint Augustine’s father is listed as a pagan from Africa, whis is not inconsistant with being black. I have seen several images, including some older images of St. Augustine that depicted him with dark skin.
You know, about a third of the posts in this thread are the sort of racist glurge that in other contexts would stir up Pit threads, and deservedly so. Me, I hold no particular enthusiasm for Bps. Wotyla or Arunze – they’re good men with some myopic qualities, IMO. But the ethnic stereotypes going on here really make you folks sound like a bunch of good ol’ boys puttin’ down them “ethnic tyles” down at the Dew Drop Inn. We’re supposed to be combatting ignorance, not seducing it!
St. Augustine’s father was a North African pagan (born in what is now Algeria, to be precise). North Africa then, as today, was primarily peopled by groups like the Berbers, not Black Africans. And in 384 AD, being an African pagan was most likely not terribly uncommon, even for lighter-skinned peoples.
Augustine was black? Aside from that, I don’t think he was pope, was he?
FTR, I’m not Roman Catholic, but I am not happy about the prospect of another archconservative pope. For that reason I wish it would be a European, who would almost certainly be more liberal, but I can’t imagine that will happen.
No, he was not pope, but he was more influential the many popes.
Cardinals over 80 can’t vote for pope. Most people I talk to think that this was done just so that any remaining liberal would not be able to influence the election.
Meh. Wake me when he’s gay.
<bart simpson>
Is he gay yet?
Is he gay yet?
Is he gay yet?
Is he gay yet?
Is he gay yet?
Is he gay yet?
Is he gay yet?
Is he gay yet?
Is he gay yet?
Is he gay yet?
Is he gay yet?
Is he gay yet?
Is he gay yet?
Is he gay yet?
Is he gay yet?
Is he gay yet?
Is he gay yet?
Homer: NO!
Bart: But he’s wearing a dress!
</Bart Simpson>
It was Paul VI who introduced that rule,so that’s going back a few decades now.It wouldn’t have made any difference in terms of ‘blocking liberals’ as regardless of the age limit,because of the length of John Paul II’s reign,most would be dead by now and those who weren’t would be considering who to elect some 30 years or so after the rules…
He’s got the resume. He started as a Padre and is working his way up the ecclesiastical ladder.
If you have any more bigotted, crude and juvenile quips, restrict them to BBQ Pit where others can give them the attention they so richly deserve. This warning has absolutely nothing to do with your supposedly not being “PC”, btw, and no one here is going to accept that tired excuse for rudeness.
Even if European, the next Pope is NOT going to be liberal. Not going to happen, nuh-uh, not a chance. If they choose a European pope, it’s going to be someone with Opus Dei connections, and those folks are definitely not liberal.
The current College would sooner eat a whole roast beef on Good Friday than vote in a liberal pope.
my vote goes for father albenitzi!
Just a question–does the Catholic church have a mechanism that would allow the current Pope to retire? And if so, what would happen to him (maybe a title like “Senior Cardinal” or something), and how much influence would he have over the choice of his successor?
He can abdicate, but it hasn’t happened in a long, long time, and JPII hasn’t indicated any desire to do so.
I vote for either Don Novello or László Tóth, but I wouldn’t protest if they chose Father Sarducci. Still, I have to think that a black pope, conservative or not, would be a good choice. He’d be able to point a global spotlight on many of the problems currently gripping Africa, which tend to get glossed over in the Western media.
Oh, wait, you heard this on Art Bell. I’ve got a better chance of being pope than this ever coming to pass.
Let’s hope he’d be able to strike down complex world issues with great vengeance and furious anger.
And he’s already demonstrated his near-infallibility in the field!
I gotta agree with Polycarp and Czarcasm aboutsome of the comments here. I’m kind of astounded at some of the stuff that’s been said. It mostly bothers me because it seems stupid. I mean I’d be offended by hateful stuff (which I don’t really detect in these posts), but the jokes and stuff just seem unfunny and ill-informed, which is not what I’ve come to expect from the SDMB.
On rereading my post, realize I sound a bit harsh. While I mean what say above, I don’t wish to attack anybody either.