As the United States celebrates the election of its first African American president, one Catholic bishop thinks the papacy may be next.
Archbishop Wilton Daniel Gregory, former president of the US bishops’ conference and the first person of color in that position, told La Stampa, an Italian newspaper:
If Obama at the White House is like the first man on the moon, the same thing can certainly happen for the throne of Peter…[Obama’s election] is a great step for humanity, a sign that in the United States the issue of race and the problem of discrimination have been overcome…The Church has also made impressive advances…[The election of a black pope] is certainly possible. Thanks to the wisdom of the cardinals, that could happen at the next conclave.
Is Archbishop Gregory on to something?
Back in 2005, during the last conclave, there was quite a buzz about the possible election of Cardinal Francis Arinze from Nigeria, though in the end the cardinals went with European Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict).
Arinze is one of only 16 African cardinals–out of 187.
Actually, there is a significant ethnic and regional disparity when it comes to people in power in the Catholic Church. For example, while over one-third of Catholics are from Latin America, only 14% of cardinals are from that region. Conversely, half of cardinals are from Europe, while less than a fourth of Catholics are European.
Nevertheless, similar disparities have been evident in the United States before this historic election.
So, is the Catholic Church ready for a pope of color? As the papacy has no terms, only time will tell.
