News / Religion
Catholics eye black pope
18 Feb 2013 at 05:29hrs | Views
Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson (left), of Ghana, is the bookies’ favourite for the job of pope while Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze (right) is seen as an outside contender for the job. - REUTERS.
Local Catholics have called for the Roman Catholic Church to consider a black pontiff to succeed Pope Benedict XVI who resigns at the end of this month.
Pope Benedict XVI's resignation has, in fact, sparked calls for his successor to come from Africa, home to the world's fastest-growing Catholic population and the epicentre of key issues facing the church.
Those pushing for an African pope argue that around 15%of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics live in Africa and the percentage has expanded significantly in recent years compared with other parts of the world.
Although authorities insist the cardinals would be guided by the holy spirit in their selection of the new leader, ordinary Catholics want the focus to be on blacks on the continent and in the Diaspora.
Pope Benedict XVI's resignation has, in fact, sparked calls for his successor to come from Africa, home to the world's fastest-growing Catholic population and the epicentre of key issues facing the church.
Although authorities insist the cardinals would be guided by the holy spirit in their selection of the new leader, ordinary Catholics want the focus to be on blacks on the continent and in the Diaspora.
Source - TH
