Posted on 03/04/2013 2:31:11 AM PST by Daffynition
For many Americans, this March Madness will be the same as ever: brackets, ruined brackets, buzzer beaters and praying Duke doesn't win.
Unlike in years past, the NCAA tournament won't be the only March Madness competing for headlines. Sometime next month, the College of Cardinals will meet at the Vatican to begin their conclave, which will select the successor to Pope Benedict XVI.
Because brackets are the greatest invention since the printing press, the folks at religionnews.com fused the two competitions and put together a tournament of 16 leading contenders for the papacy. They called it "The Sweet Sistine," which makes me think someone came up with that awesome name first, then decided to fill in the brackets.
(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...
There have already been three Popes from Africa.
Three black ones?
"After Christophe left I went to Rome to attend an international colloquium on Adoration. It was a very intense 4 days! The teachings and testimonies were excellent and the worship most uplifting. It was a contrast but also a confirmation of my “normal” day at home, which includes a prolonged time of prayer in solitude. Among the 300 attendees were many priests, bishops and 5 cardinals. It ended with mass with Pope Benedict XVI, and I was seated close to the altar. Before I left Rome, I got to pray at the tomb of Blessed John-Paul II. I came home just in time for the First Communion of Claude’s goddaughter, followed by the Confirmation of the daughter of one of my goddaughters."
I think she would be appalled by some comments made to non-Catholics from Catholics. I don't judge all Catholics by FR CAtholics!
BTW, I had email from her yesterday and she just returned from the Vatican ... "with Pope Benedict." FWIW, she said rumors are running wild.
St. Victor I (189-199), from Africa, perhaps Leptis Magna (modern Libya)
St. Miltiades (or Melchiades) (310 or 311 to 314), from Africa
St. Gelasius I (492-496), natione Afer but Romanus natus, probably meaning he was born in Rome but his family was from North Africa.
There is nothing to indicate that any of the three are what would be considered "black" in the US.
Where in my original post did I even mention the thought of an AFRICAN pope? I did not. You just confuse what I said. I can google just like you and knew no one can prove anything subtantive re: the confirmed race of these subject popes.
If the RCC were sincere to their asserted dogma, they wouldn’t accept the resignation.
Consider Paul and the other Apostles.
Paul repeatedly believed he was to return to Jerusalem to minister to his brethren, but that was not God’s Plan for him. He was appointed to be the Apostle to the Gentiles and sent to Rome to witness to them.
Every time Paul attempted to divert his path, adversity lay in his path, even prison, and even prison didn’t redirect Paul from his appointed destiny.
The RCC has asserted the Pope is chosen by God through the the Conclave of Bishops. If this is true, then the RCC should instead be reassuring the Pope not to abdicate his position, regardless the adversity.
The present situation shows the world that either the appointment by the Conclave of Cardinals is not holy or they fail to place faith in God in that selection. In either case, a more fundamental change in thinking is required for a body of believers which substitutes anything for first a faith in Christ, in all thinking.
It is obvious the RCC ritualism appeals much more to worldliness, than the new man who lives through faith in Christ in all thinking, in all things.
Given the makeup of the College of Cardinals, I doubt they will pick a black pope who isn't from Africa (say, Haiti or the US), but anyway the situation isn't comparable to US politics--to be chosen to be a cardinal, you have to have a track record of accomplishment in order to impress the pope to select you (admittedly some bad choices are made from time to time like Mahony or Law) and there is no affirmative action in play. Without favoritism and racial gerrymandering, Obama would still be a community organizer in Chicago--with a law degree from a night school rather than from Harvard.
I pray that you’re wrong. The last thing we need is an affirmative action pope.
LOL....I understand in Europe, bookies and prediction markets get hot and heavy for the papal election stuff. :)
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