[Kevin]

Originally posted by AOII_LB93
I've read a lot about this, and there was a program on 60 minutes a few years ago, mentioning several of the "candidates". There was a comment by a Jesuit priest from the US saying that certain Catholics in Europe (and elsewhere) would have a problems having a black pope...to which his comment was (loosely) "if people have a problem with having a black pope, we don't want them anyway" (or something to that effect). Definitely true in my book...there is no place for racism in the church. During my RCIA process we went to different parishes in different neighborhoods in L.A., and I really enjoyed the parish that was majority African American, as well as going to a mass in Spanish because my parish was mostly white (with some of everything mixed in, but mainly white), and it was nice to see that Catholicism includes people of all backgrounds.

One way or another a pope will be chosen, but I do think it would be good if it wasn't an Italian...I can't say that it makes the pope more qualified to be Italian, however Martini is impressive simply because he speaks several languages fluently.

We've had some amazing Italian Popes though. Pope John XXIII was the greatest Pope (at least) of the 20th century. For those of you who don't know who Pope John XXIII was, think Vatican II.