Black Pope

[Zackeera]

This is old news from Time Magazine, May 28, 1965:

"In all its 431-year history, the Society of Jesus has never gone outside continental Europe to find a Father General. Meeting last week in Rome, Jesuit delegates kept the tradition intact, elected the Very Rev. Pedro Arrupe, 57, Spanish-born Jesuit provincial (area chief) of Japan, to be the order’s 28th leader and the Roman Catholic Church’s new “Black Pope.” From time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,941364,00.html

I had never heard of a “Black Pope” before so am curious. What is a Black Pope’s role? Who is the Black Pope today?

 

[Megan7]

This is old news from Time Magazine, May 28, 1965:

"In all its 431-year history, the Society of Jesus has never gone outside continental Europe to find a Father General. Meeting last week in Rome, Jesuit delegates kept the tradition intact, elected the Very Rev. Pedro Arrupe, 57, Spanish-born Jesuit provincial (area chief) of Japan, to be the order’s 28th leader and the Roman Catholic Church’s new “Black Pope.” From time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,941364,00.html

I had never heard of a “Black Pope” before so am curious. What is a Black Pope’s role? Who is the Black Pope today?

Will read link later on, Thank you.

 

[Theophorus]

This is old news from Time Magazine, May 28, 1965:

"In all its 431-year history, the Society of Jesus has never gone outside continental Europe to find a Father General. Meeting last week in Rome, Jesuit delegates kept the tradition intact, elected the Very Rev. Pedro Arrupe, 57, Spanish-born Jesuit provincial (area chief) of Japan, to be the order’s 28th leader and the Roman Catholic Church’s new “Black Pope.” From time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,941364,00.html

I had never heard of a “Black Pope” before so am curious. What is a Black Pope’s role? Who is the Black Pope today?

The “black pope” is an unoffical nickname of the superior general of the Jesuits, the man who runs the entire Jesuit order, given the traditional power and prestige associated with the Jesuits and their official black cassocks. The current superior general is the Spaniard Fr. Adolfo Pachón SJ

 

[Classicist]

I always thought it was a derogatory name for the Superior-General of the Jesuits because it meant he was the “true” power behind the Papacy, guiding it from the shadows in his black cassock.

It’s very Star Wars-Darth Sidious-like, and probably Black Legend propaganda.

 

[Joe_5859]

Here’s a Q&A from Catholic Answers:

catholic.com/quickquestions/does-the-black-pope-wield-the-true-power-in-the-vatican

As CA says, conspiracy theorists have latched onto the term, but that’s not the origin of it. It’s more of a joking type of thing than anything.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

The “black pope” is an unoffical nickname of the superior general of the Jesuits, the man who runs the entire Jesuit order, given the traditional power and prestige associated with the Jesuits and their official black cassocks. The current superior general is the Spaniard Fr. Adolfo Pachón SJ

A slight clarification on the name. Spanish people use both their father’s and mother’s names. Pachón is his mother’s name. The Jesuits refer to him (and I assume he refers to himself) as Fr. Adolfo Nicolás.

 

[Johann_du_Toit]

Maybe the Superior General is called so because the Jesuits traditional dress is black?

 

[Joe_5859]

Maybe the Superior General is called so because the Jesuits traditional dress is black?

Yes, that is the reason. It’s not meant to imply anything sinister about Jesuits.

 

[Zackeera]

The “black pope” is an unoffical nickname of the superior general of the Jesuits, the man who runs the entire Jesuit order, given the traditional power and prestige associated with the Jesuits and their official black cassocks. The current superior general is the Spaniard Fr. Adolfo Pachón SJ

Thanks for the response. Are Jesuits an order within the Catholic church?

 

[Nita]

Thanks for the response. Are Jesuits an order within the Catholic church?

Yes. Our new Pope - Pope Francis - is a Jesuit. He is the first Jesuit in the Church’s history to be elected Pope.

 

[pablope]

Thanks for the response. Are Jesuits an order within the Catholic church?

Yes…founded by Ignatuis of Loyola sometime in 1534.

They established these universities…Georgetown, Boston College, among others.

 

[Johann_du_Toit]

Yes…founded by Ignatuis of Loyola sometime in 1534.

They established these universities…Georgetown, Boston College, among others.

True. But don’t Forget Fordham and Loyola University. Not to mention the thousands of schools they founded all over africa, asia and latin america.