Why not an American Pope?

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ohiocatholic07

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I heard the argument that the USA is a superpower, and that one wouldn’t want to have so much power linked to one state or give the impression that the Pope is working in the interest of the USA. I’ve actually used that argument, myself, when asked by some non-Catholic friends why there hasn’t been an American pope.

That being said, I don’t really agree with the rational because for most of the last 2,000 years Europe has been the center of economic and military power in the world, and that hasn’t stopped the Church from having European popes. The EU is an economic superpower, and I wonder how Catholics from South America and Africa must feel.

I might add that of the candidates I knew my top choices for pope were Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinal Arinze.
 
ABostonCatholic said:
Because our real religion here is Americanism.
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That’s exactly right. America has a history of somewhat dissident bishops (we’re probably second to the Dutch in that area). They tend to be way too influenced by American ideals–such a democracy, egalitarianism, governing authority derived from the people rather than God, positivism, secularism, and individualism–all of which do not work within the Catholic Church’s divine constitution.
 
Genesis315 said:
American ideals–such a democracy, egalitarianism, …positivism, secularism, and individualism–all of which do not work within the Catholic Church’s divine constitution.
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Well, the US doesn’t have anything on Europe when it comes to secularism, and a little dose of individualism would have done Europe some good during the first half of the 20th century.
 
Because the Holy Spirit has not led the cardinal electors to so choose.

Good grief! It is only in the last 30 years that the 400 year Italian hold on the papacy has been rent! :rolleyes:

tee
 
I think that any American Catholic bishop that denies the Eucharist to any office holder that supports abortion would have the courage necessary to make a good pope.
 
until the age of fast ships and air travel, American and other new world cardinals several times missed the convocation for a new pope because of travel time. Since it took the Poles and Germans several centuries to get their own pope, Americans should not be too impatient. Personally I pray for the next pope to be African or Asian, where the Church is enjoying its strongest growth and also some of its gravest threats.
 
tee_eff_em said:
Because the Holy Spirit has not led the cardinal electors to so choose.

Good grief! It is only in the last 30 years that the 400 year Italian hold on the papacy has been rent! :rolleyes:

tee
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Agreed. When the Holy Spirit leads the cardinal electors will follow. So we must be patient till that time.
 
Tonks40 said:
Can you imagine what that time will be like? How would America react to an American Pope?
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I think this generation or the next will witness an American Pope in about 30-60 years…It’s a guess… I could be wrong… look who heads the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith. He is an American Cardinal…
 
I thought that the current pope was going to be African, though I think the next pope should be African as I feel they need some strength in their time and to give some inspiration to the growth in faith there… and also to guide their faith in the right way as I know there are some strange dillutions of faith and mix in superstition there that are all linked in with their own superstitions and the social struggles there.

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