African pope 'not likely'

2005-04-05 11:11

Duncan Guy

Johannesburg - Only 15 of 120 cardinals in the conclave at the Vatican to elect a new pope will be from Africa, the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) said on Monday.

"In Rome the cardinals enjoy a huge number of Africans becoming Christians but they don't think we are ready [for high positions] ... they fear paganism might come through the back door," said SACBC spokesperson Archbishop Buti Tlhagale.

Speaking to reporters in Johannesburg, Tlhagale expressed little hope of Pope John Paul II's successor coming from Africa, because the church in Europe looked on its African congregation as living half in a pagan world.

He also said that after a Polish pontiff the Italians "want the crown back" and that each region of the world had its choices too.

"Africans fight for what they want but I don't think we have a strong lobby to elect an African as a pope," he said.

He added that the Catholic Church was "like a train that will not take a sharp turn".

"Even if a liberal man is elected, he is still going to have to be accountable to them [the cardinals]".

However, Pope John Paul II in 26 years was able to do a lot, Tlhagale said.

"He had enough time to go into issues with certain depth."

Tlhagale credited the late pontiff for his efforts towards enculturation.

"The pope in a unique manner stressed that each culture can be used to understand the gospel methods."

This, he stressed, addressed reality as nearly all African Catholics - and Christians - also practised ancestor worship, both on the continent and in the diaspora.

Pope John Paul II had also elevated a number of Africans to sainthood, he said. Tlhagale said the late pontiff had stressed that it was only through work that people could acquire their dignity. "In Africa where things are so laid back, we have to work and make work for ourselves to make dignity," he said.

The Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference said on Monday it joined Catholics around the world in mourning the death of the Pope. "While with great sadness we mourn the death of John Paul II, we are deeply grateful for the many achievements the Lord God has accomplished through his tireless efforts to bring people closer to God and to each other," the conference said.

- SAPA