After Obama, Church Is Ready For A Black Pope

The roman curia is becoming more international and cosmopolitan, therefore the next pope could be a man of colour.

The Catholic Church, modelled after the United States of America which have chosen their first black president, is ready for a black Pope, assessed former president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops Wilton Daniel Gregory, Italian La Stampa daily writes Thursday.

Electing Barack Obama is “a big step for man kind, a sign that issues of discrimination and race have been overcome in the United States”, said msgn. Gregory, the first African-American who headed the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.

- If Obama at the White House is like the first time man (stepped on) the moon, then it can certainly happen at the threshold of St Peter`s – he said.

Msgn. Gregory, who believes the Church has also made an impressing step forward, said that the Roman curia was becoming more “international and cosmopolitan”.

“Through the wisdom of the cardinals guided by the Holy Spirit, this could happen at the next conclave” (after the death of current Pope Benedict XVI) – msgn Gregory assessed, referring to the elections of a black pope, above all, a pope from Africa.

Wilton Daniel Gregory (60), comes from Chicago and was elected the president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2001. He has been the Archbishop of Atlanta since 2004.