By RICHARD BORDELON

OPINION EDITOR

Editing by Elizabeth Zanghi / The Ram Turkson, Sandri, Arinze and Ouellet (clockwise from top left) are candidates.

“The Pope is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church makes the duties of the pope very clear. As a representative of the Church around the world, the pope acts as the Vicar of Christ in the world, guiding his people towards the ultimate goal of eternal life.

The Church, however, has shifted. Latin America, which is home to over 40 percent of the world’s Catholics according to Catholic News Services, and Africa are have increasingly populations.

Since their colonization by European powers, the influence of the Church has spread and has become a powerful aspect of people’s lives.  The people in these regions have become some of the most dedicated Catholics in the world, devoted to defending the faith that they cherish. The pope, however, has never come from anywhere outside of Europe.

Even though the Church has long been centered in Rome, it has become become a global religion, and it now needs a global leader. Europe, although once the center of Catholicism, has declined in its devotion to and practice of the religion. The religion still remains a cultural feature of many nations on the continent; particularly  in such nations as Italy, Spain and France, the devotion to the practice of the religion has dramatically declined.

Vatican II, the ecumenical council convened by Pope John XXIII in 1962 and concluded by Pope Paul VI in 1965, was called in order to bring the Church into the modern age, and many argue that it did so through measures such as allowing Mass to be celebrated in the vernacular.  It is now time to bring the Church into the global age, and there is no better way to do this than by electing a non-European pope from the College of Cardinals in this next papal election.

“Because the Church is becoming increasingly global, it is inevitable, but it is also highly desirable that we have a pope from the southern hemisphere,” Dr. William Gould, assistant dean of FCRH for Juniors, who teaches classes in American Catholic Studies and political theory, said. Electing such a pope would be “in keeping with the universality of the Church.”

With the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI effective on Feb. 28, the College of Cardinals will convene in March to elect the next successor to the chair of St. Peter. The cardinals will not only elect the pope, but they will also choose the direction of the Church in the near future. The Church can remain in its current trajectory with another European, or it can take a step towards the universality Gould talks about.  There are many candidates who are not European who are distinctively qualified, including Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Canada, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri of Argentina, Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria and Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana.

All of these candidates possess the qualities necessary to run the Vatican and are well-known leaders of the global church. Furthermore, each has a keen understanding of the operations of Vatican City and its role,  both diplomatic and religious, in the greater world, which would only enhance the modern papacy.

This worldwide understanding, combined with their experience leading in the Catholic church in a non-European setting, gives them global appeal, and such an appointment would move the Church closer to recognizing its international importance.

Richard Bordelon, FCRH ’15, is a political science and history major from New Orleans, La.

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