No American Pope

When the papacy next changes speculation will center on who and from where will the next pope come. One thing is for certain is that he will not be an American. As an American I have heard and read volumes of lies about my country and our people. This is the age to hate anything American, for any reason one manufactures, truthful or not. You see it applies to the election of a pope also It's because Americans have something that the world world hates- an American passport.
If an American were elected pope, in the third world (and in much of the world at large) there would be the usual nonsense that "the CIA must have fixed the election or that Wall Street "bought the election" of an American. Trust me. The Catholic Church wants no part of that controversy. So, every other nation's Cardinals will be considered for election, but no American will be.
Nearly all church observers say it is a certainty that an American won't be elected pope in the next conclave or any subsequent ones. In addition to the suspicions of CIA or big money interests other impediments to an American pope are factors that determine this. The first is that the pope must be above politics. Can an American be seen as that since the Bush escapades in Iraq? It is not possible The pope must transcend politics if he is to possess the moral credibility among the world's peoples who already hate and distrust Americans. Our oversized role in world politics makes an American ineligible on that basis alone.
Another factor against an American papacy (I am not advocating it or even suggesting it is a good thing- just showing an example of one of many prejudices against Americans today) is an anti American view within the church itself. The conservative factions in the Catholic Church, and that is the majority view of the Catholic leadership, is suspicious of American Catholic Church leaders, America's democratic ideals, and what they see as liberal and rebellious American Catholic Church members.
The last thing the Vatican wants is a liberal American pope leading a liberal crusade within the church. The Church leaders in the Vatican think Americans are more concerned with liberal matters such as having altar girls and female priests, than with the central and fundamental issues of the Church. On that account I think they are correct.
So, from which region of the world should the next pope come? Not America and certainly not another European. I suggest a Latin American pope. Latin America is almost entirely Catholic, fervent about their faith in the Church and make up about 45% of all the world's Catholics. If that is not possible, how about an African pope. Africa has the fastest growing percentage of new Catholics world-wide and is becoming more and more Catholic. Failing that my third choice would be an Asian pope. Though far fewer Asians are Catholic, there are pockets of strong Catholicism there and the church would be wise to show Asia that it is as important to the Church as the traditional favor Europe. An Asian pope would produce a huge interest and growth in Catholicism in Asia.
But the church is unlikely to act that way. It is conservative and afraid of dynamic changes. So there will probably be yet another European elected, most likely an Italian. Change comes at a snail pace in all churches unless someone within seizes the reigns and forces a broader view. Hehe Having said that I will accept your nomination and election as your blog Pope. I promise you absolution for all sins except your disappearance from here............