Electing a New Pope - A Fundamental Flaw

For those of you who have read my book, Institutional Racism and the Catholic Church, this post is a reflection on a serious problem that exists in the selection process for a new pope.

Newly elected Pope Francis I has, to date, modeled the qualities of what the papacy should signify – modesty, humility, concern for the “common” people, peace, etc. He was elected by the College of Cardinals from whose membership popes are currently chosen. Membership in the College of Cardinals encompasses a variety of ethnic groups – Italians, Irish, Germans, Polish, Chinese, Koreans, Africans, and Latinos. The profiles of these groups are similar to their American Catholic counterparts.

Americans were hopeful that an American cardinal would be elected pope, touting two cardinals considered, by Americans, to meet the qualities expected of a pope. However, that was not the case.  The cardinals chose to elect Pope Francis I who is of mixed parentage (Caucasian and Latino). CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT FROM THE COLLEGE OF CARDINALS ARE AFRICAN AMERICANS, and the fact that no African American is a member of this “elite” group, smacks of nepotism and elitism as well as racism. A cursory examination of the ethnicity of American cardinals and the paths they followed culminating in their appointments as cardinals support the charge of nepotism and elitism as well as racism.
 


For many years African American men were denied admission to Caucasian seminaries, Diocesan and Order seminaries. Once accepted, some or all experienced racism. (See references in my book, Institutional Racism and the Catholic Church.) Two seminaries, however, are credited with having been the first to train African American men for the priesthood. They are the Society of the Divine Word based in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi and St. Joseph Seminary based in Baltimore, Maryland. Other seminaries, Diocesan and Order, began accepting African American priesthood candidates generations after their founding.  

U.S. Roman Catholic decision makers, along with the larger society, have followed the same pattern of discriminating against African Americans. It appears that the lack of African American cardinals has never been seriously considered among the U.S. Roman Catholic hierarchy.Below from the lowest to the highest are clergy levels  before the level of pope. The Cardinal level is the level just below that of pope.Below from the lowest to the highest are clergy levels  before the level of pope. The Cardinal level is the level just below that of pope.


1)      Priest
2)      Monsignor
3)      Bishop
4)      Archbishop
5)      Cardinal

Caucasian priests who became cardinals were trained either in Diocesan seminaries or Order seminaries and their upward progressions appear to have been fostered by influential individuals within those domains. The long-standing exclusion of African Americans from the College of Cardinals, and the prejudicial acts perpetrated against African Americans, by some, not all, Roman Catholics, continue to follow the same pattern as the larger society. Hopefully, Pope Francis will become aware of the exclusion of African Americans from the College of Cardinals and will put into motion procedures to correct the injustices.  


Caucasian priests who became cardinals were trained either in Diocesan seminaries or Order seminaries and their upward progressions appear to have been fostered by influential individuals within those domains. The long-standing exclusion of African Americans from the College of Cardinals, and the prejudicial acts perpetrated against African Americans, by some, not all, Roman Catholics, continue to follow the same pattern as the larger society. Hopefully, Pope Francis will become aware of the exclusion of African Americans from the College of Cardinals and will put into motion procedures to correct the injustices.  


Unfortunately there are no seminaries founded by African Americans. However, it would appear that after accepting and ordaining African American men, Caucasian seminary leaders would have been at the forefront in promoting a process whereby African American priests would, at least, be consider cardinal candidates.  Caucasians who eventually reached the level of cardinal were either trained in Diocesan seminaries or in Order seminaries. Diocesan seminaries were established in city/state municipalities for the purpose of training priests to service parishes in those municipalities. Order seminaries were established by clerics who named their particular Orders after men who were declared saints. (Franciscan Orders have been named after St. Francis and Dominican Orders have been named after St. Dominic.) Priests in Order seminaries may be assigned to settlements throughout the world. For example, the Capuchin Franciscan Order of Friars has priests in two or more of the six continents.

Bishop Wilton Gregory of the Atlanta, Georgia Archdiocese is the lone African American archbishop. Bishop Gregory is a former chair of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. He proved to be an effective administrator in two of his previous appointments (Chicago, Illinois and Bellwood, Illinois). He and other select African American priests/bishops, without any doubt, possess the qualities of what is expected of a cardinal.  A cursory examination of their educational achievements and their experiential backgrounds are testament to their abilities to be effective cardinals.