"Light up the chalice mek wi bun down Rome. A pure froth John Pope Paul fi foam."THIS LINE, a chorus from a popular DJ's recording in the 1990s, indicates a desire to see the downfall of the papal empire (the Vatican) with the graphic image of the 'holy father' foaming at the mouth in agony.
Of course, this imagery is ludicrous and offensive but it indicates some of the deep-seated resentment and religious prejudice against the Roman Catholic Church epitomised in the persona of the pope. For some, the pope is the Anti-Christ and some argue that the numbers 666 (the mark of the beast) appear somewhere in his paraphernalia. Personally, I think it is rubbish except that some persons use the numbers six and nine to refer to male-female liaisons. Thus, in an all-male, holy priesthood, the numerals will line up one behind the other.
Since my teens, I have questioned many of the tenets of Roman Catholicism and almost got expelled from school for
failing religious education, not for my ignorance of
the Bible, rather, for challenging the teachings of the church such as the doctrine that the pope was infallible, meaning that in the official execution of his duties as pope he could not err or sin. Thankfully, my deeply religious (but non-Catholic) father turned up as required. Thus, I was saved from selling kisko and sky juice on the streets. However, no Catholic has ever managed to give me a convincing explanation of the infallibility argument since several popes have murdered, committed fornication and adultery and fathered children.
Noteworthy, was Pope Alexander VI, Columbus' Pope, who, according to the Catholic Encyclopaedia, became Pope by bribing the College of Cardinals. He lived with a woman who gave him five
offspring and had sex with both
his sisters, impregnating one. Furthermore, the Catholic Church under the direction of various Popes, including Paul III was
pivotal in the enslavement and 'evangelisation' of the Indians and Africans in the New World. By the way, the Mafia and Italian dons are Catholic too.
A WORLD OF GOOD
Lest I be taken as anti-Catholic or anti-pope, I must declare that the Catholic Church has done a world of good. It has educated billions of youth including me, and founded thousands of schools, hospitals and charitable organisations. All priests take the vow of celibacy, which I think erroneously tries to imitate Christ. Certain orders such as the Jesuits and Brothers of the Poor take the vow of poverty. Here, they resemble Jesus more than their Evangelical critics because they live to serve just as Jesus did and have no personal stash. Remember pastors, Jesus rode on a donkey, not even a horse, and it was not even his. He also had no chariot although the Bible says that he and his disciples were in one 'accord'. Reverend, it is easier for a camel to go through a 'needle eye' than for a rich man to enter into heaven. Many present clergymen have dubious records as well and still try to pass through the needle eye. Only God can judge.
Pope John Paul II is dead and despite the ceremony, was buried in an ordinary board box. Amen! Among the front-running candidates to replace him is an African. Cardinal Francis Arinze, an Ibo from Nigeria is in a neck and neck race with a Brazilian, a Honduran, an Argentine and an Italian. Well hear this! The next pope will have traceable African ancestry. So by Euro-American standards, he will be black. Brazil has the largest black population outside of Africa, with 50 per cent of its 185 million residents being so labelled. Of the rest, fewer than 10 per cent can say that they have no known black ancestors. So if Brazilian, "Him a Neaga!"
For the record, more than 50 per cent of the world's one billion Catholics live in Latin America and the Caribbean. Despite their appearance, most Latin Americans have black blood. Although the Catholic Church has only some 60,000 members here compared to a reported 250,000 Adventists, it is perhaps the denomination with the largest membership of African descent globally. Nigeria has 20 million Catholics. Brazil is 90 per cent Catholic. Thus, it has approximately 85 million "Blackolics". Outside of Africa there are around 200 million, and within Africa are 130 million. Catholicism has more blacks than 'Jah Jah's" Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Ethiopia itself.
POWER
Imagine the power! The pope is a head of state, the smallest country, Vatican City (Holy See,) with
13 buildings. With a black man heading it as well as the billion members globally, it means that one sixth of the world's population would be under the spiritual direction of a black man. Considering that the head of the United Nations is black, it could signal a shift in the political clout of blacks globally. "Dem betta mek di popemobile bomb-proof too!"
Nonetheless, whether a "watered down" black like the Latin American candidates or the 'Nugget' black Nigerian, it will not be first time that the Catholic Church will have a black pope. No! No! Not Alexander and the others, although their sexual escapades match our black stereotypes. There were three. St. Victor the 15th Pope was born in Africa and ruled from 189 to 199 A.D.; St. Militiades was pope from 311 to 314, the 32nd, he made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. Finally, number 49, St. Gelasius was born in Rome of African parents and ruled from 492 to 496.
So still on the black history agenda? Hush! I have a duty to inform because Jesus, the founder of Christendom was also black. Thus, Catholicism is also partially ours.
And to my anonymous 'Samaritan' thanks for the correction I remembered that Auld Lang Syne was Scottish but wrote Irish in a Freudian slip.
Dr. Orville Taylor is lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work at the University of the West Indies, Mona.
