The Holy See killed two birds with one stone as Pope Francis is from Argentina but of Italian ethnicity (Bergoglio isn't Spanish). Argentine female President Cristina Kirchner isn't too happy due to clashes with the Church over same-sex marriage.

Why would blacks, ie recently converted West Africans invest any hope that the next Pope would be black? Most West Africans only converted to Catholcism in the past thirty years. Meanwhile, Latin America has been a bastion of Catholicism for over 200 years and is now the true world center of the faith. Obviously, the first Pope from outside Europe was going to come from there.

Is this becasuse of what Dennis Rodman was saying about a Black Pope yesterday? There actually WAS a potential Cardinal from Ghana as well as another from Latin America- Brazil. In 2005, it was speculated on a Latin American or a European (Italian) and they chose the German Pope! This time they got both in Pope Francis- from Argentina, but an Italian. With all the sex scandals worldwide and need for futher reformation in the Church the Cardinals went for a popular candidate with true humility to rebuild. North America was definately out and another European from Italy would have brought rage from South America. Growth there is the highest with Africa not far behind. European growth is the lowest of the four. I think they made a wise choice. Maybe someday there will be a Black Pope just as there was a Black US President and Female leaders worldwide like in Germany, Argentina, and South Korea. Peace y'all.