Asian pope?

Let just contemplate the possibility. Asia is not the biggest catholic continent, but there are located most of the people that still need evangelization.

East Asia is now on the brink of a nuclear war. That could become worldwide in a matter of days. That concerns everyone, including the Catholic church. Because it comes to existential questions. (of course nuclear war could start from the Middle East as well).

If we are talking for a new evangelization in the 3rd millennium, we should look at East Asia in first place.

The candidates are not few, and everyone of them has qualities necessary to be a shepherd of multi-million country. Why not then to be the shepherd of the bigger church, that should focus on Asia? May be it is quite enough of European problems?

This is just a possibility.

en.wikipedia.org...

cardinal John Tong Hon Bishop of Hong Kong en.wikipedia.org...
cardinal Pham Minh Man Cardinal-Archbishop of Thành-Phô Hô Chí Minh en.wikipedia.org...
cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle Archbishop of Manila en.wikipedia.org...

Of course, if you include SE Asia and India, the names will climb. But those countries have been evangelized for quite a long time. The real issue is CHINA. (Not even so much Russia that is Christian for 1000 years, but China that has never been Christian. Russia could be consecrated in a matter of hours, but China should be evangelized for a long time).

Japan and Korea currently do not have cardinals within the limit of 80 y age. While Philippines may look as the natural choice as Catholic nation, Vietnam is of no lesser importance bordering China and sharing traditions that are quite far from everything European. Hong Kong cardinal would be a strong choice: he would probably establish diplomatic relations with China overnight, and give some 10 red hats among the newly joined Chinese patriotic church with many bishops? All Catholics in China (patriotic and underground) are 10-14 mln or 1% of the biggest country in the world.

Compared to that, an American pope would still be the better choice for the Western civilization, imo. If it has any chance to continue its dominance. Something that I doubt it more and more. Especially in the apparent reluctance many Western cardinals to face the real day problems that make the Western world a slave of its own created system. It cannot continue forever. If they cannot choose between American and Brazilian/Curia, perhaps the time has come to move to non-white candidates not connected to the current leadership?

reply to post by 2012newstart


I don't see a need to pick any specific race and the notion of doing so seems like it would be done for unethical means.

eta: i know your suggestion would almost be classified as a catholic practice but i disagree with it. i think you should only present the religion in an honest fashion and let the person choose on their own behalf. do not take on their cultures practices and do no try to lure them in by deceptive tactics. i don't think God would approve.

reply to post by 2012newstart


Tong might not be supported by the US, though. The previous cardinal is Joseph Zen, who is allegedly backed by the CIA. When he was replaced by Tong, the patriotic church, which had been very critical of Zen, very much welcomed Tong.

reply to post by diqiushiwojia

thanks for the info! From what you say it seems that cardinal John Tong Hon is already well accepted by the Chinese patriotic church, that despite everything n the past, needs to merge with the worldwide catholic church. I will not enter into the internal disputes between the underground true church and the patriotic church. They should find the way of peace and forgiveness between themselves.

What is important in case cardinal John Tong Hon is elected as pope Petrus Romanus, is to make official recognition of China and to open the floodgates of God's grace thru baptism to the rest of 1.4 bln people. WIll Chinese government agree on such a missionary activity? Well, if the pope is Chinese and acceptable, if new cardinals are raised among the acceptable bishops, if some of them are brought into the Vatican, then may be yes. Isn't it to bring China into the Vatican? And how otherwise will evangelize the very different in culture and every respect mini continent? It is 1/5 of every living being on Earth - Chinese. Either make it a part of the worldwide church, a significant part of it, or you don't make it at all. As pope Benedict and cardinal Zen failed, although they had honorable intentions.

That is just one possibility as I said before.

American pope is a preferred one if Fatima consecration of Russia is task N1. Because you may not know, but Putin confessed in Pravda 2 years ago that there are already installed the latest mobile strategic missiles Dub (Oak) in Cuba. I gave the link somewhere, it is easier for you to google it. Only Pravda wrote it, and there is no such known classification among the missiles. Just imagine! Medvedev is speaking of months more to be the end of the windows of opportunity for negotiated settlement with US missile defence. This is it. American pope may do it for 2 hours, the consecration. All popes until now failed. Or there will be no more Western civilization the way we know it. The outcome of WW3 is unpredictable. As I see China is also climbing the ladder of number of nukes, perhaps thousands by now. The West has a very little window of opportunity and perhaps it ends with the election of Petrus Romanus with 2-3 weeks or month given to act immediately on all that. Because that has been talked about for DECADES even before the invention of internet, with magazines like Fatima crusader, and no one acted. John Paull II failed in 1984 consecration. Now we have not only Russia, we have China standing as a nuclear nightmare. We have India joining the club, and Pakistan with unknown number and known fundamental hostility. What more do we need, how much more grace will be given to the West and to the Catholic church in particular? Or the prophecies will run their course not because they were unavoidable but because the people have chosen so, both with action and non action.

I know one guy in the internetz who every year keeps making predictions on each start of the year and so far he's been doing good with his "predictions". All this was just for fun for his e-zine readers and at every year end he does reviews of his hits & misses.

For this current year, he predicted a Filipino will become Pope which at that time was as remote as you can think of but he did throw it like out of left field. When we heard on the news the Pope is resigning, we were a bit astonished as his prediction seems getting close and if ever it does come to pass, i'm gonna visit that guy personally and will not get out of his house until he gives me a lotto number to bet on.

I don't say an Asian will become pope. I have a dozen of threads on the subject of papal election, incl of a Brazilian candidate, American, or in general. I just say that is a possibility however remote, and tried to review some obvious consequences of that possibility. Thanks for those who took their time to offer their views.
Right now I think the best chances have the American group, may be plus the Canadian. But the things may change tomorrow or after tomorrow.