The Catholic community in Mumbai believes that Cardinal Ivan Dias who is one of the probables in the race for Papacy, would make history, if elected, as he would be the first one from Asia to grace the seat that has been the fount of 2005 years of Christianity. Dias was a close friend of Pope John Paul II, and the only Asian seriously in the running to succeed him. As the Archbishop of Mumbai, Dias, even though one of the dark horses to become the next leader of the Roman Catholic church, has a huge support rallying behind him from all quarters. Cardinal Dias has spent over three decades outside India, much of it as the Pope’s emissary around the world, reinforcing the Vatican’s conservative messages on issues such as homosexuality and abortion. But since his return to Mumbai eight years ago, [Source]
If Cardinal Ivan Dias was elected we would probably have to suffer through many "The Catholic Church has outsourced the pope" jokes. "You have reached Liturgical Support, press one to report a liturgical abuse."
Update: From an article by John L. Allen, Jr. about negative conclave campaigning that includes reports that Cardinal Dias has diabetes.
In my experience, a safe rule of thumb is to assume such whispering campaigns are false until proof to the contrary emerges. Dias, for example, told a friend in Rome yesterday that he was surprised to read in the papers that he has diabetes, because it’s the first he’s heard of it. (This is reminiscent of John Paul II’s standard line when reporters would ask about his health. “I don’t know,” he would quip. “I haven’t read the newspapers yet.”)
5 comments
LMAO
“The Catholic Church has outsourced the pope” jokes
LOL. Given the state of the European Church, maybe outsourcing the papacy to India isn’t such a bad idea.
My (well meaning, non-Catholic) friend told me that if Dias is elected, the Church will start ending liturgical prayers with “Thank you, come again!” And will place “Clerk cannot access safe.” signs outside churches. LOL?
Anyway, I would be ecstatic if Dias were elected! It might help me prove to my family that I didn’t defect to an evil European religion when I converted . . .
Besides, being Indian, I read everthing about Dias I could find in the last week or so. He seems to be an absolutely solid and joyful man, who knows 12 languages at the minimum estimation, including: Hindi, English, Spanish, Italian, French and Korean!! One profile said he knew 17. He is truly truly beloved in his diocese and hometown, but he has not at all given in to syncretism (a big problem in India). He also spent many years in Rome, was a friend of John Paul II, and currently has many friends in the cardinalate.
Whether or not he is elected, I’m glad I know more about His Eminence Ivan Cardinal Dias.
Um . . . aren’t Israel and Syria located in Asia? I know we’ve had Popes from these countries, so we have had Asain popes before . . .
The first Pope was technically Asian….