'I pray a lot against it' - Cardinal Turkson playfully rejects notion of becoming first African Pope

In a light-hearted moment during a BBC Hard Talk interview on Nov 27, 2023, Cardinal Peter Appiah Turkson, viewed by some as a potential candidate to become the first African Pope in about 1,500 years, playfully dismissed the suggestion, stating, "I pray a lot also against it."

The interviewer, Stephen Sackur, raised the topic, asking about Turkson being widely tipped

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Cardinal Turkson humorously interjected, "I greatly; I pray a lot also against it," accompanied by laughter, but added that it would be in God's own time.

Sackur continued by referencing Turkson's previous statement in 2013, where he acknowledged that being elected Pope would signify a significant personal change and recognize Africa's important role in the Catholic Church.

When asked if it was time for an African Pope, Cardinal Turkson responded, "It will be time if it is time in God's timetable because the church belongs to the Lord."

He emphasized the church's reliance on divine guidance and mentioned his experiences during the election of three Popes in the past.

"May the Lord who founded the church provide for the church always the type of leadership that he considers suitable for the church at this point in history," he concluded.

He reiterated that the decision ultimately rests with the Lord, saying, "It is up to him [the Lord] to decide, not me. I pray for it, but he [the Lord] decides."

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