Christian theology

The growing U.S. Hispanic population is largely Catholic, just like much of Latin America, so many of them were particularly excited by the choice of an Argentinian, a latino, as the next pope. But just as in South America, the Latino Catholic Church in the U.S. is not as strong as it once was.

The 115 cardinals of the Catholic Church on Wednesday, after a full day of conclave, chose Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as its next spiritual leader, the 266th leader of the Catholic Church. Bergoglio, who took the name Pope Francis, is an Argentinian and was not among the favorites to ascend to the chair of St. Peter.

Bulgaria’s church has long been an important cultural and moral center for the country. And over the weekend, for the first time in centuries, the new leader was chosen without government influence. But still, because of decades of political input, the new patriarch assumes office with a bit of uncertainty around him.

The majority of Catholics around the world now live in Latin America and Africa, and those are the places where the church is still growing. Now, those Catholics in the developing world outnumber the Catholics from Europe. And still, the Catholic Church has never had a non-European Pope. Will that change?

Germany has long required people who are members of a church or a synagogue to pay a tax that supports the church and its operations. But as more Catholics decline to pay, the church is telling them if they don’t pay, they won’t be allowed to receive church sacraments.