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Cardinal Peter Turkson, born in Ghana (Africa), says he is prepared to succeed Benedict XVI.
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Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson, seen as a possible candidate to succeed Pope Benedict XVI, believe that the Catholic Church is ready for the next pope is from Latin America or Africa, as stated by the British newspaper The Times.
Turkson, 64, believes that the conclave of cardinals to elect the new pope, after the resignation of Benedict XVI on February 28, recognize the maturity of the Church in these two regions of the developing world.
"For me, having someone in the southern hemisphere of the world, such as Africa, Latin America or Asia, it would not be a surprise. The Church has been in Latin America for years. We can not pretend that there is a certain leadership there," said Cardinal, who believes that the Church in Africa has the same merit.
Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace of the Vatican, Benedict XVI stressed that praised the work of the Church in Africa in the papal document africae Munus (The mission of Africa), which expresses his admiration for her.
According to The Times, the conclave Africa faces strong competition from Latin America and the Church in Italy.
However, Turkson is seen as a possible candidate since it is not a cardinal elderly, the newspaper added, recalling that this Cardinal Ghana is one of ten children of a carpenter who worked at a manganese mine.
"When I told my parents I wanted to be a priest, did not believe me. They said, 'You do not, perhaps another brother," he recalled.
As revealed, felt a great inspiration to follow the priesthood following the work of a Dutch mission in a village in western Ghana, so it came as a seminarian.
"I explain it well, 'he said. When you drive a car there is a starter. Starting the engine makes.'s The engine that makes driving the car but the engine does not work without the boot. In our life, there is someone start acting. "
"In my case, was a missionary priest and his way of celebrating Mass interested me. Was an inspiration that led me to seminary," said the cardinal.
Asked if he was ready to take the Chair of St. Peter Turkson said that "when one accepts to be a priest, one accepts to serve the Church."
Turkson also told the British newspaper The Telegraph that reach the Vatican, as leader of the Catholic Church should take the challenge of converting back to a benchmark institution in modern life while coping with conservative thoughts in a society with thousands of alternative lifestyles.
On your way in the church, the Ghanaian has received high praise from Benedict XVI and wasted no time in expressing his conservative thought.
"We need to find ways to deal with the challenges that have emerged in society and culture. It is imperative to continue our work of evangelization or convert those who have embraced alternative lifestyles and customs trends lead to false. We can not fail in our duty to guide people "said the cardinal.
Turkson caused controversy in the past by appearing in a video saying that Europe should confront the Muslims who were taking the continent and for insisting that condoms were not the solution in the fight against AIDS.
"If he became Pope, the first thing I will do is claim the image of our Holy Catholic Church" concluded in his interview with The Telegraph.
With information from Reuters.
