:The Vatican felt they needed to shore up South/Latin America where evangelicalism/pentecostalism is growing fast in many countries. A European Catholic would be a bad choice since Catholicism is on the decline there. So that leaves Asia or Latin/South America or Africa or North America (which is influenced by Latin/South America due to immigration). Ultimately, fear of loss in Latin/South America was stronger than hope of gain in Africa. | :The Vatican felt they needed to shore up South/Latin America where evangelicalism/pentecostalism is growing fast in many countries. A European Catholic would be a bad choice since Catholicism is on the decline there. So that leaves Asia or Latin/South America or Africa or North America (which is influenced by Latin/South America due to immigration). Ultimately, fear of loss in Latin/South America was stronger than hope of gain in Africa. |