May 16, 2025
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION
AframNews.com
Vol.30, Issue 17
FREE
African-American News&Issues
“Addressing Current & Historical Realities Affecting Our Community”
CHAMBER BRISKET COOKOFF COMPETITION By: Warren Muhammad
IS THE CHURCH READY FOR A BLACK POPE?
By: Roy Douglas Malonson
In the hallowed halls of the Vatican, where marble saints look down upon centuries of tradition, one question echoes louder today than ever before: Is the Church ready for a Black Pope? And perhaps more importantly, why hasn’t it happened yet? For over 2,000 years, the Roman Catholic Church has preached the universality of God’s love — yet its highest earthly office, the papacy, has remained untouched by Black leadership. Despite Africa being home to over 250 million Catholics — more than in Europe — and Black people being among the most faithful believers worldwide, no African or Africandescended leader has ever been elevated to the seat of Saint Peter. So we ask, not just as a rhetorical question, but as a prophetic challenge: In the name of the Lord, is it time for a Black Pope?
A History That Can’t Be Denied Let’s be clear: Black presence in the Church is nothing new. Early Christianity had deep roots in Africa. Saint Augustine of Hippo, one of the most influential theologians in Church history, was born in what is now Algeria. Three early popes — St. Victor I, St. Miltiades, and St. Gelasius I — were of African origin. But in recent centuries, Black leadership in the Church has been largely symbolic, not structural. Despite this rich legacy, no Black cardinal has ever been elected Pope in modern times. And while African cardinals like Francis Arinze of Nigeria and Peter Turkson of Ghana have made headlines as “papabile” (potential Popes), the final vote always goes another direction. Why? The Unspoken Truth: Race and Power in the Church Pope on pg. 3
On a perfect Saturday afternoon in Houston’s historic Acres Home neighborhood, the air was thick with the scent of hickory, red oak, and pecan wood smoke. The energy was palpable as the cookers waited with anxious anticipation. Beginning at midnight on April 18th, each competition team began preparing their brisket and to smoke it overnight to be ready for the judging that would take place just over 12 hours later. This year’s lineup wasn’t made up of flashy restaurant teams or corporate pit crews, it was a group of hardworking, solo pitmasters who juggled customer Easter orders while still making time to compete. Jason Escobedo’s Smoke BBQ & Catering, Teddy Parish’s The Hungry Hub, Christopher Fontenette’s Str8 Flavour BBQ and Seafood, Glen Paxton’s Kingz Smoke Ringz, and Warren Fitzgerald Muhammad’s Chappie’s Gourmet Links & Cue may have each flown a different banner, but they were united by a shared love for the farmers market and a deep belief in the work the Chamber is doing in Acres Home. These weren’t just competitors, they were community builders with smokers, carving out time to show up for something bigger than brisket. The Brisket Cookoff Competition, the first of its kind for the Acres Home Chamber for Business and Economic Development, Inc., was more than a contest, it was a homegrown movement. Spearheaded by local volunteer Ace Tejada, and the Chamber team, the event was envisioned as a way to turn up the heat not only on brisket, but on community engagement with the bi-weekly farmers market and economic empowerment. The pitmasters spent the night and early morning sharing tricks of the trade and Cookoff on pg. 3 offering each other BBQ, but by