A White Smoke That Choked Black Hope An African Catholic’s Open Letter to the Vatican A church that claims to be universal, But the papal face never looks like the millions who kneel before God under African skies. The white smoke rose, and with it, the last embers of a dream many Africans have held for decades. A dream that the Catholic Church the one we have loved, served, defended, and given martyrs to would finally see us.

White smoke rose... but for many African Catholics, so did the sting of erasure. Once again, the Vatican chose the familiar over the faithful. When will the Church see that Africa is not just its future—it’s its present? #NewPope #PopeLeoXIV #AfricanCatholics #VaticanConclave #HabemusPapam”