New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell is once again making headlines after her office issued a press release—several hours after she had already left the country—announcing she was en route to Rome “to be by the Pope’s side during these trying times,” despite reports confirming his death yesterday.
While the visit was initially framed as a gesture of respect, the press release took a surprising turn by revealing the term-limited mayor is now entering the running to become the next Pope.
According to the statement, “With an election for the next Pontiff on the horizon, Mayor Cantrell believes her properly procured and awarded record of leadership makes her well-positioned to guide the Catholic Church into its next chapter.”
The release goes on to note that, just as she made history as the first African-American female mayor of New Orleans, Mayor Cantrell now seeks to break yet another barrier by becoming the first African-American female Pope in history. Any opposition to her candidacy, the statement adds, “should be closely examined for racially motivated undertones.”
The release also highlighted her “deep well of global experience” from attending dozens of climate change conferences, which her office says makes her “uniquely qualified to lead the church in its evolving climate.”
Sources close to the mayor say she’s also “intrigued by the idea of infallibility,” calling it “an administrative perk worth exploring.”
When asked for comment, City Councilmembers expressed confusion, with one replying, “Wait—she’s in Rome? We thought she just wasn’t answering emails again.”
The press release notes that Mayor Cantrell will return to New Orleans on Saturday, April 25th “to meet the people where they are”—at Jazz Fest.
