Cardinals on the crossroads: continue reforms or choose new Pope

Cardinals on the crossroads: continue reforms or choose new Pope

The pontificate of Pope Franziskus shaken. His restless 12-year-old pontificate, which focused on a "poor church for the poor", asked Catholicism to leave his comfort zone and settle in the poorest communities. Francis opened discussions on topics that were previously considered taboo, such as the Rolle of women in the church. He welcomed LGBTQ-Catholics as

resistance to the reforms

Now, where 133 members of the Cardinal College are eligible to vote, on the

Those who will enter the Sistine chapel to start the process to choose a new Pope could hardly overlook the great affection for Francis after his death. When Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the Cardinal College, spoke warmly about the vision of Francis for the Church and the Homilie at Franziskus ’funeral, the people on St. Peter's Square repeated. In East Timor, which Francis had visited in 2024, around 300,000 people took part in a service for the late Pope on the same day as the funeral. This has caused a retired cardinal to ask his brothers to consider this.

The will of the people

"The people of God have already voted in the funeral and calls for continuity with Francis," said Cardinal Walter Kasper, 92, a theological consultant of the late Pope, The la repubblica , an Italian daily,

The supporters of Francis are of the opinion that only a Pope who is ready to continue what the deceased Pope has started can also be successful. But the policy of the election process for a Pope is subtle. Anyone who advertises open to the Papal Office immediately disqualifies themselves, and the cardinals have to vote according to what they recognize as the will of God. However, this does not mean that they simply sit in their rooms and wait for divine inspiration on how to vote.

The discussions of the cardinals

Every morning during the time before the conclave, the cardinals in the Synodensaal Paul VI meet for "general meetings". In the evening they often continue the discussions with a plate of pasta and a glass of wine, with several people being seen in trattories in trattories in the Borgo Pio, a village -like neighborhood near the Vatican.

A ditch line is already forming. Some cardinals want the next Pope to follow in the footsteps of Francis and focus on the "diversity" of the universal church, the focus of which has shifted from Europe and the West. Others ask the next Pope to emphasize "unity" - a code word for a more predictable approach.

The different perspectives

Austen Ivereigh, a biographer of the Pope and Catholic commentator, describes the two positions as follows. "The first (diversity) sees Francis as the first Pope of a new era in the church that shows us how we evangelize today and how we can hold our differences fertile," he said.

"The second (unit) sees the Franziskus era as a disturbance that must now be contained by returning to greater unit."

Those who advocate the "unity" are among the loudest critics of the late Pope, such as Cardinal Gerhard Müller, the former head of the Vatican Faith Authority, which Francis 2017 had replaced. He described the last pontificate as a splitting and authoritarian and recently said the new york " Times : "All dictators split."

Most cardinals will not share Müller's characterization, and many have repeatedly expressed their appreciation for Francis' concern for the marginalized and his ability to communicate with people.

criticism of the last Pope

But a number of them gather about the motto "unity" and has many criticisms of the last pontificate, including the decision, a comprehensive, multi -year reform process - the Synod -has raised questions about the leadership of women and for exercising power.

Some also did not like the clear reviews of Francis of priests who like to wear elaborate robes, or their blessings for same -sex couples who were rejected by some bishops in Africa. The mood within the "unit" group, which enjoys support from some retired cardinals, is that the next Pope should need less of the disruptive style of Francis'.

the possible successor

The leading "unit" candidate seems to be Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the State Secretary of the Holy Chair. He would not be an obvious break with Francis, but his style would be very different. Slandin is a meek, thoughtful Italian prelate that monitors the diplomacy of the Vatican, which also includes a temporary agreement with China on the appointment of bishops.

But slogan skeptics indicate his lack of experience at the base of the church and criticize his flat speech at a trade fair for around 200,000 young people on St. Peter's Square, one day after Francis' funeral. When he read about his notes, the cardinal did not seem to be able to captivate the community, in stark contrast to Francis, who often spoke freely and often used a dialogue with young people.

the choice and its consequences

The cardinals that enter the Sistine Chapel for the conclave next week not only choose a new Pope, but also make a decisive decision that will shape the Church for years.

Many of them came from most of the world and have experienced significant changes in the Cardinal College while Francis ’pontificate. Some come from regions that had not previously had a cardinal. As a result, many cardinals do not know each other well, which is why they wear name signs in their discussions.

The intensive media reporting seems to have surprised many cardinals that are not used to being harassed by reporter groups. It is much more difficult to predict how such a diverse body will coordinate. However, it seems that the cardinals from the "peripheries", which represent the change of the Catholic Church away from Europe, largely share the vision of the late Pope and mainly focus on how the next Pope reacts to global crises.

Charles Bo, the first cardinal from Myanmar, who was appointed in 2015 by Francis and wants to see continuity with Francis' reforms, said CNN in an email that the next Pope "tirelessly looking for peace" and a voice of moral authority must be "the" humanity calls back from the brim. "

"Religions have to combine in a common goal to save humanity," he said. "The world urgently needs a new breath of hope - a synodal way that chooses life over death, hope of despair. The next pope must be this breath!"