Cardinals Prioritize Credibility in Next Pope Beyond Race and Region/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ As 133 cardinals gather in the Vatican to elect the next pope, the focus stretches beyond choosing an African, Asian, conservative, or progressive leader. Their top priority: finding someone who can restore credibility, engage young people, and lead the Catholic Church through spiritual and geopolitical challenges.
Vatican Conclave: Quick Looks
- 133 Cardinals Voting: From 70 countries, they aim to elect a pope relevant to today’s global Catholic community.
- Cultural Shift: Cardinals are weighing the merits of selecting the first Asian or African pope to reflect global Catholic growth.
- Church at a Crossroads: Scandals, shrinking numbers in Europe, and rising secularism are top concerns.
- Youth Engagement Needed: Cardinals emphasize the need for a pontiff who connects with younger generations.
- Geopolitical Stakes: The new pope must navigate tensions with China, economic stress in the Vatican, and global church diplomacy.
- Asia and Africa Rising: These regions are home to growing Catholic populations and more vocations.
- Spiritual Unity Sought: Despite geographic and cultural diversity, cardinals share a mission to unify and inspire the Church.
- Voting Begins Wednesday: The conclave opens in the Sistine Chapel with secret ballots under Michelangelo’s Last Judgment.
- Two-Thirds Majority Required: A candidate must secure 89 votes to win; multiple rounds may be needed.
- Guided by the Spirit: Many cardinals believe divine influence plays a role in their decision.
Cardinals Prioritize Credibility in Next Pope Beyond Race and Region
Deep Look
As the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel prepares for the solemn ritual of conclave, 133 cardinals from around the world are grappling with a decision that will shape the future of the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church. At the heart of their task is not just whether the next pope will come from Asia, Africa, or Latin America, but how that leader will address mounting crises of credibility, relevance, and unity.
A Church in Crisis
The Church’s moral authority has been battered in recent years by decades-long sexual abuse scandals, financial mismanagement, and an increasing exodus from organized religion, especially in Europe. In places like Germany, formal church exits are becoming common, with many citing abuse and disillusionment.
Cardinal William Goh of Singapore summed up the challenge: “We need a superman… someone who can show the Church as a face of love, joy, and hope to young people.”
Yet cardinals are not only choosing a spiritual shepherd—they are selecting someone to run a vast, bureaucratic institution facing financial strain and diplomatic complexity.
Global Growth, Local Relevance
While Europe remains the administrative center of Catholicism, the Church’s growth is clearly in Africa and Asia. Asia, where Catholics make up just 3.3% of the population, is seeing a rise in vocations and interest. Africa’s numbers are even more striking, with over 20% of its population identifying as Catholic—and growing.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines is widely seen as a contender, symbolizing Asia’s rising influence. The Rev. Robert Reyes, a seminary classmate of Tagle, noted, “Asia is ripe for evangelization and the harvest of vocations.”
Cardinal Oswald Gracias of India echoed the importance of cultural representation. “The Asian Church has much to give to the world,” he said. Though no longer a voter at 80, Gracias’ views reflect the sentiment of Asia’s 23 cardinal-electors, the second-largest bloc after Europe.
African Influence
Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu of Congo emphasized that his vote transcends regional concerns. “I am here for the universal Church,” he said.
Still, Africa’s 20% Catholic share and swelling number of vocations give its electors significant weight. In total, the conclave is the most geographically diverse in Church history, potentially favoring a more globally representative leader.
The China Dilemma
The next pope will also inherit tricky relations with China. In 2018, Pope Francis reached a provisional agreement with Beijing on appointing bishops, a move widely criticized by conservatives as a betrayal of underground Catholics loyal to Rome. Whether Francis’ successor will continue this policy—or renegotiate—will have lasting implications for the Church’s position in Asia.
Behind the Vatican Walls
Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco of Algeria voiced concern over the short time available to build rapport among the cardinals. Still, he said many strong candidates had emerged. “Every day, I say to myself, ‘Ah! Oh my God! There we have it!’”
Cardinals will begin voting Wednesday afternoon, starting with a single ballot and continuing with four ballots per day until someone garners the required two-thirds majority (89 votes).
They’ll vote under Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment,” a visual reminder of the gravity of their choice. The ballots, burned after each vote, produce either black smoke (no decision) or white smoke (a new pope).
Guided by Faith
Beyond politics and demographics, many cardinals believe their decision is ultimately guided by the Holy Spirit. Still, as the late Pope Benedict XVI once famously said, “Probably the only assurance [the Holy Spirit] offers is that the thing cannot be totally ruined.”
That candid perspective underscores the monumental nature of the conclave. As cardinals look for a leader to face both eternal and modern pressures, the next pope will need to be a diplomat, a reformer, a spiritual father, and a global leader all at once.
The Church’s future may well depend on finding someone who can balance tradition with transformation—no matter where he is from
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