Pope Francis’ emphasis on reaching out to the Catholic Church and the “periphery” of the world will bring together to choose a new Pope to create the most diverse collection of church leaders in history.
According to Mary Fiorito, a specialist in the Pope election and a senior fellow at the Catholic Association, this could mean that the next Pope will have a very different priority than the late Pope.
Francis chose about 80% of the 135 church leaders (called the Cardinals).
As a result, instead of being dominated by European and even Western Cardinals, the Conclave has large conditions from regions such as Africa and Asia.
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On Monday, April 21, 2025, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he follows the announcement of the Vatican’s death, and he worships as a youth, as a youth, and has a portrait of the late Francis of the late Francis, who died. (Gustavo Garello/AP)
“This will be the most diverse conclave in the history of the church,” Fiorito said.
However, this diversity can spell out a departure from some of the critical focuses of Francis’s Ponty Fiction. For example, his “sinodality,” a gathering of small groups from around the world to discuss issues of theology and church practice.
Fiorito is looking at the next conclave. She said it will begin on May 5th as a question of whether the next Pope will continue Francis’ legacy or shift the church’s focus to issues such as persecution and poverty, which are key issues in countries such as Nigeria, Pakistan and India.
According to a report by the International Religious Freedom Watchdog, Nigeria, where approximately half of the population is Christian, killed 3,100 Christians and 2,830 were lured in 2024. Open door.
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Pope Francis will bless Angelus’ blessings on Sunday to Casa Santa Malta in Vatican City on November 26th, 2023. (Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)
In this sense, Fiorito predicted that the African Cardinals, which are currently forming key voting blocks in the Conclave, would play a major role in selecting the next Pope.
She explained that African churches have very different priorities, and that they are largely shaped by the reality of rapid growth, coupled with intense persecution.
“We are worried about things like climate change and they are not burning in churches,” she explained. “They don’t sit at these tables for 10 to discuss great ideas. They just want their kids to get to school without shooting, and they can pay rent this month.”
This will bring a desire to equally respect African churches and choose a pope from the West to stand up against “ideological colonization” with concepts such as climate change, abortion, and gender ideology.
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Ghana’s Cardinal Peter Kodow Appia Turkson is waiting to trade Pope Francis for Christmas greetings at Clementina Hall in Vatican City on December 21, 2013. (Franco Origlia/Vatican Pool/Getty Images)
“The African Cardinals are very sensitive to this kind of ideological colonization that is not colonized in the traditional way, but Western ideas are coming in and trying to change African culture with Western ideas without first listening to people,” she said.
With this in mind, Fiorito pointed out Peter Eldo of Hungary. He is young enough to be chosen at the age of 71, and is considered by many to be “John Paul Y type of personality.” He is respected by both Pope Francis’ conference camp and by the bishops of Africa.
Another candidate, Fiorito, said it could “fill the gap” between different worlds. However, Fiorito pointed out that Prevost may be unlikely if Cardinals “doesn’t want to concentrate much of the world’s power in the United States.”
Fiorito also predicted issues of modernity and tradition, which spelled out some of the most important controversies of Francis’ Pope era in the West.
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At the beginning of the Conclave on April 18, 2005, the Cardinals walk towards the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican. (Osservatore Romano via AP)
She said that amid a general decline in Western faith, there have been palpable changes in young people who accepted more traditional forms of worship in churches, such as traditional Latin Mass.
“That’s where 20-somethings gather,” she said. “In a world where there is so much crudeness and vulgarity, you have here that is timeless and just transports you to another world.”
Nevertheless, she said that the issue of traditional Latin mass is “a niche liturgical issue and I don’t think it will have much of an impact.”
Fiorito pointed out that unlike political elections, the next Pope’s choice was not about a set of issues or policies, but instead about the man himself.
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The Catholic Church Cards will attend the election conclave of the Sistine Chapel, held at the Vatican on April 18, 2005. (Vatican pool, Arturomali)
“We don’t express it from the perspective of the problem, as if we were talking about the economy or migration. We look at individual men and ask ourselves, who can best serve this moment and who is the best person to take on this international role?” she said.
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“The role of the Holy Father is to be central to the Church in preaching the message and the gospel,” continued Fiorito. “So it looks at the individual people, their strengths, their weaknesses, their backgrounds, their limits they may have. And in a truly, very prayerful way, what does the Church need now in the new Pope?”
“My senses,” she continued, “Cardigraphies today are not only in their own backyards, but also in the world, “Who can move the church forward in this new era?”
