WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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AUTHOR: M.J. GDNUS
The death of Pope Francis, announced this morning, has sparked speculation about his successor, who will be known when white smoke rises from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel after a complex and secretive selection process.
Given the nature of the cardinal appointments that Pope Francis made during his reign, it is expected that the new pope will also be from outside Europe, and that he will be another progressive, who opposes the conservative wing of the Roman Catholic Church, writes Reuters.
Among the potential candidates for the new pope are Archbishop of Marseille Jean-Marc Avelin (66) from France, Cardinal Peter Erdo (72) from Hungary, Cardinal Mario Grech (68) from Malta, Cardinal Pietro Parolin (70) from Italy, Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle (67) from the Philippines, Cardinal Joseph Tobin (72) from Newark in the United States, Cardinal Peter Kodwo Turkson (76) originally from Ghana, Archbishop of Bologna Matteo Maria Cupi (69)…
Three cardinals are favorites:
Peter Erdo
Among the conservatives, Hungarian Cardinal and Archbishop of Erdelj from Budapest – Peter Erdo stands out. He is considered the main candidate of the right wing of the Church. “They appreciate him because he is an exceptionally good expert on canon law,” says Vatican expert Edward Pentin, author of The Next Pope: The Main Cardinal Candidates. “For many faithful Catholics, he represents a stable choice, who would return the Church to a firmer foundation after a period of more liberal reforms.”
Luis Antonio Tagle
On the other hand, the liberal wing of the Church sees hope in Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines, who many call the “Asian Francis” for his cheerful spirit and open-mindedness. If elected, he would be the first pope from Asia in history. He is known for his modesty – as a bishop he did not use an official car, but took public transport to work.
He was once considered a favorite of Pope Francis, and now heads the important Vatican office for evangelization. Although he is still relatively young, this could be an obstacle for him – cardinals are sometimes wary of electing a younger pope, as his pontificate could last for decades, thus depriving others of the chance to take their turn.
Pietro Parolin
The current Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, is also among the leading candidates. His diplomatic reputation has grown particularly during the war in Ukraine, where the Vatican has tried to impose itself as a neutral mediator.
“He is a brilliant diplomat,” says Father Thomas Rees, an American priest and Vatican analyst. “He was a key figure behind many of Pope Francis’ foreign policy moves.” But his reputation has been tarnished by a scandal involving the purchase of a luxury London property, in which the Vatican lost millions of euros. The trial is still ongoing and could cast a shadow over his eventual reign.
138 cardinals to elect pope
The election process will take place after Pope Francis is buried, and the new head will be chosen by secret ballot by members of the conclave, which, after the death or resignation of the pope, is open to cardinals under the age of 80.
Until a new pope is elected, the College of Cardinals governs the Roman Catholic Church.
The complex vote will reveal whether the current cardinals, most of whom were appointed by Pope Francis, believe that his embrace of liberal social values and his progressive reform agenda have gone too far or whether a period of retreat is needed.
The cardinals will set the date for the start of the conclave after they start arriving in Rome in the coming days.
The Catholic Church currently has 252 cardinals, of which 138 are under the age of 80, that is, with the right to vote. As many as 109 cardinals with the right to vote were appointed by Pope Francis, 22 by his predecessor Benedict, and five by Pope John Paul II.
Most of the cardinals for centuries were Italian, except during the period when the seat of the papacy was in Avignon - between 1309 and 1377, when many were French.
Although Europe still has the largest share of voting cardinals - about three percent, this is down from 52 percent in 2013, when Pope Francis became the first Latin American head of the Catholic Church. The second largest group of selectors comes from Asia and Oceania, with around 20 percent.
