(ZENIT News / Rome, 01.05.20250.- Following is Part III of this article to reflect further on the profile of the next Pope from public statements of Cardinals.
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The members of the Conclave represent very distant countries. Until a few decades ago, their number was smaller, and there was more contact between them. The diversity of origins and cultures shares the common foundation of a common faith and doctrine, which facilitates understanding and agreement. ZENIT offers commentaries on this diversity to facilitate exploration of the points of view that will emerge at the Conclave.
The Argentine Catholic News Agency reported on statements from Cardinal Vicente Bokalic, Archbishop of Santiago del Estero and Primate of the Church in Argentina, in his comments in Rome on April 26 regarding the meetings for the Conclave’s preparation. He noted that many of the Cardinals participating in the Conclave did not know each other: «The meetings that will begin this Monday [April 28, ed.] will allow us to prepare for the Conclave. It is true that there have already been Congregations.»
Regarding the election of the new Pontiff, he believes that «we need to continue working on the processes» initiated by Francis, referring to the reactions of the people during the Pope’s funeral. «The expressions during the sermon (at the funeral) show that the people felt understood, or, rather, [that they] embraced Pope Francis’ message as their own. There, the applause erupted spontaneously, a sign of what Francis sowed and what has deeply resonated in the hearts of the people.»
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster in London, spoke to several local and regional BBC radio stations on the eve of Pope Francis’s funeral on April 25. He highlighted Pope Francis’s great visual gestures: his human heart, his connection to all people, and his enormous contribution to the Church. «Pope Francis spoke to our humanity; he spoke to us as human beings. He wanted us to be truly great in what makes us ‘great,’ which is generosity, compassion, and the conviction to serve the poorest and try to equalize things, to create a way of life that suits human beings. I think that’s the best thing he ever achieved.»
Cardinal Nichols suggested that the Church should strive for unity and downplayed divisions. «The Pope’s role is essentially to keep us united, and that is the grace we have received from God.»
For his part, Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, Archbishop Emeritus of Madrid and a prominent figure in the Spanish Church, asked that the future Pontiff maintain doctrinal continuity and follow the example of his predecessors, in an April 2 interview with the newspaper ABC, he referred to the need to look to the Second Vatican Council as a key element for understanding the recent evolution of the Church.
Cardinal Rouco defended the Argentine Pope for not breaking with his predecessors and for linking his pontificate to that of Benedict XVI through his encyclicals. «There is a connection between Benedict’s first encyclical and Francis’s last, both centered on the Heart of Christ.» He also hopes «that the new Pope will faithfully continue the great magisterial, disciplinary, apostolic, and pastoral tradition.»
Regarding the future of the Church’s leadership, Cardinal Rouco differentiated between civil functions and those linked to apostolic succession. «The power of the Church does not come from the faithful; it is a ministry. Jurisdiction can only be exercised by those who have received the Sacrament of Holy Orders.»
Cardinal Rouco’s ideal profile of the next Pontiff is found in the Gospels, for his role is to confirm the faith, build on the rock of Peter, and shepherd the People of God. «Then he will be a great Pope.»
He demonstrated the religious essence of the Conclave, ruling out drama. «We enter praying in silence. We vote and then we return to [Casa] Santa Marta. It’s not a parliament.» The Cardinal commented that, in the face of speculation or external and ideological pressures, he recalled the true mission of the Electors: «No one thinks of anything other than electing a good shepherd, a Pope who will help proclaim Christ and save souls.»
Cardinal Reinhard Marx, Archbishop of Munich and Freising in Germany, was asked about the possibility of an Italian Pope being elected. «Everything is open,» he said in a press conference on April 26.
He pointed out that the challenge is not between conservatives and progressives, but between those who will be able to combine credibility, communication, and a capacity for dialogue with a rapidly changing world. «We need a person who knows how to speak to people, who has a global vision, and who is capable of powerfully conveying the importance of the Gospel.»
Cardinal Marx also noted that the memory of Pope Francis’s charisma should continue in the wake of credibility and reform with the Successor.
The Mexican newspaper Milenio interviewed Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega of Guadalajara on April 26, in which the Cardinal stated that the challenge for the new Pope and for the Church is to maintain the message of peace that Pope Francis spread.
In addition he stated that the Successor of Pope Francis will be chosen by the Holy Spirit. And he affirmed that he is very clear that he will not be a candidate and that he will return to Guadalajara as a Cardinal.
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