New Pope Elected: A Turning Point for the Catholic Church
Thick white smoke billowed from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, signaling to the world that the Roman Catholic Church has a new pope. The smoke was met with loud applause from the thousands of pilgrims and tourists waiting in St. Peter's Square. This sign indicates that one of the 133 cardinals inside the chapel obtained the necessary two-thirds majority required for a conclave, a secretive, centuries-old ritual of electing a new pontiff.
In confirmation of the conclave's conclusion, the bells of St. Peter's Basilica rang out. The pope was chosen on the second day of voting after the fourth ballot, although his identity was not immediately revealed. When Jorge Bergoglio was elected as Pope Francis in March 2013, his identity was disclosed about 45 minutes after the white smoke when he appeared on the balcony above St. Peter's Square.
Francis passed away at the age of 88 in April, and his successor was selected quickly, especially considering the large number of cardinals participating in the conclave. The vast majority of these cardinals were chosen by Francis himself, reflecting a global outreach. Some analysts suggest this could imply that the new pope will adopt a similar outlook and continue Francis's work; however, there's no guarantee, particularly as many of the new cardinals represent countries with conservative social attitudes that contradict Francis's progressive style of papacy.
Francis had a contentious relationship with conservative cardinals due to his compassion for migrants, openness towards LGBTQ Catholics, and his vigorous calls for action on climate change. Before the conclave commenced, frontrunners included Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's Secretary of State; Luis Antonio Tagle, a reformer from the Philippines; and Péter Erdő, a traditionalist from Hungary. The old papal election adage, 'He who enters the conclave as pope leaves it as a cardinal,' rings true, as few frontrunners at the start make it through the successive voting rounds. Francis himself was not among the frontrunners when he was elected in 2013.
During pre-conclave meetings, the cardinals acknowledged that the new pope must act as a bridge and guide for a disoriented humanity, especially given the current global crises. Various significant issues impacting the church were discussed during these meetings, including evangelization, the Vatican's finances, clerical sexual abuse, global conflicts, and service to the poor and migrants.
One of the new pope's top priorities will be to strengthen the church's unity amid differing views and expectations within the institution, as well as the rising polarization in the broader world. Observers warn of the potential for schism after two decades in which there have been popes representing starkly different ends of the ecclesiastical spectrum: the traditional conservative Benedict XVI and the liberal progressive Francis.
A crucial area for healing will be within the U.S. Catholic Church, where Pope Francis was a polarizing figure. Various U.S. bishops openly support Donald Trump, while others are troubled by his policies and rhetoric. An early visit to the United States might be high on the new pope's agenda.
The pontiff holds significant influence on the international stage, an essential role in preventing religion from becoming a divisive fault line. He will have to navigate ongoing global conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Sudan, alongside politically charged issues such as migration, the climate crisis, religious freedom, and human rights.
The legacy of sexual abuse continues to cast a long shadow over the papacy of Francis. His initial response was slow, and he struggled to grasp the scale and systemic nature of this issue. The pain and anger of survivors remain unresolved, and the new pope's approach will undoubtedly be under intense scrutiny.
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