All eyes on Vatican as conclave starts to pick next pope

All eyes on Vatican as conclave starts to pick next pope

As cardinals convene this week inside the Sistine Chapel to choose a new pope, the Roman Catholic Church is at a critical juncture. This conclave, the largest in the history of the Church, brings together cardinals from a greater number of countries than ever, a testament to Pope Francis's work to universalise the Church's leadership and welcome the "peripheries" of the Catholic world.

The future pope will be inheriting a divided, complicated world institution—growing fast in Africa and Asia but struggling with steep secular decline in the West, clerical abuse scandals, and ideological conflict between progressives and conservatives within its own ranks, the Washington Post reported.

A more global church than ever before

When Francis, the first pope from the Americas, was elected in 2013, he led by prioritising inclusivity and engagement with the regions for so long regarded as on the periphery of the European centre of Catholicism. During his papacy, the African Catholics expanded to more than 280 million, and the Asian Church became more prominent.

That changing demographic is also seen in the College of Cardinals. Several of the 130 cardinal-electors—those voting members—were appointed by Francis and come from such countries as the Philippines, Myanmar, Congo, and Ghana. Almost two dozen countries have representation for the first time at a conclave.

"I had to dash to my atlas every time Francis named new cardinals," New York's Cardinal Timothy Dolan joked recently. "That's his legacy—no region unrepresented."

Reform or return?

The course of the Church is in the balance. Francis's papacy welcomed progressive causes—climate action, mercy towards LGBTQ+ individuals and migrants, and a more open tone. But his critics argue that his reforms did not go far enough, particularly on women's roles within the Church. In Europe, Catholics have demanded more profound change, while bishops in Africa and some areas of Asia have resisted perceived liberalisation.

That tension might determine the course of the conclave. The top progressive contender from Asia is Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines, who has a reputation as an inclusive rhetorician and someone close to Francis's pastoral approach. The other contender, Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Myanmar, offers a voice from a continent where Catholics are a tiny but influential minority.

Across from them are traditionalist African cardinals such as Robert Sarah of Guinea and Peter Turkson of Ghana, doctrinally conservative but fervently invested in matters of poverty and ecological justice.

New pope, old challenges

Whomever is elected, the new pope will face enormous challenges: mending trust after decades of sex abuse scandals, halting the decline of followers in Europe and Latin America, and navigating political turmoil in nations such as Ukraine, Congo, and Myanmar.

As the cardinals meet in secret, the world will look up to the chimney on the Vatican for the white smoke announcing a choice. Whomever it is who comes out, they will confront a Church tugged in all directions—still ensconced in Rome, but whose spiritual power and horizon may lie well outside of Europe.