Top 10 Papabile (Pope-To-Be) After Pope Francis
Well, it may be too early to say who could be the next Pope after Pope Francis, but here are the prospects.
-
Cardinal Robert Sarah
Sarah's dedication to the true teachings of the Roman Catholic Church is needed in a time when the Church is under attack for her stances on same-sex marriage, abortion, divorce, etc. The Church needs someone who will unashamedly stand up for her.
A holy man who is a Christian first and a humanist afterward - in other words, he has his priorities right. He is also wise and a good communicator.
Solid conservative. Speaks the faith loudly and clearly. The Church needs his leadership now more than ever.
-
Cardinal Luis Tagle
For years, Tagle has been shortlisted as a front-runner to be the next pope, having been dubbed the "Asian Francis" for his emphasis on caring for the poor, his desire to soften the way the Church speaks of LGBTQ individuals and divorced and remarried people, and his overall missionary spirit.
Laughs and cries with his sheep. He will definitely be tough on issues like the sex scandal agitating America.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle is from the Philippines and is one of the youngest cardinals. He is tipped as a top contender.
-
Cardinal Christoph Schönborn
Tagle is too young and too emotional (laughs and weeps too much). He needs therapy to correct that. Parolin is not charismatic. O'Malley is too serious. The best option: Schönborn. He has an excellent personality, is very bright, and speaks several languages, including very good French. He also has a profound theological background as a Dominican. Problem: He was recently (May 2019) operated on for prostate cancer.
The most likely European candidate who isn't Italian.
Probably ruled out due to health problems.
-
Cardinal Pietro Parolin
From Italy. He is one of the youngest Cardinals from Italy, and this time Italy would really want an Italian Pope.
I love this man. So charismatic. With him as Pope, I believe people would flood to the Catholic Church.
I would want a more conservative pope, but with fresh ideas on making the Church appeal more to young people, primarily through new arrangements in the music.
-
Cardinal Blase J. Cupich
We need a good and holy man from the United States of America to be the Holy Father.
-
Cardinal Vinko Puljić
A hidden treasure of the Church.
He is one of the oldest-serving Cardinals from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
-
Guido Marini
Marini is quite young, and his pontificate would therefore be a long one. He is a brilliant and practical man. One question in my mind is how strong he is, and another is whether he has a good historical, not hysterical, outlook on Vatican II and the need for clarification or correction in several documents. Finally, would he renew Pope Benedict's Motu Proprio on the ancient liturgy, which actually precedes the Council of Trent? I find him quite articulate, and I have a hunch that he would make a great Pope. He is a wise man.
He didn't get the call to Genoa in the end, but Turin is a strong possibility. His profile is even stronger now following his masterful Holy Week liturgies during the coronavirus.
-
Cardinal Raymond Burke
It is time we had a pope of unity, who cares for all Catholics, not just a few. We need a pope who will worship Jesus, Our God and King, and who loves the Holy and Blessed Trinity and Our Lord in His Eucharistic Sacrifice and Sacred Species.
He would be a terrific Pope, I think. I hope he can be as dynamic as he is orthodox, especially in the area of the sacred liturgy.
We need someone to reverse the downward slide of the Church under Francis.
-
Archbishop Lauro Tisi
He is rebuilding his diocese brick by brick. He will bring a springtime of spiritual renewal to Italy and the world.
A courageous priest who has stood up against mafia corruption. He would clean up the Vatican.
He turned around the finances of his diocese. We could use his financial probity in Rome!
-
Cardinal Konrad Krajewski
A modest, selfless man combining a pastoral focus with a fine liturgical sensibility.
He is basically Francis bis. He will focus on truly important things like poverty and the environment.
Strongly identified with the positive aspects of the current papacy.
-
?
Bishop Joseph Strickland
-
?
Rev. Joseph Mwongela
-
Cardinal Peter Erdo
The next Pope to be is Peter Cardinal Erdo.
-
Cardinal Sean O'Malley
No other Cardinal could have the trust of the people on the sex abuse crisis like O'Malley. He is a man accepted by both the left and the right.
-
Cardinal Peter Turkson
-
Bishop Athanasius Schneider
A man who has survived communism and knows what it is all about. A holy man who will get the Church back on track.
-
Cardinal Vincent Nichols
-
Cardinal Angelo Scola
-
Cardinal Willem EIjk
-
Cardinal Albert Malcolm Ranjith
True Catholic leader who is fighting for justice for his people after the Easter Day attack, which resulted in 207 deaths and many disabled people. He also speaks for the rights of the Sri Lankan people against the corrupt government and politics in Sri Lanka. He is the one and only religious leader who is directly challenging the corrupt government in Sri Lanka.
-
Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard
He is from France.
-
Archbishop Sérgio da Rocha
From Brazil. Age is on his side. We never know.
-
Cardinal Thomas Collins
If elected Pope, Cardinal Thomas Collins would bring together the whole Church, including the Curia and all the landmasses where the Catholic faithful reside.
Cardinal Thomas Collins will bring the whole Church back to the practice of the Scriptures.
He would eliminate the present and devastating confusion.
-
Rev. James Martin
-
Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung
This would be an absolute surprise. He is from South Korea.
-
Fr. William Joensen
I will vote for Fr. William Joensen.
-
Bishop Paolo Rudelli