ROME CONCLAVE 2025
Bloggers note : this is the my First Blog post in the choosing (electing) of a new Pope May 2025,
after The Holy See being vacated ...
656,255 April 30th 2025
As the Church prepares to choose its next leader, unexpected tension is rising behind closed doors. Some of Pope Francis's closest allies are beginning to face pressure as discussions intensify and divisions quietly emerge. What’s really happening inside the Vatican? Who are the frontrunners—and what does this mean for the future of the Church?
TRANSCRIPT
the air within the ancient walls of the Vatican has grown thick with tension though invisible to the eye of the
ordinary faithful a profound and uncompromising struggle is unfolding behind closed doors one that could forever reshape the heart and soul of the Catholic Church this is not merely a discussion of doctrine or a debate over tradition versus progress it is a quiet storm of strategic maneuvering whispered alliances and carefully chosen public statements each layered with meaning powerful forces some aligned with the legacy of Pope Francis and others seeking a radical return to centuries old orthodoxy are now moving with increasing urgency the temperature within the Curia has risen and with it the stakes what once simmered beneath the surface has now reached a boiling point with both sides aware that the decisions made in the coming weeks will echo for generations outside the faithful may still gather in silent prayer or attend mass in the tranquil beauty of churches untouched by the visible chaos but within the Vatican's corridors every step is deliberate every word calculated those who supported the progressive reforms initiated by Pope Francis his emphasis on inclusion mercy and ecological justice now sense that the tide may be turning there is unease among them a quiet fear that the opposition long described as traditionalist has found new momentum this group once fragmented is now cohesive bold and highly organized what was once a philosophical difference has become a battle for influence played out through subtle gestures and behindthe-scenes diplomacy and while the faithful may see only headlines the true drama is unfolding in hushed tones and knowing glances among men in scarlet robes though the formal gathering of the cardinals what we call the conclave is scheduled for May 7th those closest to the action know the real maneuvering has already begun the so-called pre-conclave phase is where alliances are formed reputations tested and loyalties measured cardinals from every corner of the globe have converged on Rome not simply to fulfill a ceremonial duty but to help steer the future of the church in the days leading up to the conclave they participate in what are known as general congregation sessions where all cardinals regardless of voting eligibility gather to discuss the challenges facing the church it is here in these meetings that the real temperature of the room can be felt promises are whispered hopes exchanged and candid reflection shared for many this is the stage where the outcome is shaped long before ballots are cast in the cyine chapel one cannot ignore the numerical weight Pope Francis leaves behind of the 135 cardinals who hold the sacred right to vote 108 were appointed by him that figure alone suggests a clear path forward for those wishing to maintain his vision but politics especially within the church is rarely so simple while numbers matter so does conviction and among those 108 are varying shades of ideology loyalty and personal belief some may have pledged allegiance to the Pope's mission upon appointment but years of shifting tides and new challenges may have quietly altered their stance others remain loyal to the letter and spirit of Francis's leadership the rest they are watching waiting and weighing what future they wish to be part of canon law provides another layer to this unfolding moment even those cardinals over the age of 80 though barred from voting still retain a voice during these general congregations they can speak advise and help determine the shape of the conclave itself this is no small detail it's precisely why figures like Cardinal Joseph Zen a man of profound courage and conviction have made the arduous journey to Rome at 93 years of age and having faced persecution under a hostile regime in Hong Kong he arrived not in protest but in duty his presence is not symbolic it is a living testament to the gravity of what is taking place when such men cross continents at great personal cost we must understand something far more serious than politics is at play amidst this already tense atmosphere the situation became even more dramatic with the unexpected withdrawal of Cardinal Angelo Beexu from participating in the conclave this was not a quiet resignation nor a humble stepping aside according to reports Beexu had every intention of casting his vote an act both lawful and anticipated yet he was presented with a mysterious letter allegedly signed by Pope Francis himself and delivered by Cardinal Perilin the letter lacked a date was shrouded in ambiguity and arrived with questionable timing though the details remain unclear Beexu stepped back citing the good of the church but observers close to the scene could sense something else the unmistakable scent of a backroom arrangement in a conclave this politically charged even silence speaks volumes such developments cast a long shadow over what should be a deeply spiritual process when decisions begin to resemble negotiations when sacred spaces become arenas of power one must ask what truly motivates these actions is it the call to serve the people of God or is it the preservation of an internal system that now fears scrutiny more than it fears defeat for many Beexu's exit felt less like a resignation and more like a tactical sacrifice a calculated move to protect greater interests from being exposed under the spotlight of the conclave and in this unfolding drama perception becomes as powerful as truth even outside the solemn halls of the Vatican the signals continue every public appearance every lurggical garment every chosen word seems to be part of a broader message one such moment came when Cardinal Javanni Puin chose to celebrate a recent mass wearing the same miter and ornate headdress previously worn by Pope Francis it was a quiet gesture yet unmistakably loaded with symbolism in this deeply visual faith where every symbol carries centuries of meaning such a choice is never accidental soon after Cardinal Parilin made a striking statement urging Catholics around the world to embrace and carry forward the legacy of Pope Francis without hesitation to some it sounded like a call for unity to others it felt like a challenge to those wishing to chart a different course what we are witnessing is not simply a leadership transition it is a spiritual crossroads for the largest Christian institution on earth the conclave may still be days away but the soul of the church is already being tested will the next chapter honor the path laid by Francis or will it signal a dramatic turn toward older traditions and stricter lines no one can say with certainty but one thing is clear the coming weeks will define not just a new pope but a new era when Cardinal Paralin spoke at the recent liturgy his words resonated far beyond the solemn walls in which they were uttered this was not simply a tribute to a departed pontiff nor a customary homage expected from a highranking prellet no there was something far deeper more deliberate in his tone a call to absolute adherence he did not present Pope Francis's legacy as one open to reflection or dialogue but rather as a fixed line of continuity that must be embraced without question this is not a suggestion his tone implied this is the path his appeal lacked nuance it was firm authoritative and final there was no room left for debate discernment or alternative perspectives what he projected as unity others interpreted as a command but for those within the church who still uphold the traditional census phi the deeprooted instinct of the faithful handed down through centuries this wasn't a beacon of hope but a signal flare of danger to them the legacy being championed was not a treasure to be honored but a burden born of doctrinal ambiguity moral ambiguity and what they perceived as wounds inflicted upon the sacred liturgy perilin often described as the Vatican's most strategically placed power broker carries himself with the confidence of someone accustomed to navigating the church's most delicate power corridors he presides over ceremonies steers discussions and walks through St peters like a man who already knows how history will remember him but beneath the rehearsed smile and composed demeanor lies a silent tension one that even the most polished of appearances cannot entirely mask for while his influence is undeniable and his proximity to the late pontiff gives him considerable sway the ground beneath his feet is far from stable the reformist wing may dominate in numbers on official paper but the mood within the curia tells another story beneath the surface the atmosphere has shifted the numerical majority enjoyed by those created under Francis's papacy is real yes but it does not guarantee unonymity of thought many of these cardinals though publicly respectful of the modernist agenda are more measured and conservative in private the dramatic gestures and pastoral innovations of the previous decade once met with enthusiasm are now being weighed with sobering reflection the term most whispered in hushed Vatican corridors is no longer continuity but unity and this shift in language marks a deeper shift in direction it is not a call for blind agreement but for a reconciliation rooted in eternal truths not a superficial togetherness but a return to foundations unity born not from institutional alignment but from Christ himself and this more than anathemas or critiques is what deeply unsettles the progressive circle they know that unity built upon truth could very well unravel what some perceive as a carefully constructed experiment the transformation of the church from a sacred vessel of salvation into something resembling a religious humanitarian agency more focused on social harmony than divine transcendence the looming election of the next pontiff therefore cannot be dismissed as an ordinary administrative step it is nothing less than a spiritual crossroads a contest not just of names but of worldviews on one side stands the enduring faith of the apostles anchored in centuries of unbroken tradition and on the other the fluid ideologies of modern times that seek to accommodate rather than confront this moment unfolding quietly yet urgently within the walls of the Vatican is not just a turning point in church governance it is a cosmic moment a test of fidelity to eternal truths versus the allure of present-day trends and while the ley watch and pray many voices on the inside especially those without voting power are working just as diligently behind the scenes to shape the outcome among those figures is Cardinal Walter Casper long known for his intellectual contributions and for championing a theology of mercy that to critics sometimes veered too close to permissiveness for many Casper's interpretation of compassion seemed to blur the lines between love and tolerance of sin without any official authority in this conclave he nevertheless remains active making statements with boldness and intention in a recent interview Casper stunned many by claiming that the people of God have already spoken he cited the massive turnout at Pope Francis's funeral and the growing number of pilgrims visiting his tomb as signs of an invisible plebbeite according to him these gestures from the faithful were not merely emotional farewells but expressions of allegiance but to many who listened this statement seemed less like an observation and more like an assertion of moral inevitability as though the next pope must follow in Francis's footsteps simply because of public sentiment this raises a deeper question about the nature of leadership within the church is the papacy to be determined by popular acclaim or by divine inspiration through the prayerful discernment of the cardinals should the sheer number of mourners or the popularity of a pontiff guide the selection of his successor or should the process remain deeply spiritual seeking the will of God beyond optics and headlines these are the questions now stirring in the minds of those both inside and outside the cyine chapel and they are not easily answered what's unfolding is not a referendum but a reckoning a confrontation between two conceptions of the church one that sees itself as evolving in step with the world and another that sees itself as a light that must never dim even if it stands alone against the current of modern culture and in the background the faithful priests religious and lay people alike wait and watch their hearts lifted in prayer hoping the Holy Spirit will guide the outcome not according to men's desires but to heaven's plan to suggest that the global faithful have unanimously embraced a re-imagined church one that departs from long-held teachings in the name of inclusivity and modern relevance would be not only premature but profoundly misleading for those who listen not to surveys or applause but to the whispers of the faithful in pews and the confessions of the brokenhearted a different reality is clear there has been no great consultation of the flock no collective voice has been asked whether it wishes to see sacred doctrines softened age-old liturgies altered or the line between sin and love blurred the narrative being crafted by some that overwhelming support exists for blessings of unions once considered doctrinally disordered or for reinterpretations of moral theology is to many observers a tragic distortion it is a thesis that would be laughable were it not so grave because what is at stake is not public opinion or institutional branding it is the soul of the church the push back has not remained confined to murmurss or private discussions it reached a dramatic turning point when Cardinal Ghart Mueller a theologian of great stature and former prefect of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith offered a strikingly candid critique in an international interview speaking to the New York Times with remarkable boldness Mueller did not mince words he drew a harsh comparison likening Pope Francis's leadership style to that of a dictator one who rather than unify deliberately sews division it is his style to divide Mueller declared all dictators divide these words heavy with meaning echoed far beyond the printed page they sliced through the diplomatic pleasantries and ecclesial courtesies exposing what many had long whispered behind closed doors that beneath the warm embrace of cidality and dialogue some saw a reign that marginalized disscent sidelined tradition and redrew the map of orthodoxy without consensus it was not just a personal attack it was a condemnation of a vision mueller's words painted a bleak portrait of a church where unity was no longer rooted in shared truth but enforced conformity where those who clung to the ancient rights the Gregorian chants the sacred silence of the trident mass were branded obstacles to progress rather than faithful stewards of a heritage and so beneath the language of accompaniment many felt abandoned beneath the banner of mercy they saw judgment what was once a dream of unity they argue has instead become a memory of rupture as a result something subtle yet seismic is now taking place those who once proudly waved the flag of ecclesial unity especially those aligned with Pope Francis's vision are beginning to shift their rhetoric where once unity was the cornerstone of every speech and document it is now slowly being replaced by a celebration of diversity often untethered from truth the ideal of one faith one baptism one voice resounding in harmony is giving way to a patchwork of theological interpretations and pastoral accommodations for some this represents the church embracing the complexity of the modern world for others it signals the unraveling of identity a surrender of the church's unique light to the flickering torches of cultural trends in the minds of many traditional Catholics this is not true diversity it is disarray unity in its deepest sense must be built upon something unchanging it is not forged in compromise but in conviction and when truth becomes secondary to inclusivity the resulting tapestry may be colorful but it loses its coherence for the defenders of tradition what they see now is not the church of Peter boldly proclaiming the gospel but an institution cautiously reshaping its image to fit a world that often rejects its core message this to them is not progress it is peril and this is precisely why voices like Cardinal Walter Casper's grow louder the louder the declarations the more evident the fear behind them when Casper and other modernist theologians insist that the reforms ushered in by Pope Francis are irreversible it is not out of confidence but out of concern their repeated emphasis on the permanence of these changes is not a victory chant it is a defensive mantra deep down they sense the ground shifting they know that the church with its long memory and slow but resolute course has seen many waves of reform many seasons of change and it has always returned to the bedrock of its faith when storms passed in this moment of heightened tension two contrasting visions now stand clearly in opposition and the line between them grows sharper with each passing day one camp clings to a theology of adaptation of cultural resonance of reshaping the church's face to match the contours of the age the other calls for a return to the sacred to that which transcends time to the mysteries that formed saints and sustained martyrs this is no longer a mere internal disagreement over policy it is an existential struggle for the very soul of the church and so the faithful wait sensing that what comes next will not merely be a new chapter it could very well be a new direction in the Vatican's marble halls and whispered conversations in cathedrals and rural chapels alike a question is rising will the church be guided by the eternal or the ephemeral by the light of heaven or the flicker of human ambition in this profound hour of spiritual reckoning two opposing currents now stand face to face within the church each armed with a vision for its future each claiming to safeguard the soul of the faith on one side a growing alliance of cardinals and bishops steadfast in their devotion to apostolic tradition raises their voices with increasing clarity their message is not a call to retreat nor is it a cry of resistance to change for the sake of nostalgia rather it is a bold plea for a renewal grounded in timeless truths for them the unity of the church must be rooted not in fluctuating ideologies but in the unchanging foundation of the gospel in the clear and sacred teachings handed down from Christ to the apostles and from the apostles to every generation since their call is clear restore true unity not a unity of appearances but of faith not a surface level consensus shaped by political correctness but a deep and abiding fidelity to Christ's words to the catechism and to the liturgy that has sanctified souls across centuries these voices do not rise in anger but in conviction they are not crying out for power or prestige but for the church to reclaim its identity to be once again a beacon that stands apart from the world not conformed to its spirit but transformed by the spirit of God on the other side of this divide figures like Cardinal Paralin and Cardinal Casper continue to defend the legacy of Pope Francis with an intensity that borders on desperation to them his pontificate is more than a period in church history it is a sacred monument a symbol of the church's attempted embrace of the modern world any suggestion of altering its trajectory is seen not as legitimate concern but as an attack on sacred ground the reforms introduced under Francis whether lurggical pastoral or theological have in their view become inviable they must not only be preserved but protected from challenge as though questioning them would be tantamount to sacrilege in this climate even a call for balance is met with suspicion this clash is not merely about personalities it is about principles and in this tension the voice of the traditionalist front has begun to echo more powerfully drawing strength not from public relations or political leverage but from clarity of purpose their appeal is striking in its simplicity the next pope must be a bridge builder a shepherd who mends what has been broken not one who deepens the fractures they do not demand a return to outdated customs but a reconnection to the spiritual roots that nourish the church's soul the aim is not regression but restoration not clinging to the past for comfort but reclaiming the strength of the past for the sake of a wounded present too often this desire for renewal is caricatured as resistance to progress painted by some in the media and within the church as a longing for a bygone error but those who truly listen understand that the call of these cardinals is not about aesthetics or personal preference it is about mission it is about obedience to Christ who entrusted Peter and his successors with the task of feeding his sheep not with slogans or trends but with the enduring truth of the gospel their vision for the church is not confined to marble halls or academic symposiums it is pastoral living and real it speaks to the faithful in rural villages and bustling cities to priests burdened with doubt and parents struggling to raise children in a confused culture it reaches into seminaries and religious communities where silence has too long replaced honest dialogue it carries the hope that the church might once again speak with one voice not because all agree but because all believe in this sacred contest the next successor of Peter will be called to stand not only as a global figure but as a healer of hearts a restorer of peace and a defender of eternal truths the role is not ceremonial it is profoundly spiritual it is a call to restore the sacred harmony between orthodoxy and charity between the truth that saves and the love that reaches and in the eyes of the traditionalist camp this is not an optional path it is the only one capable of guiding the church through the storms of the present age as the days grow shorter until the conclave this message grows louder the church does not need a leader who flatters the world but one who reminds it of heaven it does not need strategies of survival but a renewal of faith and in that sacred mission fidelity to Christ is not one option among many it is the only light that can show the way there comes a moment in every age where clarity becomes a necessity not a luxury not a convenience but an urgent demand placed upon conscience for the church that moment is now the time for vague gestures and diplomatic ambiguity has passed in the eyes of those who stand firmly rooted in sacred tradition this is not a season for clever balancing acts or appeasement it is a crossroads a decisive fork in the road and at this crossroads the church must choose the path ahead does not allow for hesitation or half measures the idea that compromise might save the church from conflict is to them a dangerous illusion because some truths especially those revealed by heaven cannot be negotiated without being lost the church they argue must either return fully and without apology to the truth handed down by God himself truth written in scripture safeguarded by tradition and preserved by saints and martyrs or it risks dissolving into the background noise of a secularized world a world that no longer seeks salvation but convenience a world that celebrates self over sacrifice a world that may tolerate religion as a cultural accessory but rejects its authority when it challenges the desires of the age in such a world a church that tries to please everyone by softening its message may not survive at all not because it is persecuted but because it becomes irrelevant there is in the minds of many no middle ground left to stand on either the church reclaims her identity as the bride of Christ holy and set apart or she surrenders to the slow fade into secular oblivion the choice is stark but so is the calling the church has never been called to comfort the world by imitating it she has always been called to confront the world with the love mercy and truth of God and to do so with courage even when it costs her everything to understand the urgency felt by many within the church today one must look beyond recent headlines and into the beating heart of Catholic history for over 2,000 years the Catholic Church has stood not merely as an institution but as a living breathing testimony to divine truth empires have risen and fallen philosophies have come and gone cultures have shifted fractured reformed and even vanished and yet the church has remained wounded at times yes but never destroyed her endurance was never due to her ability to adapt to the fashions of every passing age but because she stood anchored in something that did not change the word made flesh Jesus Christ and the sacred deposit of faith entrusted to her today that anchor is being tested like never before in a world increasingly driven by instant gratification relativism and the erasure of objective moral values the church is now being asked or pressured to soften her tone dilute her teachings and reshape her image to align with what is socially acceptable the pressure doesn't always come in the form of open persecution more often it comes disguised as compassion as tolerance as the call to stay relevant but the faithful know relevance without reverence is ruin and relevance achieved at the cost of sacred truth is not mission it is betrayal there is a rising concern among traditional cardinals theologians and lay faithful that the church is drifting not through her doctrine which remains intact but through how that doctrine is lived defended and proclaimed the danger lies not in an official dogmatic collapse but in a slow nearly invisible erosion it begins with silence fewer homalies about sin fewer teachings on the cross fewer reminders of the narrow road it continues with ambiguity pastoral documents that offer more questions than answers leaders who speak of accompaniment but shy away from correction and a culture of dialogue that listens endlessly but rarely speaks with clarity and eventually if uncorrected it ends in a church that no longer forms consciences but conforms to them many in today's hierarchy speak of reform but what kind of reform is needed true reform in the history of the church has never meant a departure from tradition it has always meant a return to it think of St francis of Aissi who was called to rebuild the church and did so not by creating something new but by living the gospel with radical simplicity and holiness think of St teresa of a villa who brought new fire to a worn out Carmelite order not by tearing down structures but by recovering the discipline and fervor that had been lost every authentic renewal in the church has come not through innovation but through fidelity through saints who knelt before the tabernacle fasted prayed and wept for the sins of their time and so the question now becomes where are the saints of today where are the voices that will rise not in rebellion but in radical fidelity who will speak not with bitterness but with boldness who will proclaim what is true even if it earns them ridicule or exile these are the questions being asked in seminaries in small prayer groups and even in the minds of bishops and cardinals who remain silent for now but are watching closely they see the stakes they know this is not a debate over aesthetics or ceremonial preferences this is about the soul of the church the looming conclave while cloaked in centuries old ritual and tradition is not just about selecting a new pope it is about choosing a direction it is about answering the question will the church continue down the path of pastoral ambiguity and accommodation or will she remember the mission that once turned the world upside down the world does not need a church that echoes its desires it needs a church that challenges its darkness it needs a church that will not back down when truth is inconvenient a church that will carry the cross not set it aside in favor of a friendlier message this challenge is especially real for young Catholics those who did not grow up during the cultural revolutions of the 1960s or the upheavalss that followed the second Vatican council this generation is not asking for a church that entertains they are seeking a church that is unafraid to be different a church that leads them to sanctity not comfort in this desire they are echoing the cry of their ancestors who clung to the faith during persecution martyrdom and exile and it is this desire that will shape the church of tomorrow there are of course many within the church who fear such a return they believe that going back means losing ground that embracing tradition means alienating the world but history has already proven otherwise the church has never flourished by seeking approval she has flourished when she has remained faithful even when misunderstood even when mocked even when crucified as we move closer to the election of a new pope the cries from both camps grow louder on one side the defenders of reform insist that the church must remain open and flexible that mercy must always take precedence over judgment on the other those grounded in tradition argue that mercy without truth is a hollow sentiment and that the deepest act of mercy is to lead souls to conversion not comfort them in error the divide is not easy to bridge but the next leader of the church must try not by compromising the truth but by embodying it he must be a man of prayer not just policy a man of silence not spectacle a man who kneels more than he speaks he must be fearless in proclaiming the gospel not because it is popular but because it is the power of God for the salvation of souls he must be willing to be hated by the world if it means being faithful to Christ this is the choice that lies ahead this is the hour of decision not only for the cardinals who will vote but for every Catholic who calls the church home will we drift further into the secular tide or will we anchor ourselves once again in the rock from which we were hune the world is watching heaven is watching and the future of the church is being written one prayer one decision one soul at a time within the ancient heart of Rome beneath the timeless gaze of saints carved in stone and apostles laid to rest in marble tombs the church now finds herself poised between two destinies the conclave that awaits may appear at first glance to be a formal ecclesial event marked by tradition ritual and the somnity of prayer but for those with eyes of faith it is something more far more it is the battlefield upon which invisible forces now gather not just cardinals but powers principalities and spiritual currents each seeking influence over the soul of the church at this hour of history the Systeine Chapel where the voting will take place has seen the unfolding of centuries it has absorbed the whispered prayers of popes the weeping of saints the schemes of the ambitious and the surrender of the holy michelangelo's fresco overhead do not merely depict art they proclaim judgment the outstretched arm of Christ in the last judgment looks down upon the assembled cardinals not as decoration but as witness as if to say what you decide here echoes in eternity as the day approaches the faithful wait not merely in curiosity but in hope and in fear hope that the Holy Spirit will move among the electors as he once moved through tongues of fire in the upper room fear that human ambition or worldly concerns may cloud divine intention it is a moment of exquisite tension the very soul of the church seems to hold its breath but beyond the marble floors and read by retas there is a hidden church that prays the hidden church is not in headlines nor seated in power it is found in closters and hermitages in small chapels tucked away in mountain villages in families kneeling together before a crucifix in their living room it is the army of the unseen the monks who rise at 3:00 a.m to chant the divine office the nuns who offer their suffering for the sanctification of priests the sick who unite their pain to Christs on the cross these are the ones holding up the church when she falters their voices will never be heard by the world but heaven listens and right now they are pleading for the spirit to descend in the corridors of the Vatican as journalists prepare their columns and diplomats measure the winds of influence these hidden souls are calling upon something higher they are not praying for a political outcome they are praying for a holy pope a man who is not afraid of being misunderstood by the world if it means being understood by God a man who will stand not in the center of applause but at the foot of the cross because what the church needs now is not another administrator another global figure another carefully groomed voice who will say what pleases both sides she needs a man of the crucifix a man who has gazed into the eyes of Christ in silence who has wept over the sins of the church as Jeremiah once wept for Jerusalem a man who is willing to carry the weight of Peter's keys not as a scepter of control but as a cross of sacrifice in the past the church has been purified not by success but by suffering in every age of confusion God has raised up unlikely saints to remind his people who they are in times of scandal he raised reformers in times of persecution he gave martyrs in times of pride he gave humble mystics and in times of worldliness he sent prophets who spoke with the fire of heaven that is the pattern of salvation history not comfort but confrontation not triumph but truth and perhaps once again the church stands on the edge of such a moment a pope may be elected with the flick of a pen and the raising of a hand but a shepherd is forged through fire and that fire is already burning not in the public eye but in the hearts of those who suffer silently for the church the widow who attends daily mass and prays her rosary for vocations the young seminarian fighting temptation in a culture that marks purity the mother fasting for the return of her lost child these hidden acts of love are the coals that keep the church alive when the world thinks her fire has gone out the next pope whoever he may be must be a man who knows this hidden church not just in theory but in spirit he must not be chosen for his eloquence or his diplomatic skill or his alignment with any faction he must be chosen because he belongs to Christ because he has no ambition but to serve because he will kneel before the blessed sacrament longer than he stands at the podium and yet the danger is real there are those who see the papacy as a platform a voice from which to shape public opinion or influence social policy they speak of the church as a moral institution among many a voice at the table of world affairs but the church was never meant to sit at the table of power she was meant to wash the feet of those the world forgets she was meant to kneel before heaven not negotiate with empires and if the church forgets that she may win applause but she will lose her soul there is no doubt that forces within and outside the church are already working to shape the outcome reports will be written lobbying will occur some candidates will be promoted not for their holiness but for their perceived ability to unite or to continue the momentum but the church is not a machine that needs momentum it is the mystical body of Christ and its only fuel is grace as the faithful light candles in quiet corners of the world the words of Christ ring louder than ever when the Son of Man returns will he find faith on earth that is the question that is the cry that is what is at stake and so we pray not for victory but for fidelity not for reform but for holiness not for clever answers but for divine fire let the one who will lead the church next be a man who has seen the face of God and come away humbled let him be a man who carries the smell of sheep and the wounds of love let him be a man who does not fear the cross because he knows that resurrection always follows let him be a man not of this world but sent into it for such a time as this and so as the doors of the cyine chapel prepare to close behind the cardinal electors and as the world turns its eyes once again to the smoke that will rise from the chimney above something deeper must rise from within us as well a prayer a prayer not for preference not for popularity but for providence let the Holy Spirit descend not as a symbol but as fire fire that purifies fire that illuminates fire that separates truth from illusion and mission from noise the next pope will not simply inherit a church he will inherit a wound a wound opened by division confusion and the slow bleeding of reverence in many places he will face a flock divided between longing and doubt tradition and adaptation silence and spectacle but if he is a man of God if he has sat quietly before the Eucharist and let the voice of Christ carve truth into his heart then he will not be alone heaven will walk with him and so will the prayers of millions he will not need to build something new he will only need to be faithful faithful to the truth that never changes faithful to the poor the forgotten the suffering faithful to the cross not as an idea but as the narrow gate through which all souls must pass and to the faithful watching from across oceans and continents from dusty chapels in Latin America from cold cathedrals in Europe from underground churches in Asia and from quiet suburban parishes where candles still flicker after mass the call is the same do not lose heart do not stop praying the church does not rise on power but on prayer it is not preserved by politics but by grace the conclave may last days or hours the decision may be swift or uncertain but the future is not in the hands of men alone it belongs to the one who promised the gates of hell shall not prevail and so we wait not in fear but in faith not in anger but in hope not as critics but as children gazing up hearts lifted trusting that the shepherd will send another shepherd because in every age when the world has said the church is dying heaven has whispered back "She is only beginning again
