Since the death of Pope Francis, many cardinals have spoken about the prospect of the conclave that will begin on May 7, 2025, and the choice of Pope Francis' successor. In order to better understand the cardinals' expectations today (prior to entering the conclave, when things could change), we’re offering this compilation of statements that cardinals have made to the press.
Here's a compilation of statements that cardinals have made to various media outlets about what they expect the upcoming conclave, and the new pope, to be like.
Cardinal Stephen Ameyu (South Sudan) – elector
Archbishop of Juba
Could the next pope be African? “I have no doubt, because anyone could be, whether they come from Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe... or America. It’s the Holy Spirit who will speak through the 135 cardinal electors to choose the next pope. Let the Holy Spirit speak in each one’s heart. For my part, I’d like him to be a mediator, capable of truly representing the Church today. Pope Francis said, ‘We call first for mercy.’ Why? Because if we start to approach problems from a dogmatic point of view, we risk being overwhelmed by murmurs and quarrels among ourselves, especially as bishops.”
Reinhard Marx (Germany) – elector
Archbishop of Munich
“The conclave will last a few days. [...] Everything is open. It’s not a question of language, country, or culture. It’s not a question of interior or exterior. Nor is it a question of conservatism or progressivism. It’s a question of credibility and dialogue. All over the world, people need to be comforted and encouraged. Healing the world, healing wounds, giving hope: I think that’s the direction to take. We had John Paul II, Benedict XVI, Francis. The essential thing is that he be a courageous, free, credible person deeply rooted in the Gospel. A person with a universal vision. Pope Francis has made people curious about what the Gospel has to say. That's what it's all about. Everything else is not important.”
Gerhard Ludwig Müller (Germany) – elector
Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
“Everyone must remember that we’re the mystical body of Christ and not an international humanitarian and social organization. This appeals to many secularized people, to the elite, to the oligarchs, who would like the pope to be the symbol of their religion, but the pope is not the symbol of secularized religion.”
“Pope Francis is well viewed by the mass media and there is a risk [the cardinals] are saying, ‘We should continue’” But ‘they have the responsibility to elect a man who is able to unify the Church in the revealed truth.’” “I hope cardinals are not so influenced by what they read in the newspapers.” “The question is not between conservatives and liberals but between orthodoxy and heresy,” he added; ”I am praying that the Holy Spirit will illuminate the cardinals, because a heretic pope who changes every day depending on what the mass media is saying would be catastrophic.”
Cardinal Pizzaballa (Holy Land) – elector
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
AHMAD GHARABLI | AFP
“The Church of the future? We'll see!” The most important challenge “is evangelization,” “how to bear witness to our belonging to the Church in this world.” Cardinal Pizzaballa insists on the “how,” because for him there’s no question about the content. The vision must be “translated into reality,” adapting to diverse realities “while remaining united by the Church.”
There’s a need for a “general synthesis” of the points of view expressed by the various cardinals during the general congregations. “The need for unity goes beyond the Church” and concerns the whole world. The situation in the Holy Land is a “paradigmatic microcosm of what is found elsewhere,” he said. There’s a need to defend the “freedom” of Christian minorities around the world. Ecumenical dialogue is important for this.
Timothy Dolan (United States) – elector
Archbishop of New York
Steve Edreff | Shutterstock
For the next pope, the American cardinal envisages a “blend” of Benedict XVI for his “intellectual wattage,” John Paul II for “conviction and fortitude,” and Francis for his “heart.” He calls for both the “style of Francis” and “more clarity in teaching,” as well as more “refinement of the Church’s tradition,” which contains “treasures from the past” that can nourish the Church today.
Rainer-Maria Woelki (Germany) – elector
Archbishop of Cologne
On the film Conclave: “I was well entertained, but the reality is quite different.” For him, the most striking aspect of the film is the isolation of the conclave in the Sistine Chapel. During the general congregations, different perspectives are represented. “That's how it was before. And when the actual conclave begins, it is already a kind of break, which is already evident from the fact that all the cardinals gather at Santa Marta.”
The conclave itself “takes place in an atmosphere of prayer. There are no great emotional outbursts as shown in the film. I can imagine that things will be a little more lively and controversial during the pre-conclave, and that's a good thing. In this way, we bring together the different perspectives of the universal Church and then embark together on the path of decision-making.” “There’s a different atmosphere in the conclave itself.”
Dieudonné Nzapalainga (Central African Republic) – elector
Archbishop of Bangui
TD / Aleteia
On Fiducia Supplicans: “I think the West has its own path, which is not for me to judge, and Africa has its own path. We must each converge on the one thing that unites us. That is Jesus Christ, who is the Savior. But there are dogmas that guide us and enlighten us to help us on our journey towards salvation.”
On the conclave: “I’m not often in favor of these divisions between conservative and progressive currents. I told you earlier that in the Church we have different sensibilities, ways of thinking, and so on. We must not seek to oppose them, quite the contrary. All of this contributes to evangelization, to proclaiming the one Savior.”
“If we’re gathered here, it’s to choose the one who will have the destiny of the universal Church. It’s not for regional, continental, or even personal interests. We must see the general — not to say universal — interest, that is, the interest of this Catholic Church.”
“The future pontiff won’t give in and will work to overcome barriers.” “He’ll have to show a different and united future. Closed borders are an open wound.” “Africa has so much to offer.”
Michael Czerny (Canada) – elector
Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
“If we keep our eyes fixed on Christ and on the mission, there’s no risk of division. There may be differences of opinion, different points of view, but we will be united. We’re different; diversity is a treasure.” Cardinal Czerny, who was born in Czechia, adds, “We Europeans are confused because we’ve been talking about Christian civilization for a long time, and now we see that Europe has been de-Christianized, etc. We focus on the obstacles of post-Christian civilization and don’t see its potential.”
José Cobo Cano (Spain) – elector
Archbishop of Madrid
On the challenges facing the next pope: “The first is to know how to welcome the processes that Francis has introduced into the Church, which are much deeper than they appear, processes that we will see in a few years. And we will also see how they bear fruit. And, on the other hand, the courage to face a change of era, which Francis has had to face and which the next pope will also have to face.” Which candidate? “Currently, among the cardinals, there are cardinals who have a global vision of the Church, who have training in something that is also very necessary, which is the Vatican Curia. One of Francis' pillars has been to tackle the process of reforming the Curia, a task that still needs to be implemented and developed.”
Cristóbal López Romero (Morocco) – elector
Archbishop of Rabat
The mission of the next pope: “The pope has launched the process of synodality in the Church, something that started from long ago, from the beginning of the Church, but had been left in parentheses, as if dormant, and which he has revived and brought to the forefront. Synodality is not a battle that has been won; it’s a battle that has only just begun, but it’s of fundamental importance. I’d like to hear that many of my brothers consider it fundamental to continue the process of synodality, or the process of interreligious dialogue and encounter, or the process of a missionary Church that does not withdraw into itself.”
Regarding the next conclave, the cardinal noted that there has still been “little contact” between cardinals. He announced that a “composite portrait of the person best suited to respond to the current situation of the world and the Church” will be drawn up in order to “share everyone's view of the world, of society, and of the Church, so that we can all paint a complete picture. [...] And this is precisely where an unknown figure could speak, convince many people, and show that he has a vision that reflects the concerns of the majority. And as was the case with Francis, this could easily happen today.”
Charles Maung Bo (Myanmar) – elector
Archbishop of Rangoon
STR | AFP
“This century holds the promise of Christ's return to Asia, and the Asian Church will continue to inspire the world. In his profound understanding of Asia and the Asian Church, Pope Francis envisioned a future where these two entities intertwine in a profound and transformative way.”
Arthur Roche (United Kingdom) – elector
Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
M.MIGLIORATO/CPP/CIRIC
Will he be chosen as pope? “I’d be very surprised,” he says with a laugh. “It is a massive responsibility to be pope. When I think of the job that I’m doing, which is very onerous on behalf of the pope, and when you think of all the things that he has to do, it is not something, I think, that anybody would really want to seek.”
Domenico Battaglia (Italy) – elector
Archbishop of Naples
“Participating in a conclave is not an honor, but a responsibility. It’s not a time for the spotlight or applause, but for silence and discernment. The Sistine Chapel must not be reached by parochialism or fanaticism, but only by the prayers of the whole Church, to help the conclave in its search for God's will, listening to the Spirit, drawing inspiration to find a father's heart capable of guiding the People of God according to the Lord's will.”
Agostino Marchetto (Italy) – non-elector
Secretary Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People
“Today we have a divided Church, and I think this could be reflected in the conclave itself.”
Pablo Virgilio David (Philippines) – elector
Bishop of Caloocan
“There are no candidates in a conclave. No one will give dole-outs. No one will put up tarpaulins. No one will mount a campaign. A conclave is a retreat. The cardinals will pray, and it is in the spirit of prayer that we will ask not whom we want to elect, but whom the Lord wants to succeed Pope Francis. That’s why we have a big moral and spiritual obligation to enter into the conclave, not in the spirit of politics but in the spirit of prayer for the continuity of the mission of the Church”
Asked whether the next pope might be Asian, he replied, “Well, in our time, anything can be made possible by the Holy Spirit. [...] It’s true: Before, the Global North was the center. Now, the majority of the Catholics are in the Global South”
