Habemus Papam!: Pope Leo XIV

 Robert Francis Prevost, Cardinal Deacon of Santa Monica, Prefect of the Dicastery of Bishops, President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, and Titular Cardinal Bishop of Albano, 4th from the top in hierarchy of the Holy Roman Apostalic and Catholic Church  entered the conclave with 132 other Cardinals this humble servant and exited just two days later at Pope Leo XIV.  

You know the last Leo, Leo the 13th, reigned from 1878 to 1903, when he died at the age of 93!  Perhaps the gift of longevity was also in Cardinal Prevost's mind when he selected the name Leo.  If he were to emulate the lifespan of his most recent namesake predecessor, his rule could last until the year of our Lord, 2049!  

It's been said, though, that it is his admiration of the emphasis Pope Leo XIII placed upon the plight of the poor in the midst of the abject poverty that the industrial revolution created.  He, having been born in 1810, would certainly have seen the paradigm shift from rural to urban and the failed promise of work with fair compensation.  In particular, Pope Leo XIII's encyclical "rerum novarum" which took on the obligation governments had to treat the working class with fairness and the dignity due their labors.

That said, tomorrow (which is already a lot closer in Rome than it is in Washington, DC) the real work begins.  Among the first thing to take note of is where he will choose to reside.  Famously, Pope Francis eschewed the pomp of the Papal Palace in favor of a more modest abode in the Vatican Guest House.  It was a significant gesture in light of the criticisms of the church's excesses.  I've also heard commentators place importance on the new Pope's first foreign visit.  On this score, I have a MONUMENTAL DREAM.

The fact that he is being called the Pope from the United States (when in fact he holds dual citizenship with Peru) has given President Trump an adversary to conquer.  Trump is so ignorant.  He has no idea what he's up against, but he can't stand to play second fiddle to anyone!  He has the gall to announce that he's looking forward to meeting the new Pope.  Like he's gonna go downstairs and say "hey" to the new cook.  

So back to my Dream: I would love it if Pope Leo the XIV would announce that his first foreign visit would be to El Salvador.  That his mission there would be to visit that fucking notorious prison, and offer a mass to the inmates.  Furthermore, he would provide passage for Kilmar Abrego Garcia to return to the United States in his company, and then meet with President Trump and perform his second foreign Mass in Washington, DC.  Now, THAT WOULD BE BRILLIANT!

2025 Papal Enclave: Europe

 By Europe, I mean all the nations by Italy.  When it comes to the Papacy, Italy gets a page all to itself.  Of the rest of Europe, there are 35 Cardinals, the largest block from any of the geographic regions.  Many nations have multiple votes with France leading the way with 5.  Spain, Portugal and Poland each have 4, and the United Kingdom and Germany each have 3.  Peace-loving Switzerland has 2.  While the story in other areas like Africa, Asia, and South America is focused on Progressive replacements, Europe is the opposite.  The conservative factions of the church seem to be pinning their hopes on a European winner.

But let's go counter and look at a centrist candidate that is getting a little buzz.  Cardinal Mario Grech of the little island nation of Malta.  Pope Francis liked Cardinal Grech and appointed him to the Pontifical Council to Promote Christian Unity in 2020.  His centrist bona fide is built on stances like working to defeat a move to legalize divorce on one hand, and on the other proclaiming a non-judgmental open hand to dialogue with members of the LGBTQIA+ community, even those in committed relationships.

Heading up the ranks of the conservatives is Cardinal Péter Erdõ of Hungary.  Cut from a similar clothe as Hungary's nationalist president, Erdõ rings a nostalgia bell for some who long for another Pope John Paul II; unfortunately, the reality is far less rizz and far more return to heartless doctrinal orthodoxy.  On the other hand, another conservative darling is attending the Conclave from the Netherlands.  Once a beacon of the liberal and lasse faire social ethos, the Netherlands has in recent years given birth to it's own form of nationalistic conservatism.  Cardinal Wim Eijk, the Archbishop of Utrecht would easily be seen as part of this paradigm shift.  He once removed a parish secretary who was a member of the Trans community against the outcry of the congregation--micromanage much?  It seems like such a cruel and petty assertion of authority--be wary of this one.  

Of course, some Cardinal will capture my attention and in this crew it's Cardinal José Tolentino de Calaça Mendonça of Portugal.  Cardinal Medonça was actually born on the Island of Madeira, then a Portuguese colony and lived there until age 9.  His father made a living fishing.  He is an academic, theologian, with published works of essays, poetry, and plays.  He has taught at Universities in both Brazil and the United States along with his native Portugal.  The youngest of the European Cardinals is also from Portugal.  Cardinal Américo Manuel Alves Aguiar is Bishop of Setúbal just south of the capital Lisbon.  In 2023 he lead the planning for World Youth Day, and in September of that year was named to the House of Cardinals.

Finally, I give you Cardinal Emil Paul Tscherrig of Switzerland.  He was born in a place so tiny that it no longer exists as an incorporated entity in the southern Alps.  He has been one of the most prolific of Vatican diplomats.  He retired last year while holding the post of Nuncio to Italy and San Marino (think Ambassador), the final of his long list of assignments which began in 1996 under Pope John Paul II when he was named Nuncio to Burundi (a humble beginning).  2001 - Nuncio to Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, and Suriname.  Later that same year, Saint Kitts and Nevis was added.  2004 - Nuncio to Korea, and later that year, Nuncio to Mongolia.  2008 - Nuncio to Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway.  2012 - Nuncio to Argentina.  There is a famous story that after Pope Francis I was elected, he asked Nuncio Tscherrig to inform the Argentine Catholic hierarchy and community at large that they could choose to miss his investiture as Bishop of Rome and use the money it would have cost them to attend to perform acts of charity instead.  Francis appointed him to the House of Cardinals in 2023.

2025 Papal Conclave: North America

 North America includes Central America and Caribbean, home to 4 of the 20 Cardinals attending from the region.  The largest group, not surprisingly comes from the United States with 10, followed by Canada with 4, and Mexico with 2.  When you stop to consider that fact that Mexico has the 2nd largest number of Catholics on the planet after Brazil, it is impossible to ignore the fact that power is not based in numbers by wealth.  A paradigm that is certainly not unique to the Catholic Church, but perhaps a little more poignant when considering the stated mission of the faith.

Like South America, North American is a bit of a long-shot when it comes to the selection of the 267th Holy Roman Pontiff.  However, there are some interesting folks in the mix.  Two really stand out to me:  Cardinal Michael F. Czerny, Society of Jesuits.  It would be challenging to find a Cardinal with a more interesting resume.  Born in Czechia when it was still part of Czechoslovakia in 1946.  Born in a mixed religion family where most of his mother's Jewish family died in the concentration camps, his parents immigrated to Canada when he was just 3 years-old.  He co-founded the Jesuit Centre for Social Faith and Justice in Toronto at the age of 33.  10 years later he was appointed Central America Universities Director of their Institute for Human Rights directly after the martyrdom, along with 10 others in El Salvador of its previous Director.  Next he moved to Rome to work in the Jesuit Secretariat of Social Justice.  In 2002 he founded the African Jesuit AIDS Network coordinating the vital work of combating AIDS in nearly 30 Sub-Saharan African nations.  In 2016, Pope Francis appointed him under-secretary of the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.  At the Age of 78, he might be one of those surprise winners with a likely mid-range tenure.  

The other stand out and sometimes talked about Pope-to-be is Cardinal Robert Francis Provost, age 69.  He would be the first Pope from the United States.  His story is somewhat similar, but nearly as far ranging.  Born in Chicago, he earned his initial degrees from Villanova University and then Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.  He continued his academic studies in Rome.  Beginning in 1985, he joined an Agustinian mission in Peru.  For the next nearly 30 years, his life was spent between Peru and Chicago serving various roles in both places.  In 2014, Pope Francis appointed him Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, and a year later he was consecrated as the Bishop of Chiclayo.  A post he held until 2023, when he became Archbishop Emeritus of Chiclayo, Peru and moved to Rome as Prefect of the Dicastery of Bishops.

Among the others you have a couple of more conservative leaning Bishops.  Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI and is considered the de fecto leader of the American Delegation by conservatives in the Catholic Church.  A staunch and petty oppressor of LGBTQ+ personhood and women's equality, Cardinal Dolan has been reported to be spending his pre-conclave time schmoozing younger Cardinals in the hopes of influencing their votes.  Mexico is also sending a member of the conservative minority of Cardinals in the person of Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega.  Cardinal Ortega has largely built his reputation in the church around his opposition to abortion.

Of the newbies, Cardinal Frank Leo of Canada is the youngest member of the delegation.  He is also a member of the class of Cardinals appointed by Pope Francis I on December 7, 2024.  The other first timer of note is Cardinal Chibly Langlois of Haiti--the first ever Cardinal of this poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.

2025 Papal Conclave: South America

 The region is home to the largest Catholic national on earth: Brazil, and Brazil will have 7 cardinals at the conclave.  Just considering South American proper, there are 17 cardinals traveling to Rome to participate in the selection of the next Pope.  The likelihood that one of them or another individual from South America will be selected on the heels of Pope Francis I, an Argentinian, are slim.  None of the pre-show prognosticators have identified anyone from the region on their shortlists.  Still there are some very interesting Cardinals out there.

Of the Brazilians, Cardinal Paulo Cezar Costa is the youngest from the entire region at 57, and is the Archbishop of Brasilia.  Cardinal Sérgio da Rocha of São Salvador da Bahia is perhaps the most progressive of the Cardinals gaining notoriety back in 2021 when he celebrated a Mass for "all the Victims of Transphobia".  Although Cardinal Leonardo Ulrich Steiner who is the first Cardinal ever from the interior Amazonian city of Manaus has long held that reputation throughout the region.

Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez of Argentina is a Pope Francis I protegee whom Francis brought to Rome over a decade ago to act as his ghost writer.  Another interesting Cardinal is Carlos Castillo Mattasoglio of Lima, Peru.  Cardinal Mattasoglio is a proponent of that Latin American Chestnut, Liberation Theology.  But no one is predicting a new Pope from South America, and we may never know the influence that these Cardinals will express in the selection of the man who does.

2025 Papal Conclave: Oceania

 The region of the world encompassing all of those small island nations across the southern Pacific Ocean, along with Papua-New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand, it covers a massive area, yet brings only 4 cardinals to the Conclave.  However, with only four, we can get a snapshot of each.  The elder clergyman among the quartet is a native Kiwi, Cardinal John Drew is Archbishop Emeritus of Wellington, New Zealand.  Much of his active ministry was spent in working with the formation of other priests and in education roles.  Now 76, Pope Francis I elevated him to the Cardinal ranks in 2015.

Two of the Cardinals are in their 60's.  Cardinal Soane Patiti Paini Mafi is the first Cardinal ever for the island nations of Tonga.  Also appointed Cardinal in 2015, at the time he was the youngest Cardinal in the ranks.  Besides Tonga, he also served for a time on Fiji.  Cardinal John Ribat of Papua New Guinea also spent a little time in Suva, Fiji.  Ribat's entree to the priesthood was through Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and he studied in the Philippines before returning to Port Moresby permanently.

The final member of Cardinals from this region is Mykola Bychok who is a member of the Ukranian Greek Catholic Church as well as received by the Roman Catholic Church--he gets to wear a slightly different costume, too.  Bychok's move from Urkaine to Australia was orchestrated from start to finish by Pope Francis I.  And at 45, he is the youngest member of the conclave.  

2025 Papal Conclave: Asia

 Another region which has never had a Cardinal elevated to the Papacy.   A region where Catholicism (and Christianity, in general) has a rather weak to outright dubious claim to hearts.  Roman Catholicism is in direct conflict with other forms of Orthodox Christianity across Russia, Armenia, Georgia, Cyrus and by political association the nations of the former Soviet Union.  The pantheon of other faiths are myriad: Sunni Islam, Shia Islam, Ibadi Islam, Wahhabi Islam, Theravada Buddhism, Vajrayana Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Shintoism, Taoism, Animism and related folk religions, growing number of atheists and even Jewish sects (most notably in Israel).  Early Catholic missionaries left bad blood (and just a whole lot of blood) in places like India, Taiwan and Japan.  Today only one nation stands out as predominantly Catholic and that is the Philippines.  South Korea is 25% Christian, but predominantly of Protestant and Evangelical sects. 

 Of the 22 Cardinals headed to Rome for the Conclave, some have interesting stories and connections to the Roman Catholic Church, but only one is receiving any serious press vis a vis a possible Asian Pope.  Of those who are just interesting to me Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa of Jerusalem is perhaps top of my list.  Pizzaballa is a Friar of the Franciscan order and the Custos of the Holy Land.  A custodian priory is housed in the Monastery of Saint Saviour in the heart of old Jerusalem.  It was founded in 1217 by St. Francis himself, though the current monastery was built in the 1500's.  Cardinal Pizzaballa (Pizza Dancer?) is the first head of this order to be named a Cardinal.  

Two of the Indian Cardinals caught my attention.  Cardinal Filipe Neri António Sebastião do Rosário Ferrão of Goa.  What a magnificent name!  And it's certainly not Patel or Chaudhary!  It's a name you'd more likely expect on a Cardinal from Brazil or Lisbon.  And it speaks to the centuries old roots of Goa as a Portuguese enclave on the southwestern coast of India.  The other is Cardinal Besalios Cleemis. Besides being a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, Cleemis is also the Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, a church that was originally founded by St. Thomas according to Church tradition and only later came into communion with the Roman Catholic Church.  As such, he will be wearing a unique costume to the party.

But the bell of the ball from Asia is Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines.  He is ranked 3rd in authority among the Cardinals.  (Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana is ranked 7th).  He has rizz writ-large!  To hear him speak, to watch him in crowds, he would easily become "beloved".  At 67, he is not the choice that some have predicted; that of an interim Pope.  Someone to allow the church to take a breath from the policies of Francis as it contemplates its next steps.  It's a quaint notion for an institution that has a reputation of being anything but guileless.  That scenario would select someone like Turkson, who is 76 and then hopes he only lives to be 86!  But Tagle at 67, could easily lead the church for 10, 15 or even 20+ years.  To choose Tagle would be to set the direction forward.  And it would be a direction of which Pope Francis would approve.  Personally, I like the guy.

2025 Papal Conclave: Africa

 For years much has been made of the growing numbers of Catholics in Africa.  A region where more conservative and less socially tolerant cultural norms center paradigms of moral turpitude.  In the sister, Episcopal Church, these differences have led to schism and moral indignation between diocese north vs south.  So I find it a little curious that with this transition to the next Pope, this narrative has largely vanished.  Then I looked at the demographics.  

With only 17 participating members in a conclave with around 120 members, even if these Cardinals were to act as one, the effect could easily be ignored.  Add to that the fact that 14 were appointed by former Pope Francis I, and it's unlikely that a large number are out of step with his more progressive and gentle approach to the job of being Bishop of Rome; Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Servant of the Servants of God, Patriarch of the West, Primate of Italy, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Roman Province, and Sovereign of the Vatican City State.  Although with a title like that, it's easy to see how hard it would be for anyone to whom it was bestowed not feeling a little arrogant.  

When considering the 17 men who will be present from Africa at the conclave, you really don't see a lot that is remarkable about them as a whole.  Their resumes read much alike with a stream of ordinations, appointments and participation on various councils.  Of the few who seemed to stand out, the youngest, Dieudonné Cardinal Nzapalainga has made a name for himself in the Central African Republic by courageously joining with leaders of the Evangelical Protestants and Islamic faiths to create an ecumenical voice for peace and a cessation of the sectarian violence that often plagues the C.A.R.  Two others found their appointments to the Bishopric locally opposed largely on the basis of tribal animosities.  In the end, Pope Francis found a way to secure both Stephen Ameyu Martin Cardinal Mulla of South Sudan and Peter Ebere Cardinal Okpaleke of Nigeria to the Bishop's seat sand then on to the House of Cardinals.

On the elder end, the only Bishop of the bunch whose name was familiar to me, Peter Kodwo Appiah Cardinal Turkson (in my mind Bishop Peter Turkson) of Ghana.  He is arguably the most accomplished with regards to accolades and accomplishments.  He speaks 6 languages.  He is the only Bishop participating in the Conclave from Africa who was elevated to Cardinal by Pope John Paul II back in 2003.  And if there is to be an African Pope this time, he is considered the Front runner.  Another noteworthy member of the African delegation is Robert Cardinal Sarah who found himself leader of Guinea's Catholics during the presidency of Ahmed Sékou Touré (1958-1984) which grew increasing oppressive over time.  However, Sarah is an outspoken conservative who often clashed with Pope Francis I.