‘A simple man’: cardinals want ‘humble’ pope who unifies church

Opposition to Francis refuses that a new Pope is progressive. For conservative Gerhard Müller, an important figure in opposition to Francis, the church risks falling into schism if a progressive pope is elected. “The issue is not between conservatives and liberals, but between orthodoxy and heresy,” the German cardinal told the British newspaper The Times.

Italian Cardinal says there is “very good atmosphere” among religious. Fernando Filoni stated that predictions about who the future Pope will be from the press. “We learned to meet us,” he added. About 80% of the 135 cardinal voters were created by Francis, who prioritized Global South countries and isolated regions.

Choosing next Pope is “intimidating,” says Cardinal. Nevertheless, Briton Vincent Nichols said the cardinals will do “their best work when the doors of the conclave are closed,” because at that moment there will be “peace and prayer between us.” The speech was made in an interview with the BBC.

Clerical sexual abuse is considered the main challenge of next Pope. During Monday’s meeting that defined the start date of the conclave, cardinals addressed “particular themes for the future of the church,” a statement said. “The relationship with the contemporary world and some of the challenges that stand out: evangelization, the relationship with other confessions, the issue of abuse.”*With AFP