Conclave sweat threat: Who will be the next pope?
Pope Francis has left the table. The first Latin‑American pontiff played every street of his twelve‑year run, shoving hard for the poor and greening the Church’s image. His blend of humility, media savvy, and willingness to push even marginal encyclicals earned him a healthy stack of goodwill. Requiescat in pace!
Now we wait for white smoke. The conclave must begin within twenty days, possibly sooner; and will keep balloting until someone rakes in the biggest pot in Christendom. Here’s a lineup of possible hopefuls, together with a possible agenda. But with roughly four‑fifths of the electors appointed in the past decade, a true wildcard could still scoop the field! Fun fact: While only the cardinals can elect, they can vote for any catholic man. So they could elect J. D. Vance even!
- 1. Cardinal Pietro Parolin (70, Italy)
[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietro_Parolin]
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Current role: Vatican Secretary of State (chief diplomat).
If elected: A low‑drama, diplomacy‑driven pontificate with an emphasis on Curial consensus. - 2. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle (67, Philippines)
[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Antonio_Tagle]
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Current role: Pro‑Prefect, Dicastery for Evangelization.
If elected: Warm missionary zeal and an Asian perspective, continuing Francis‑style storytelling. - 3. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi (69, Italy)
[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matteo_Zuppi]
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Current role: Archbishop of Bologna; President, Italian Bishops’ Conference.
If elected: Sant’Egidio‑inspired peace mediation plus inclusive social outreach. - 4. Cardinal Jean‑Claude Hollerich (66, Luxembourg)
[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Claude_Hollerich]
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Current role: Archbishop of Luxembourg; Relator General, global Synod on Synodality.
If elected: A synodal‑governance pope committed to shared decision‑making with laity. - 5. Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández (62, Argentina)
[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%ADctor_Manuel_Fern%C3%A1ndez]
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Current role: Prefect, Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
If elected: Deeper “field‑hospital” theology and a conversational doctrinal tone. - 6. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa (60, Italy)
[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierbattista_Pizzaballa]
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Current role: Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.
If elected: Middle‑East‑focused bridge‑building and robust interfaith diplomacy. - 7. Cardinal Peter Turkson (76, Ghana)
[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Turkson]
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Current role: Chancellor, Pontifical Academies of Sciences & Social Sciences.
If elected: A high‑profile ecological and economic‑justice agenda with an African voice. - 8. Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu (65, DR Congo)
[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fridolin_Ambongo_Besungu]
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Current role: Archbishop of Kinshasa; member, Pope’s Council of Cardinals.
If elected: Prophetic advocacy for Congo Basin ecology and the Church’s peripheries. - 9. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost (69, United States)
[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Francis_Prevost]
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Current role: Prefect, Dicastery for Bishops; President, Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
If elected: Tighter episcopal oversight and pragmatic rollout of synodal structures. - 10. Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer (75, Brazil)
[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odilo_Scherer]
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Current role: Archbishop of São Paulo; Grand‑Chancellor, PUC‑São Paulo.
If elected: Pastoral pragmatism for megacities and a balanced Latin‑American theological voice.
Over/under on the number of ballots? Line on any other candidate? What are the biggest challenges the new pope will face?
Polymarket has very low volumes for now but they think it's basically either Tagle or Parolin with less than 20% it's anyone else
Personally i think the church oscillates in pope selection enough that they wouldn't immediatly nominate another southern american, or a primary italian speaking pope.
They try to "cover their markets" a tad more.
I also don't think they will nominate a 75y+ old again right now.
So Tagle is really the reasonable strongest horse in the race by a significant margin. Perfect for a lot of reasons.
First asian pope, very strong catholic community in the Philippines with a significant diaspora in europe, strong anti-China play, one of the few countries that don't have fertility problems outside subsaharian africa, under 70, made cardinal by Benedict XVI not Bergoglio, strongly anti-abortion but not anti-LGBT, in favour of eucharesty for divorced catholics.
Progressive but not extremist, good at evangelization, i mean it covers really every point they need and it's a reasonable pivot but not a rupture with Bergoglio.
At under 50% on poly i think it's good money to bet
Father Jack Hackett gets my vote
Pope Francis has left the table. The first Latin‑American pontiff played every street of his twelve‑year run, shoving hard for the poor and greening the Church’s image. His blend of humility, media savvy, and willingness to push even marginal encyclicals earned him a healthy stack of goodwill. Requiescat in pace!Now we wait for white smoke.
Not sure how it could happen "sooner."
Because of how popes are selected, I wouldn't feel comfortable betting on who the next pope would be. But in terms of what is best for the world, if you told me right now that I either could be guaranteed that the Tagle would be the next pope or I could roll the dice on the process, I would take Tagle.
Because of how popes are selected, I wouldn't feel comfortable betting on who the next pope would be.
You say there are cardinals bought by the bookies? 😮
How corrupt is the Catholic church? I'm not saying they are I really don't know. Is there Catholic Zionism? All I really care about is how the next Pope feels about Palestinians and how the Zionists are going to get their grubby little hands into the process.
I think this guy would be a strong candidate. Pretty sure he's not into boys though, which could count against him.
There isn’t supposed to be another pope according to the prophecy of the popes. St Malachy said there’d be only one more after Benedict, then Armageddon
I’m gonna bet on Armageddon actually
I think this guy would be a strong candidate. Pretty sure he's not into boys though, which could count against him.
Why would you be pretty sure about that? Given that a guy renounces sex with women, and takes on a role that confers the highest trust, the chance of him being a pedo has to go way up (as we've seen play out).
How corrupt is the Catholic church? I'm not saying they are I really don't know. Is there Catholic Zionism? All I really care about is how the next Pope feels about Palestinians and how the Zionists are going to get their grubby little hands into the process.
Can you stop thinking about how much you hate Jews for one moment?
Why would you be pretty sure about that? Given that a guy renounces sex with women, and takes on a role that confers the highest trust, the chance of him being a pedo has to go way up (as we've seen play out).
Yes because notoriously, claiming you will stop doing x will actually mean you won't do x.
That's like believing Marxist politicians dislike money and will never invest in stocks because that's exploitation of labour lol.
Nicely written original post with a poker twist.
I don't have a guess as to the next pope specifically, but generally I think it will be someone under 70 years old and someone who appeals or expands into Latin America or Asia.
Edit: I was surprised that with over 250 popes that the name Francis had never before been used before last pope. At the end of this conclaves, my guess is that we get a Pope Lorenzo as the name chosen...why the heck not.
Commentators in the news say he was more of people's pope and not an intellectual. WTF the guy was always right.
You're making that accusation very flippantly and you should probably have to provide support for it or be banned.
For some of us, mass slaughter of tens of thousands of innocent people is going to be the main focus of our political lives when our own government is making it happen. The Pop was an ally to Palestinian people.
I hate Israel because I hate fascism. I hate Zionists because I hate racism, including Christian Zionists (who actually do hate Jews but find themselves temporarily aligned with them). But that's got nothing to do with other people who happen to be Jewish. With maybe a few exceptions, all the critics of Zionism and Israel I read are Jewish. Jewish people lead the resistance to Israeli fascism. It's up to you to decide at what point you want to stop pretending you don't know this.
btw, if there was a heaven, don't you figure the outgoing Pope was pretty satisfied to have fought for the oppressed and righteous people in the Palestinians? Imagine you spent your time advocating for the mass slaughter of children, as you do, and then when you die there actually was a God whose morality was that as expressed in the Bible. That would make for a great deodorant commercial, maybe also for adult diapers.
Yes because notoriously, claiming you will stop doing x will actually mean you won't do x.
That's like believing Marxist politicians dislike money and will never invest in stocks because that's exploitation of labour lol.
What like in the Sopranos? These priests are servicing lonely housewives? Nah I think that's rare. If that happens it's not a known and accepted thing so those choosing the priest career really do think they can live without women. What's the odds ratio of that guy being a pedo compared to a random? 35-1?
You're making that accusation very flippantly and you should probably have to provide support for it or be banned.
Makes sense.
For some of us, mass slaughter of tens of thousands of innocent people is going to be the main focus of our political lives when our own government is making it happen. The Pop was an ally to Palestinian people.
I hate Israel because I hate fascism. I hate Zionists because I hate racism, including Christian Zionists (who actually do hate Jews but find themselves temporarily aligned with them). But that's got nothing to do with other people who happen to be Jewish. With maybe a few exceptions, all the critics of Zionism and Israel I read are Jewish. Jewish people lead the resistance to Israeli fascism. It's up to you to decide at what point you want to stop pretending you don't know this.
Your turn to provide support for your claim. Christian Zionists pray regularly for the salvation of Jews. Jesus himself was a Jew, of course. Christian Zionists I believe typically believe the God's promises to Israel in the Old Testament are still valid today.
(I am not a Christian Zionist, if that matters)
btw, if there was a heaven, don't you figure the outgoing Pope was pretty satisfied to have fought for the oppressed and righteous people in the Palestinians? Imagine you spent your time advocating for the mass slaughter of children, as you do, and then when you die there actually was a God whose morality was that as expressed in the Bible. That would make for a great deodorant commercial, maybe also for adult diapers.
The Roman Catholic Church has a long history of being anti-Jewish. The Pope during Nazism was remarkably silent about the Holocaust.*
*To be fair, many Protestants have also been anti-Jewish.
Interested to hear craig1120 thoughts (he allowed to post here?). Otherwise, I think it is time for an American pope.
Interested to hear craig1120 thoughts (he allowed to post here?). Otherwise, I think it is time for an American pope.
It's unlikely that a Pope from a superpower like the United States would be approved. Such a pope would be widely viewed as a mouthpiece representing the leader or leaders of their country.
How corrupt is the Catholic church? I'm not saying they are I really don't know. Is there Catholic Zionism? All I really care about is how the next Pope feels about Palestinians and how the Zionists are going to get their grubby little hands into the process.
You're making that accusation very flippantly and you should probably have to provide support for it or be banned.For some of us, mass slaughter of tens of thousands of innocent people is going to be the main focus of our political lives when our own government is making it happen. The Pop was an ally to Palestinian people.I hate Israel because I hate fascism. I hate Zionists b
Yeah my evidence is that you said zionists will get their grubby little hands on the pope selection process. It’s the most braindead tier antisemetic dogwhistle. In a discussion of the selection of the Pope no less. You shoehorn in your belief that Jewish Zionists in Israel should roll over and die without any fight into every discussion.
And yeah, I’m sure conservatives use the argument that they love Thomas Sowell and Clarence Thomas so they can’t be racist and you laugh in their face. How is what you are saying any different than that?
Your turn to provide support for your claim. Christian Zionists pray regularly for the salvation of Jews. Jesus himself was a Jew, of course. Christian Zionists I believe typically believe the God's promises to Israel in the Old Testament are still valid today.
(I am not a Christian Zionist, if that matters)
I think it kinda does matter in that it leaves you with less of an excuse as to why you don't know that Christian Zionists, those of the denominations who believe that Jews being in Israel will portend the coming of supernatural beings causing end times scenarios, are deeply antisemitic. They believe that all the Jews (or nearly all) will all dies after they get to Israel and the supernatural stuff starts happening.
Everyone knows this, most of all the Jews in Israel.
