Pope Francis with then-Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle (extreme right) greets members of the Papal Delegation during the arrival ceremony at the 250th PAW at the Villamor Airbase for the State Visit and Apostolic Journey to the Philippines on January 15, 2015, | Photo by Benur Arcayan/Malacañang Photo Bureau via Wikimedia Commons
NEW YORK – There are speculations about Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines as successor to Pope Francis amid talks of his retirement due to his health condition. Two of the 10 prominent candidates have dropped out, with 8 in contention, including Tagle, the youngest at 66.
Pope Francis has not announced any plans to resign, so he remains the head of the Catholic Church. No official process is underway to select his successor. The papal conclave, which gathers the College of Cardinals to elect a new pope, only occurs when a vacancy exists. It could happen if the current pope passes away or if he decides to resign, as Pope Benedict XVI did in 2013.
It’s natural for the Church to think ahead with Pope Francis, who is 88 years old and dealing with some health issues. The Vatican often monitors potential successors to ensure a smooth transition when the time comes.
Discussing potential candidates allows cardinals to become familiar with their peers’ strengths and positions and smoothens the eventual conclave process. Such preparations are not unusual and are part of ensuring stability and readiness within the Church.
Speculating about potential future popes is common among Vatican watchers and journalists, keeping the topic in public discourse.
Pope Benedict nominated Tagle, the former Archbishop of Manila, as cardinal. He started a glowing career in the Vatican, with two essential positions: director of Caritas Internationalis, the most important Catholic relief organization in the world, and Head of Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, which deals with most developing countries.
According to ItalyStart, Tagle “gets on extremely well with Pope Francis. They have more or less the same mindset. Whoever wants the line of Francis to be continued after his death or abdication will find Tagle a good one. The disadvantage of being the teacher’s favorite at school is that it can evoke jealousy from the other pupils.”
“Another barrier is age,” ItalyStart continued, “but Tagle is about when Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II) became pope and stayed at the helm for 28 years.”
Strong candidates come from the non-Western world
ItalyStart claims that strong candidates come from the non-Western world. “Asia is the future of the Catholic Church, which, by the way, is also the continent where Jesus was born. Europe and America are engaged in a relentless move towards secularism. Although a growing Catholic territory, Africa is a problematic continent,” it said.
The leading candidates who stand a chance of becoming the next pope are:
- Péter Erdö (Europe, age: 71)
- Mario Grech (Europe, 66)
- Marc Ouellet (Canada, 80)
- Pietro Parolin (Europe, 68)
- Óscar Rodriguez Maradiaga (Honduras, 83)
- Robert Sarah (Africa, 77)
- Christoph Schönborn (Europe, 78)
- Antonio Tagle (Asia, 67)
- Peter Turkson (Africa, 74)
- Matteo Zuppi (Europe, 76)
According to ItalySmart, Ouellet and Maradiaga have dropped out.
“It would be a great singular source of honor and pride for the Philippines and, particularly, its Catholic population if that comes to fruition,” said Caesar Barangan of Connecticut and Deputy Area Commander of the Knights of Rizal in New York. “A lot of firsts will come into play – the first Asian and first Filipino Pope!”
“We are fortunate as Filipinos to have Cardinal Tagle. He has the breadth of perspecive, the vitality of youth, and the wisdom that the Holy Spirit has generously bestowed upon him,” said Nicanor Luna of Queens, New York.
Conclave of cardinals
However, selecting a new pope involves a conclave of cardinals voting to elect the next pontiff, a significant event for the Catholic Church. Each candidate brings unique experiences and perspectives that can shape the Church’s future direction, a fascinating process to watch.
The papal conclave is how the Catholic Church selects a new pope. When the seat becomes vacant, or Sede Vacante, which occurs upon the death or resignation of a pope, all cardinal electors, those under the age of 80, are called to the Vatican.
They gather in the Sistine Chapel for the conclave. The cardinals vote up to four times a day (twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon.) A two-thirds majority is needed to elect the new pope. If no one is elected after three days of voting, a day of prayer and informal discussions is held.
Once at least a two-thirds majority has elected a cardinal and accepted the role, the ballots are burned in a stove with chemicals that produce white smoke. It signals to the outside world that a new pope has been elected. If no pope is elected, the smoke is black.
The elected cardinal is asked if he accepts his election and, upon acceptance, what name he will take as pope. The new pope is announced to the public with the phrase Habemus Papam (“We have a Pope”) from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, and a papal inauguration follows, which usually takes place soon after the election.
Jean Ramos-Cua of Las Vegas, Nevada, a graduate of St. Paul’s College in Paranaque and a former bank executive in New York, said she had known Tagle since they were in high school. “He was extraordinarily intelligent, graduating as class valedictorian,” Ramos-Cua said. “His intellect, excellent leadership, and deep concern for the poor and the marginalized will make him a good Pope.”
“Cardinal Tagle is indeed considered by many to be a strong candidate for the papacy. “Asian Francis” is seen as a representative of the progressive wing,” said Paul Versoza of New Jersey. “His stance on various social issues, such as poverty, climate change, and human rights, has earned him recognition and admiration globally.”