In the hours following Pope Francis’ death, I’ve already seen dozens of opinions and stories on the conclave and who will be the next pope. I even saw one story about the betting odds. I’ve seen pie charts and graphs pointing in this and that direction. Look at this:
OK. To be fair, I’m not even sure what “soft conservative” and “conservative” actually means. I understand what “faithful” means but not “soft conservative.” But these charts can make you think the conclave is bound to go one way when we actually don’t know.
We do have to remember to make room for the Holy Spirit. This is not straight up politicking. This is the Catholic Church and these are men who’ve devoted their lives to Christ (most of them anyway.) I pray that the conclave will result in a good, faithful, and courageous pope. I trust that the Holy Spirit is watching over this process and guiding the hearts of those who are open to it.
The Catholic Church is no mere human institution. But if the past 2,000 years has taught us anything it’s that no matter how hard some may try, even from inside the Church, they will not be able to destroy it. Thank God for that.
April 24, 2025 at 2:17 pm
Sometimes we get the Pope we want; sometimes we get the Pope we deserve; sometimes it’s the same Pope. But we always get the Pope we need.
April 24, 2025 at 6:56 pm
Prove it.
Don’t just utter pious-sounding falsehoods for the purpose of sounding pious — that’s the exact sort of thing Pharisees were condemned for doing.
Maybe you mean that EVERYONE who affects are lives are somehow people we need? The way millions of people needed Stalin, Hitler, Mao, and Pol Pot? Or maybe it only applies to priests, or even only to bishops — like Theodore McCarrick? But if it only applies to POPES, there should be something authoritative to back that up. I’d be interested to see that reference.
April 25, 2025 at 1:34 pm
My comment yesterday sounded more aggressive than I meant it to be. My point is not to blame c matt, but to disagree with statements that seem to try to preserve the holiness of the papacy at the expense of the holiness of the Church. We are too quick to jump to the same conclusions as Job’s friends or the disciples in John 9 and look for reasons why those who are suffering DESERVE to suffer (in a way that we, of course, do not); see also Luke 13:1-5.
Yes, the Church needs *A* pope, and it is not good for the man to be alone. But it seems to be the Teaching of the Church that God does not directly choose the pope; He lets the Church Militant choose Her own pope, just as he lets a man choose his own wife. Sometimes these choices are made … poorly … as the knight from The Last Crusade might say.
April 25, 2025 at 5:49 am
I know that a conclave is not a political election but hate how it is treated as such. I’ve read time and again that the Holy Spirit chooses the next Pope. Then I hear that the Cardinals choose/elect the Pope and the spirit merely confirms their decision. Then I hear that it is just a secular election under a religious guise with Cardinals jostling around positioning their favorite candidates for the best chance to be Pope, through favors and/or bribery, and the Holy Spirit has a “hands-off” position on the outcome. Lol. What to choose.
I favor petitioning the Lord to send us who will be best to lead His Church and trust in his wisdom and thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. C Matt has it right. We get the Pope we need.