Only younger cardinals under 80 will cast decisive votes to choose Pope Francis’ successor, even though 252 cardinals will gather for the conclave.
New Delhi: Four cardinals from India will take part in the important meeting (called a conclave) to select the next Pope. Three of these four cardinals were appointed by the current pope, Pope Francis. They will join others in making the big decision a few weeks after Pope Francis’s funeral.
All four Indian cardinals have praised Pope Francis for his kindness and the changes he brought to the Church.
Archbishop Anthony Poola from Hyderabad called him “a messenger of mercy and a champion for marginalized people.” His words reflect the opinion of a large section of the Church in India.
Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, leader of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, and Archbishop Philip Neri Ferrao from Goa and Daman also praised Pope Francis for his inclusive vision.
George Jacob Koovakad, the fourth cardinal, has been a member of the Vatican diplomatic service since 2006 and was named a cardinal by Pope Francis. Originally from the Syro-Malabar Church, Cardinal Koovakad is better known as a Vatican diplomat. Since 2021, he has traveled with the Pope, helping to spread Pope Francis’s message of openness and interfaith dialogue.
Now, the big question is, will the Indian cardinals vote for someone who will continue Pope Francis’s liberal and inclusive approach? Or will they support whoever seems to have the most support?
The answer is mixed. Some believe the Indian cardinals will back a moderate or progressive candidate, while others feel they will simply support whoever gains the majority.
A priest in Ernakulam, Kerala, “Usually, the Indian Church and its leaders have a more conservative attitude. They support whoever wins, rather than taking a strong ideological stand. We don’t usually have the modern outlook that Pope Francis has.”
However, Father Jose Maliekal, a professor of philosophy and social behavior at the Institute of Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Social Sciences in Visakhapatnam, is hopeful. He believes the Indian cardinals will support continuity.
He said, “Cardinal Anthony Poola has a liberal mindset and believes in uplifting marginalized groups.Cardinal George Koovakad supports Pope Francis’s viewpoint. Cardinal Philip Neri Ferrao is more moderate, although not very conservative.
Father Raj Irudaya, a theology professor at the Sacred Heart College in Chennai, also believes that Indian cardinals will not oppose the reforms brought by Pope Francis.
He told “They have seen the positive changes Pope Francis made, like promoting interfaith dialogue and supporting inclusivity, especially for women. Many bishops were slow to adopt these changes, but they cannot ignore the good impact they had.”
He added, “For example, when Pope Francis encouraged welcoming migrants, the Church grew stronger. In Tamil Nadu, special services were started for Hindi-speaking migrants and people from the northeast.”
Father Anthony Vadakkara, spokesperson for the Syro-Malabar Church in Ernakulam said “The Catholic Church’s structure is very strong and clear. Normally, the new Pope continues the good work started by the previous Pope.”
Out of the 252 cardinals participating in the conclave, 135 are above the age of 80 and hence unable to vote.
Out of those who can vote 108 were appointed by Pope Francis. There is active discussion within the Church about whether the next Pope will be African, Italian, Filipino, or American.
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