By Eunice Hilda A. Mensah
Accra, April 23, GNA – The Catholic Church finds itself at a pivotal moment following the passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday as it prepares to select a new leader for the church.
Pope Francis passed away at age 88, at his residence at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. The Catholic Church has begun a period of mourning, known as the “sede vacante,” which will last until a new pope is elected.
As the Vatican prepares for the upcoming conclave, speculation intensifies regarding his successor.
With 135 cardinal-electors eligible to vote, many appointed by Pope Francis himself, the election is poised to reflect his global vision while navigating the Church’s ideological spectrum.
Over the next few days, cardinals worldwide will gather in Rome for General Congregations and daily meetings to address Church affairs and prepare for the conclave.
The Conclave
The conclave, the highly secretive process to choose the next pontiff, must begin between 15 and 20 days after the pope’s death, likely falling between May 6 and 11, 2025.
Approximately 130 cardinals under the age of 80, the age limit for voting, are expected to participate.
The Sistine Chapel will host the electors, who will reside in the Vatican City’s guesthouse, Domus Sanctae Marthae, isolated from external influence to ensure an independent vote.
The voting process is rigorous and Cardinals cast ballots in up to four rounds daily, requiring a two-thirds majority – potentially 80 votes if 120 cardinals participate to elect the pope.
After each session, ballots are burned, producing black smoke to signal no decision or white smoke to announce a new pope. If the conclave extends beyond several days, a brief pause for prayer may occur.
In rare cases, after about 30 ballots, the process could shift to a runoff or simple majority, though that is uncommon.
Cardinals swear oaths to protect the conclave’s confidentiality, and measures like jamming devices prevent external communication, as secrecy is considered paramount.
While any baptised Catholic male could theoretically be elected, the choice almost certainly will be a cardinal, continuing a practice unbroken since 1378.
Once a candidate secures the necessary votes, he is asked to accept the election and choose his papal name.
The senior cardinal deacon will then appear on St. Peter’s balcony, proclaiming “Habemus Papam” (“We have a Pope”) to the awaiting crowd, revealing the new pontiff’s identity.
The new pontiff will deliver his first “Urbi et Orbi” blessing, marking the start of his ministry.
A papal inauguration mass, typically held days later, will formalise his role with the presentation of the pallium and a new cast Fisherman’s Ring.
The entire process, from Francis’s death to the election, is expected to span two to three weeks, though conclaves can vary in length.
Pope Francis was elected in just two days in 2013. As the Church navigates the transition, attention now turns to Vatican City, where the next pope will soon be chosen to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
Some key candidates for succession
The decision might be harder than ever to predict who will be elected the next pope as the election would be from a broader global perspective this time.
The burning question is; could the cardinals elect an African or an Asian pope, or might they favour one of the old hands of the Vatican administration?
Among the names being mentioned as potential successors to Pope Francis are Cardinals Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson of Ghana (76 years), Pietro Parolin of Italy (70), Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle of the Philippines (67), Fridolin Ambongo Besungu of Congo (65), and Peter Erdo of Hungary (72).
Others are Angelo Scola of Italy (83), Reinhard Marx of Germany (71), Marc Ouellet of Canada (80), Robert Prevost of America (69), Robert Sarah of Guinea (79), and Michael Czerny of Canada (78).
Cardinal Peter Appiah Turkson:
When selected at the conclave, Cardinal Turkson would be the first African Pope for 1,500 years.
He was the first Ghanaian to be made a cardinal, back in 2003 under Pope John Paul II.
Cardinal Turkson is a Ghanaian prelate and cardinal of the Catholic Church who has served as chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences since 2022 and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.
On October 6, 1992, he was appointed Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast by Pope John Paul II and received episcopal ordination on 27 March 1993, from Archbishop Dominic Kodwo Andoh, with Archbishops Peter Poreku Dery and Peter Kwasi Sarpong serving as co-consecrators.
He served as president of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (1997-2004) and was a member of Governing Council of the University of Ghana, Legon (2001-2006) and of the Board of Directors of Central Region Development Commission (2002-2006).
He was treasurer of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (2007-2009) and as Vice President of the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Anglophone West Africa.
He was the President of the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (2007-2009) and was also Chairman of the Ghana Chapter of the Conference of Religions for Peace (2003-2007) and Ghana National Peace Council (2006-2010).
Opinions on Cardinal Turkson as potential successor:
The Most Reverend Gabriel Charles Palmer Buckle, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast, said: “Our Cardinal is also one of the Cardinals. He is of the right age, he’s had enough experience, and if his brother Cardinals think he is the right person, then we will be ready to support him.”
“We will support him with our prayers and definitely it will be a great pat on the shoulders of Ghana if that should happen.”
Most Rev Palmer-Buckle expressed his belief that the Holy Spirit would guide the Cardinals to choose the next Pope.
The Most Reverend John Bonaventure Kwofie, the Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, said choosing Cardinal Turkson as the pope would be a fitting recognition of that growth and also inspire African prelates.
“Although it’s something I cannot bet on, as the cardinals who will make the selection will be led by the Holy Spirit, it will be good to have him as the next pope as this will motivate all bishops on the continent,” he noted.
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