Go here to read the story. Each Conclave has a character all its own. Let’s pray for a good outcome for the Faith.
Conclave Watch: What’s Next?
- Donald R. McClarey
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 43 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
I would like to suggest offering rosaries for Card Burke or Card Arinze to be chosen. Both have been staunch advocates for faith in general.
Both are also known for being fairly friendly to the traditional Mass.
Card. Arinze was my hope in the last two conclaves. Being 92 makes his selection unlikely.
Francis was one of a kind, and may he always remain such.
Cardinal Sarah, by Divine Mercy Sunday…white smoke out the chimney. Lord, have mercy on your Church.
My honest prayer and hope is we get a Pope who is publicly invisible but privately cleaning house.
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Adding my prayers to all the rest.
https://txtradcatholic.com/2025/04/21/requiem-for-a-pope/
There is much talk of a “listening” Church.
There are only three that I want the conclave to listen to as they seek the day of white smoke : the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Random thought:
Can you imagine how many cardinals will be on airplanes, making a long trip, just after the rigors of Holy Week?
Hope they ate their Wheaties!!
* I apologize. No conclave to be arranged by Sunday… 😵💫 I was just excited to ponder a defender entering into the Chair of St. Peter with a Holy Hope for sound teaching based upon the clarity of holy theologians of the past.
I know who I *don’t* want.
I guess we will see.
I know an American pope in highly unlikely, but Salvatore Joseph Cordileone of San Francisco would get my vote.
*Yes*, Mr. McClarey – let’s pray for a good outcome.
As a brother Catholic and our Pope, our first duty must be to pray for his immortal soul and that he is in the merciful arms of Jesus.
And as faithful Catholics, we must also pray for the discernment and the gifts of the Holy Spirit on the conclave so that they can select a faithful, wise, courageous, and pastoral pope to succeed Pope Francis.
Personally, I can think of a candidate – who has absolutely no chance from what I can see – who would ably and faithfully lead us.
1) A bishop who is relatively young, pastoral and faithful, and who has the courage to defend our Faith from political correctness and heresy, as St. John Paul did.
2) Who is a wise and clear teacher, like Pope Benedict.
3) And who uses the media to defend and explain our Faith to Catholics and non-Catholics, like Venerable Fulton Sheen.
Bishop Robert Barron, who again, like Archbishop Sheen, was placed in a relatively obscure diocese, but who doesn’t let it stop him from preaching the truth of Catholicism to all who will listen.
Right now, though, as you say, Mr. McClarey, we in the laity must pray, and pray hard.
God bless and protect all here.
Let’s also remember we don’t really know any of the people who may become pope, not really. There’s always some Kremlinology in how we interpret members of the heirarchy. “He was good with the Latin Mass, but he had a chancery office that stood by a priest I heard bad things about, and he was auxilliary to an archbishop who attended an interfaith prayer conference, so he’s evil.” The cardinals may not know much more about each other. And no one even knows himself what kind of a pope he’ll become. The closest parallel is SCOTUS nominees.
There’s a novel,”Conclave,” (and a film also?) that’s relevant.
The selection of a Pope is more political than most think. The conclave itself may well be looking for a “breathing spell”. A non-controversial Pontiff, in the mainstream who has offended few and presents like a Pope. Probably age 68 to 74. Write down your choice, put it in your desk drawer and review after the white smoke.
Just read Cdl. Arinze’ bio. What an amazing man and cleric. He is 92 and traditional. His age may count him out of the running, but he could be an interim pope such as the thought was for Benedict XVI. Also Archbishop Cordileone 68, Cdl. Burke 76, Cdl Sarah 79, Archbishop Athanasius Schneider 64.
Pope John Paul II was 58 when he was selected pope.
Praying for a pope who is traditional, i.e., Catholic, pro Tridentine Mass, pro-life from conception til natural death. Heterosexual. Opposes totalitarian governments. Is of good character and intellect. Understands capitalism.
Wish I knew more about papabile candidates from other continents.
May the Holy Spirit enlighten the Conclave
Recent conclaves have shown far too much jockeying and horse trading.
Maybe we should put every bishop’s name in a really big hat and draw by lot, Old Testament style 🤔
It would almost certainly eliminate those who want the job most, which are usually the ones who ought to have it the least. How awesome to get someone who doesn’t seek the position – who may even be tempted to bolt.
That’s the spirit of the Chair of Peter.
I pray in the future we are not uttering, “heck of a job Conclave 25, heck of a job”
We shall see.
Robert Sarah, Wim Eijk or Peter Erdo – that would be my wishlist.
Many are citing Tagle but I pray it doesn’t happen. He is very liberal.
I know it’s a politically incorrect statement to make, but I think we need either a European or African Pope. But what do I know- God has His perfect way.
I think Arinze is now above the age of electability and ineligible. Unfortunate. He is a good man too.
…And Cardinal Burke. He would be the exception of someone solid out of North America. Probably the only one. That man’s character speaks volumes about how he well he would lead the Church.
If I was able to vote, it would go to Cdl. Sarah.
I notice some are suggesting bishops – are bishops eligible, or do they have to be cardinals who take part in the conclave?
Don, by tradition, the Pope is a Cardinal. By canon law, he can be any baptized, Catholic, male. Including most of the commenters here.
There’s an interesting “novel” (really a polemical novel) called Pius XIV about a post-conciliar conclave unable to select a pope and so they settle on a “transitional” candidate who, unbeknownst to them, has a “traditionalist” streak and doesn’t see himself as a “transitional” pope, with the novel exploring him trying to steer the Church toward a more pre-conciliar footing. I left a lengthy review on Amazon that I entitled “a healthy dose of trad-reality,” since one strength of the book is exploring the various challenges such a pope would actually face.
As a novel it’s ok, as the polemical nature sometimes treats the characters and scenes as props for the message, but it’s still pretty entertaining.
https://a.co/d/jblh3Sj