Though the world still reels from the tragic passing of Pope Francis, the important task of choosing a new Pope is already heavy on the minds of the Catholic Church.
The process of one becoming the figurehead of the church is deceptively simple; the College of Cardinals will assemble on May 7. 133 cardinals will debate over any given candidate until two-thirds of the conclave agrees upon a singular candidate.
This candidate will become Pope, which will have massive implications for the world. Though not everyone is Catholic, the influence of the Pope is felt on a massive scale.
According to the Vatican News, a Pope’s opinion on any given doctrinal matter must be obeyed by an estimated 1.3 billion people.
Now, does every Catholic follow and agree with the Pope on every single matter? No, of course not, especially those that are more political than doctrinal; however, the Pope’s word still carries immense weight for those of the catholic faith. There is a reason that countless world leaders attended Pope Francis’s funeral.
Recognizing the weight of the decision and being a good Catholic boy, I have various opinions about who should be crowned the Pope. They are as follows:
Jean-Claude Hollerich
Cardinal Hollerich is by far the most well-known liberal candidate (though he’s not that well known) and is by far my top choice. Hailing from Luxembourg, where he is the Archbishop. Hollerich hits most of my markers: pro-ordaining women, pro-blessing same-sex marriages and lastly, least importantly to me, but some will love this, pro-priests “getting freaky,” i.e. relaxing celibacy laws.
A liberal leader of one of the oldest and holiest institutions in the world is invaluable in today’s political climate.
Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle
Cardinal Tagle is a Filipino prelate of the Catholic Church. His stances are considered very similar to Pope Francis’s, especially regarding the late Pope’s stance on immigration.
While Cardinal Tagle may be in my top picks for his views on immigration, serving as a bit of a counterweight against President Donald Trump’s views. We need people in power who are against the anti-immigration administration.
However, it must be acknowledged that Cardinal Tagle is very pro-life and believes that abortion is murder. This is an ideology I detest. However, Cardinal Tagle also disagrees with previous Catholic sentiments that vilify single mothers, the LGBTQIA+ community and divorce.
Cardinal Tagle is gathering mass amounts of support, however, I find it unlikely he will be chosen due to his race and ethnicity; very few non-Italian Popes have been selected.
Nevertheless, I think Cardinal Tagle is a good and proper choice for support when it comes to countering the Trump administration. Which is a very American centered standpoint but, admittedly, I’m getting desperate for a figurehead.
Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson
Cardinal Turkson is a solid pick for the fact that he is against the criminalization of queer people’s identities. He also stated that he’s unsure of whether he wants to be the Pope, which, in my experience, is how the best leaders are formed. He also served as a guitarist in a band, which is awesome. Just imagine a Pope who can shred.
Also, in a time where it feels as though racism is on the rise, having a black man chosen to be one of the most influential men on the planet feels like an important thing. However, Cardinal Turkson is a bit old at 76 years.
Once again, I emphasize that the Pope’s views and where he chooses to utilize his voice are invaluable to a movement. Whoever is chosen to be the Pope, I can only hope they treat humans as we deserve and align themselves on the right side of history.
Garrett McEntee is a 19-year-old English sophomore from Benton, La.
