Pope Francis I has died. What happens now?

Summary

Summary of “Pope Francis I Has Died. What Happens Now?” from NPR’s Consider This

Released on April 21, 2025

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Introduction: The Passing of Pope Francis I

NPR’s Consider This opens with a solemn announcement marking the death of Pope Francis I at the age of 88. Marian Louise Kelly articulates the gravity of the moment for over a billion Catholics worldwide, outlining the immediate rituals that will follow the pope’s passing.

Key Points:

• Announcement of Death: Cardinal Kevin Farrell Kamerlengo formally announces Pope Francis I’s death, initiating the subsequent rites of acknowledgment and mourning.
• Immediate Rituals: The 17-hour wait before the rite of Ascertainment begins, followed by the period of mourning at St. Peter’s Basilica and the forthcoming funeral services.
• Conclave Preparation: The College of Cardinals prepares to convene for the conclave, tasked with electing the new pope.

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Interview with Father Thomas Reese: Understanding the Conclave

Marian Louise Kelly engages in a detailed discussion with Father Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest and journalist with Religion News Service, to shed light on the intricate process of electing a new pope and the legacy of Pope Francis I.

Remembering Pope Francis

Father Reese reflects on Pope Francis’s transformative impact on the Catholic Church.

“I remember him as someone who really changed the culture of the church. This is a man who hated clericalism. He kept telling bishops and priests to not act like princes, but to be with their people.”
— Father Thomas Reese [03:01]

Key Points:

• Cultural Transformation: Pope Francis was instrumental in altering the church's internal dynamics, promoting humility and accessibility among clergy.
• Anti-Clericalism Stance: His efforts to reduce clericalism emphasized a more servant-oriented leadership within the church hierarchy.

The Conclave Process Explained

The conversation delves into the mechanics of the conclave, the secretive process by which the College of Cardinals elects the new pope.

Key Points:

• Cardinal Electors: 135 cardinals under the age of 80, predominantly appointed by Pope Francis (80%), will gather in Rome for the conclave.
• Voting Procedures: Meetings in the Sistine Chapel will see cardinals voting twice daily in silence and prayer, with extensive discussions occurring outside the chapel.
• Outcome Secrecy: The conclave’s proceedings remain tightly sealed, with ballots burned post-vote, ensuring the confidentiality of individual votes.

Priorities for the Next Pope

Father Reese outlines the three main criteria cardinals consider when selecting their successor:

1. Alignment on Church’s Future: The candidate must share the cardinal’s vision for the church’s direction.
2. Personal Relationships: A good rapport ensures effective communication and collaboration post-election.
3. Global Appeal: The new pope should resonate positively within the cardinal's respective regions and countries.

“We will see someone who will talk about continuity with the legacy of Pope Francis.”
— Father Thomas Reese [05:16]

Key Points:

• No Radical Shifts: Given that most cardinals were appointed by Pope Francis, the expectation is continuity rather than drastic changes in church leadership.
• Potential Continuity: The new pope is likely to uphold and continue Francis’s initiatives and values.

Potential Candidates and Factions

The discussion addresses whether there are frontrunners and the existence of internal factions within the College of Cardinals.

Key Points:

• Lack of Clear Frontrunners: Similar to past conclaves, unexpected candidates like John Paul II and Francis emerged as surprises, suggesting unpredictability in the current conclave.
• Factions Present, But Minor: While conservative cardinals advocating for traditionalism are vocal, they represent a minority within the College, indicating a preference for progressive leadership.

“We are not going to see someone elected who stands up and says that the papacy of Francis was a disaster and we're going back to the old church.”
— Father Thomas Reese [05:35]

Geographical Influences on Selection

Geography plays a significant role in shaping the priorities and preferences of the cardinals.

Key Points:

• Global South vs. Global North: Cardinals from the Global South emphasize issues like poverty, economic systems, globalization, and migration, while those from the Global North focus on ecumenism, Jewish relations, and addressing the sex abuse crisis within the church.
• Diverse Concerns: These regional priorities impact the selection, ensuring that the new pope can address a wide range of global issues.

“Different parts of the world have different concerns.”
— Father Thomas Reese [06:13]

Transparency and Timing of the Conclave

The conclave’s opaque nature raises questions about transparency, while its duration remains a point of curiosity.

Key Points:

• Limited Transparency: The conclave’s sealed proceedings mean that the public and media can only infer the reasons behind the pope’s selection based on post-election statements from the cardinals.
• Expected Duration: Historically, conclaves haven’t exceeded three days, suggesting a relatively swift election process despite the initial secrecy and internal discussions.

“We will get someone who will talk about continuity with the legacy of Pope Francis.”
— Father Thomas Reese [05:16]

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Conclusion: Looking Ahead

Marian Louise Kelly wraps up the episode by highlighting the imminent transition within the Catholic Church and the anticipation surrounding the conclave. The discussion with Father Thomas Reese provides listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the election process, the potential direction of the church’s future leadership, and the enduring legacy of Pope Francis I.

Final Thoughts:

• The Catholic Church stands at a pivotal moment, navigating the transition from a long-serving and culturally influential pope to new leadership.
• The conclave’s outcome will shape the church’s trajectory in addressing contemporary global challenges and internal reforms.

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Notable Quotes:

• Father Thomas Reese [03:01]: “I remember him as someone who really changed the culture of the church. This is a man who hated clericalism. He kept telling bishops and priests to not act like princes, but to be with their people.”

• Father Thomas Reese [05:16]: “We will see someone who will talk about continuity with the legacy of Pope Francis.”

• Father Thomas Reese [05:35]: “We are not going to see someone elected who stands up and says that the papacy of Francis was a disaster and we're going back to the old church.”

• Father Thomas Reese [06:13]: “Different parts of the world have different concerns.”

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This episode of Consider This offers an insightful exploration into the Catholic Church’s succession process, providing listeners with the necessary context and expert analysis to understand the significance of Pope Francis I’s passing and the profound implications for the future of the church.

Transcript

[Father Thomas Reese]

Carissimi fratelli et sorelli con profondo dolore devo annunciarde la morte del nostro Santo.

[Marian Louise Kelly]

Padre Francesco, that is Cardinal Kevin Farrell Kamerlengo, or Cardinal chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church, announcing the death of Pope Francis I. That was followed some 17 hours later by the rite of Ascertainment, formal acknowledgment of Francis of the many centuries old rituals that will play out over the next several days as the church mourns Pope Francis I. There will be the mourning of the faithful as Francis's body lies in St. Peter's Basilica, a funeral where Francis will be remembered by his fellow priests, followers and world leaders. And then the conclave where the College of Cardinals will meet to choose his successor. Consider this, Pope Francis has died at the age of 88. Now the church has to chart a course without his leadership. Who will be his successor and what path will he choose? From npr, I'm Marian Louise Kelly.

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[Marian Louise Kelly]

It'S consider this from npr. Monday was a day of mourning for the world's billion plus Catholics. Next, the College of Cardinals will oversee the church and the transition to a new Holy Father. That process culminates in a conclave. I spoke to author and journalist Father Thomas Reese of Religion News Service about the conclave and the election of a new pope. How are you remembering him today?

[Father Thomas Reese]

I remember him as someone who really changed the culture of the church. This is a man who hated clericalism. He kept telling bishops and priests to not act like princes, but to be with their people.

[Marian Louise Kelly]

So like many people listening to us, I Feel like I know how a conclave works because I saw the movie last year. What should we know about the process that is about to unfold?

[Father Thomas Reese]

Well, all of the cardinal electors will be coming to Rome for the Pope's funeral. That's 135 cardinals who are under the age of 80. 80% of those have been appointed by Pope Francis. So they will gather in the Sistine Chapel and twice a day they will have a vote, and that will be done in silence and in prayer. Outside of the Sistine Chapel, there will be lots of conversations about who should be Pope.

[Marian Louise Kelly]

And give us a little bit of insight into those conversations. What are the priorities supposed to be?

[Father Thomas Reese]

Well, I think each cardinal is looking for three things in a future Pope. First, he wants someone who will be a good pope, which of course means that the candidate agrees with the cardinal on the future of the Church. The second thing he wants is someone who he has good relationship with because he wants to be able to have someone who will listen to him after he becomes pope. And finally, he wants someone elected who will go down well in his part of the world, in his country.

[Marian Louise Kelly]

Are there already names circulating? Front runners?

[Father Thomas Reese]

There's lots of names circulating, but there's no real frontrunners. You know, when John Paul II was elected, it was a big surprise. When Francis was elected, it was a big surprise. So it may be a surprise.

[Marian Louise Kelly]

Does the fact that, as you just said, the majority of the cardinals who will be eligible to choose the next pope, that they themselves were appointed by Pope Francis, does that influence the outcome? Does that suggest they may want someone in his mold?

[Father Thomas Reese]

I think it certainly is going to influence the outcome. We're not going to see someone elected who stands up and says that the papacy of Francis was a disaster and we're going back to the old church. That's just not going to happen. We will see someone who will talk about continuity with the legacy of Pope Francis.

[Marian Louise Kelly]

I mentioned the movie Conclave. It includes a scene where we see two factions of the church, two wings, liberals versus traditionalists, and they are vying for control. And vying is putting it politely. Is that real? Is that divide real amongst the cardinals?

[Father Thomas Reese]

Well, there are some cardinals who are very conservative and would like to bring the church back to the way it was a long time ago. But they're in a minority today. They make a lot of noise, but they are not a majority in the College of Cardinals, not today.

[Marian Louise Kelly]

How big a factor is geography? Much has been made of the fact that Francis was the first non European to hold that role in a thousand years.

[Father Thomas Reese]

Geography is extremely important because different parts of the world have different concerns. The Global south is very concerned about poverty, about the economic system, about globalization, about wars, and they're concerned about migrants and refugees trying to find safe places to live. On the other hand, you know, the people in the north, we're very strong on ecumenism. We're very strong on having good relations with the Jewish community. These are important things to us. We're very strong on taking care of the sex abuse crisis, making sure that this does not happen again. So there are different priorities in different parts of the world. But and, you know, we may see how that plays out.

[Marian Louise Kelly]

I mean, this selection process is about as far from transparent as it feels possible to get. They will be sealed inside the Sistine Chapel. Will we ever get visibility into why whoever is chosen the next pope was chosen?

[Father Thomas Reese]

Well, of course, when the cardinals come out, each one of them can talk about why he likes the new pope or doesn't like the new pope. So we'll get that. But we certainly will not know how each person votes. The cardinals themselves will not even know that it's a secret ballot and the ballots are burned after they're counted.

[Marian Louise Kelly]

Timing, I mean, choosing the next pope will take as long as it takes, I guess. But are we likely talking, what, weeks?

[Father Thomas Reese]

We haven't had a conclave last more than three days for 100 years. So we would expect them to be able to get their work done, especially because they will have time before the conclave to talk over dinner and over coffee and, you know, in small groups about who they think the pope should be. So there's a lot of, well, let's call it politicking happening before the cardinals actually gather in the Sistine Chapel.

[Marian Louise Kelly]

Father Tom Reese is a journalist, author and Jesuit priest. He writes the Signs of the Times column for Religion News Service. Father Reese, thank you.

[Father Thomas Reese]

Good to be with you.

[Marian Louise Kelly]

This episode was produced by Tyler Bartlam. It was edited by Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sami Yeniken. It's Consider this from npr. I'm Mary Louise Kelly.

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