We watched Conclave over the weekend, and my Twitter (always Twitter, never X) “For You” tab is just full of Vatican stuff so here we are. I really have no idea who these people are but I know that the right wingers have their favorites. So let’s learn about them.
First some of the basic facts: there were 252 cardinals at the time of Francis’ death, 135 of whom are eligible voters (age 80 and younger), and he appointed 108 of them. I guess the rest of them are there for the intrigue and the parties. The winner needs a 2/3 majority and they vote 4x/day. If there is no winner after 3 days they have the option to take up to a day off. Then more ballots and days off, if needed.
Now let’s look at the candidates. I got excited when I saw an article about a cardinal who was suddenly out of the running. Finally some hot gossip! Or not:
A pivotal shift has occurred in the lead-up to the papal conclave in May as Cardinal Angelo Becciu, once seen as a potential contender to succeed Pope Francis, has officially withdrawn from participating in the vote to elect the next leader of the Catholic Church.
Becciu’s decision followed mounting pressure tied to his conviction for embezzlement, further reshaping a race already laden with political, doctrinal and geographical complexity.
Clearly Vatican writers need to learn not to get our hopes up for nothing.
Vatican watchers do caution that it’s almost impossible to know what a conclave will do, given all of the secrecy around it. I propose that the Vatican install cameras and broadcast a live stream of what is going on in the Sistine Chapel. Remember how entertaining C-SPAN was when the GOP took multiple ballots to elect a Speaker and there were no rules governing what the cameras could show? Yes, please.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin is one of the favorites to win the election. He’s been the Secretary of State since 2013 and is considered a moderate like the previous pope. Of course, “moderate” in the context of a 2 thousand year old institution which refuses to live in the modern world is different than “moderate” here in 2025. For example, here are Parolin’s comments about the marriage equality referendum passing in Ireland:
“I was deeply saddened by the result,” Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, said at a conference in Rome on Tuesday night. “The church must take account of this reality, but in the sense that it must strengthen its commitment to evangelisation. I think that you cannot just talk of a defeat for Christian principles, but of a defeat for humanity.”
Cardinal Luis Antiono Tagle, from the Philippines, is a new front runner. He is considered a liberal because he has criticized how the Vatican has been rude to LGBTQ people in the past. Mind you, he’s not critical of the Catechism’s description of LBGTQ people as “objectively disordered”. That insult he’s perfectly fine with. He’s also interested in discussions about how to treat divorced and civil remarried Catholics, but again, his concern is the words used to describe them, and not their actual treatment by the church.
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi seems to be known for his opposition to European nationalism and his insistence that we must welcome migrants. He also has allowed the blessing of a same sex union in his church. So, yeah, he’s toast.
Cardinal Peter Turkson is from Ghana and is sometimes painted as a progressive because he’s been critical of the International Monetary Fund and because he is seen, incorrectly, a defender of LGBTQ people.
Cardinal Peter Erdo, from Hungary, is a real piece of work. He opposes countries taking in migrants, calling it human trafficking. He is fine with shunning divorced Catholics. Victor Orban loves him. You gotta like his odds.
Cardinal Robert Sarah, from Guinea, is the darling of the right wingers all around the world. He’s against LGBTQ people, abortion, and Islam. FOX calls him “anti-woke”. Between his extremism, even for the Vatican, and his age, his papacy is mostly an internet campaign aimed at people who aren’t on social media.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa is the cardinal I am rooting for, simply because his name is Peter “The Rock” Pizza Balls. Does anyone need any other reason to vote for him? OK, well he’s the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, he’s spoken out against Hamas and has called for an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestine. He’s also very young by Vatican standards at 60. Who knows?
The conclave officially starts May 7th. I’ll leave you with this: