Dom Odilo Scherer, Archbishop of São Paulo, says that Cardinian College was more diverse after the Papacy of Francisco
Cardinal Dom Odilo Scherer, Archbishop of Sao Paulo, said this Monday (21.br.2025) that “No one should be surprisedIf the new Pope, to be chosen during the, is an Asian or African.
“No one should be surprised if an African cardinal was chosen to be a Pope, or an Asian cardinal, or again an Italian cardinal. It is in the possibilities. If this happens, it will not mean that the Church turned only to Africa or only to Asia, turned her back on America or again focused on Europe. Anyone who is chosen Pope should recover the care of the church as a whole. Therefore, it is the time of the pontificate that will then tell us where will the personal choices that the Pope will make”He said.
Dom Odilo pointed out that this variety of nationalities among the possible elected derives from the fact that, during the Pontificate of Francis, the College of Cardinals became more diverse.
“What has changed is that since Pope Francis here, the College of Cardinals is much more internationalized than before. The vast majority of cardinals are no longer European. The Latin and North Americas have a great weight. Africa has a significant weight, and Asia also”He explained.
For the cardinal, although it is not yet possible to predict the nationality or political profile of the new Pope, which is known so far “is that he will not be a new Francisco”.
“No one expects the next Pope to be Francis II. It may even have the name of Francis II, but it will not be similar to him. It will be another Pope. ”
“No one expects a Pope in favor of war. No one expects a pope who doesn’t take care of the poor. No one expects a pope who doesn’t say the priests who must be well formed. This is the general norm. Therefore, the next Pope will be someone who will take good care of the life of the church and his mission. But the next Pope will be a human person, not a robot”He stressed.
Cardinal
Dom Odilo was named Cardinal in 2007 by Pope Benedict 16. A cardinal is the authority of the Catholic Church that is closest to the Pope and can participate in the conclave to choose a new pontiff. All cardinals under 80, as is the case of Dom Odilo, have the right to vote. And any cardinal can be elected Pope.
In a press conference on the morning of this Monday (21.br.2025), in the Cathedral of the Sé, in downtown São Paulo, before celebrating a mass in honor of Pope Francis, Dom Odilo stated that he should participate in the funeral of Pontiff and also the conclave, which he has already participated in 2013 and that he elected Jorge Mario Bergoglio. That same year, his name was speculated among the possible successors.
The cardinal pointed out that, after the death of Pope Francis, at dawn, “speculation and fans”About the new pontificate should start. Although this is natural, he said, the choice of the new Pope will be“result of collective discernment”Of the cardinals.
“The Pope’s choice is not a shell made earlier, ready. This is fantasy. The Pope’s choice comes from a discernment that is made in a climate of prayer and a sense of responsibility for the church. The responsibility is for the Church, not for saving an ideology, a party or a personal taste. It is not an election campaign”He said.
Dom Odilo also said that speculation about whether the new Pope will be more conservative or progressive are external concerns and are not reflected within the church.
“The concern in choosing the Pope, for sure, is not whether he is progressive or conservative. This is an external concern. The gospel is both progressive and conservative. Clearly, the option for the poor, the attention to social justice, the care of migrants and the concern for peace in the world are not progressive or conservative postures, they are gospel postures”.
With information from.
