ROCHESTER, N.Y. — In just a few days, voting to elect Pope Francis's successor will begin in Rome at the Vatican. However, many churchgoers have diverse expectations for the next pope, ranging from a continuation of Pope Francis's progressive approach or bringing back more traditional teachings. As Catholics grieve the passing of Pope Francis and contemplate his legacy, inquiries emerge about who may succeed the 266th leader of the church.
“Each pope brings a different, characteristic, thing from his background,” Our Lady Queen of Peace parish Father Joseph Hart said. “And so we really hope that, again, it's almost always a holy man.” Cardinals from across the globe will soon gather in Vatican City to decide who's best equipped to solve the challenges facing the Catholic Church and help lead over one billion Catholics around the world. “Every one of the popes in my lifetime has contributed something important,” Hart said.
“Pope Francis [was] really someone who brought the joy of the gospel. But he also showed a bright light which the others had done as well, but a brighter light on the environment and what the Christian should be doing about the environment.” Although ordinary members of the church won’t get a say in the decision, they did get the chance to share what priorities they would want from a new pope. “It's like when we get a new president and who's going to push what policies, what's their platform going to be,” pastoral musician Jeffrey Miller said.
“Is it going to resemble the platform before they're going to throw it out and do a new one? Hopefully, that'll be someone who will have many similar qualities and build on those. It's all we can hope for.” “Francis felt like a wonderful pope [who] was a great example to us of compassion, mercy, maybe even starting some change with our church with the way things are structured,” chorister Mark Kellogg said.
“And being more inclusive. And my hope is that the new pope will continue that good work and certainly make the job his own.” “Someone who really accepts all people, no matter where they come from, and really just has a kind eye for everyone in the world, not just people who are traditionally seen as the traditional Catholic that a lot of people have in their conservative ways,” parishioner John Dean said. As critical factors weigh heavily on the men in red hats as they gather to decide who will emerge wearing a white one, the cardinals convene for what is anticipated to be the most significant conclave in history.
They will be confronted with a critical decision to persist in the reformative direction championed by Francis, which aims to modernize the church and enhance its inclusivity, or to embark on a different path of adjustment. “This is a day and age, sadly, where we don't listen to each other very well,” Kellogg said. “And if we don't listen to one another, well, it means we're not communicating.
If we're not communicating, it means that we're not really caring for one another. And so any example that we can feel where there's someone in our lives, whether it's a pope, a parent, a mentor or whatever makes us have that sense, that’s a great thing.”
