The latest announcement said that Pope Francis spent a quiet night and rest. Vatican informed that The state of the Holy Father is no longer considered critical, but complex. Oxygen therapy and oxygen mask are used to change.
The prolonged hospitalization of the Pope causes speculation of his possible resignation. On Thursday, it was announced that he convened a consistory, i.e. a Cardinals' Congregation. In 2013, just during such a meeting Benedict XVI He announced his abdication. The consistory currently convened by Francis is officially concerned about two canonization.
The world looks at the Vatican and asks himself who the possible successor of Pope Francis will be. – A person who has a chance to become a pope is referred to in Italian as “papabile”. There are several candidates in the game and election coalitions are probably created around them. These are well -recognized candidates – says Interia, Fr. prof. Andrzej Kobyliński from the Institute of Philosophy of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw.
The situation was similar 12 years ago when the successor of Benedict XVI was chosen. There was a statement in the media that The choice of Jorge Mario Bergoglio was a surprise. – There are many lying voices in the public debate that claim that Bergoglio was unknown to the conclave in 2013. Nonsense. In 2013, he was a well -recognized candidate, because he obtained 40 votes for the conclave in 2005 – explains our interlocutor.
Father prof. Kobyliński notes that the conclave can be compared to our choice of the Marshal of the Sejm, because the cardinals choose the Pope from their group. – There are several most important players – he points out.
Pope Francis. List of potential successors
Mario Grech (1957) – Malta
Mario Grech has the best chance of taking office – believes Fr. prof. Andrzej Kobyliński. Maltese priest is a close associate of Pope Francis.
He serves in the Vatican an important function of the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops. He is responsible for transforming the traditional form of the Church into a new synod church. Grech conducted on behalf of the Pope all important international meetings regarding the reforms of the Church. Thanks to this, it is well recognizable, he had official contacts with most cardinals in the world. According to our interlocutor, Grech inspires trust, he is communicative. His doctrinal views – like all the remaining papabili – are 100 % identical with the views of Pope Francis.
Matteo Zuppi (1955) – Włochy
The Italian priest Matteo Zuppi, chairman of the Italian Episcopal Conference is mentioned in second place. Zuppi is associated with the Saint Identia community, whose boss is Andrea Riccardi. – This is a very influential community that deals with the help of poor, immigrants, refugees. He touches on topics very close to Pope Francis – explains Fr. prof. Kobyliński. He emphasizes that the community has very powerful political influence. Some Vaticanists joke that no matter who will be the new pope, because Andrea Riccardi will rule in the Vatican.
Luis Antonio Tagle (1957) – Philippines
The podium is closed by a Filipino, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. According to Fr. prof. Kobyliński, Tagle had a better chance a few years ago, when he was still in the Philippines. In recent years he was transferred by Francis to work in the Vatican. He was promoted, but his activities were weakened. While still in the Philippines, he was called Franciszek Asia. Tagle as a pope would meet the current expectations that relate to the strengthening of Christianity in Asia.
Jean-Claude Handrange (58) – Luks aszzle
According to our interlocutor, there is another candidate in the game, cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich from Luxembourg. – Jesuit, very brilliant figure. Even more liberal than Pope Francis. However, there is a fear that such a choice would lead to the dilute of Catholic doctrine and dismantling the Church as an institution too deeply – says Fr. prof. Kobyliński. Probably the cardinals will choose someone less controversial.
Questions about the future of the Church
– all signs in heaven and earth indicate that another one The pontificate will be a continuation of the current one – says Fr. prof. Andrzej Kobyliński.
He notes that the choice will take place from the pool of cardinals appointed by Francis, i.e. those who share his views with all his heart and accept the new version of the Catholic religion.
– Who becomes Franciszek's successor does not matter that much. The changes that the current pope introduced in his pontificate are irreversible And they make a new version of Catholicism to be created, which assumes the acceptance of decentralization – says our interlocutor.
This means that being a Catholic you can have different views on faith, assess homosexuality, bioethical issues differently. The priest emphasizes that something like this has never been before the church, but now we have unity in diversity. This means the breakup of the traditional form of the Catholic Church. In a sense, Catholicism of the future must be reinvented.
– Therefore, there are many questions, how the Church will function in practice in this new model, whether this will lead to schism, or in the next decades conservative Catholics will appear from the liberal church and create new communities – wonders Fr. prof. Kobyliński.
He explains that in the Catholic church there was a belief that the doctrine must be homogeneous all over the world, but it ended. Currently, you can support the blessing of homosexual couples or be against. You can recognize the sacrament of confession or not. Living after a divorce in a new relationship, you can receive Holy Communion or not. – The question is whether the Church after this deep reform of Francis will keep unity or will fall apart into many fragments – he says.