On April 21, 2025, Pope Francis passed away from a stroke and heart failure. Pope Francis was a man beloved by many, and had a very influential impact on the Catholic church. While he didn’t approve of abortion, he still allowed ordinary priests to absolve Catholic women who underwent abortion. According to PBS, Pope Francis forged ties with Sunni and Shiite religious leaders and was the first pope to visit the Arabian Peninsula and Iraq. In 2013, he was once asked about a Vatican monsignor who was supposedly gay, and responded with the famous line, “Who am I to judge?” He comforted gay people by saying that God loves everyone just as they are, and that their sexuality was not a crime.
In an interview with a Hope of City Church member, they said, “I’m sure that I’m not the only one who’s saddened or may feel a bit heart broken of the passing of Pope Francis. Even though I’m not Catholic, I recognize him as someone well respected because of the highest position he holds within the Catholic faith. His unwavering commitment to compassion, humility, and unity touched the lives of millions around the world. He was a guiding light in such a complex world—his kindness, humility, and courage always stood out to me. Even in moments of doubt, his words brought comfort and perspective to many. His legacy will continue to inspire faith, hope, and love for generations to come. May he rest in peace and his spirit and message live on.”
Pope Francis is a man that has inspired countless people and now, people are speculating who will be the one to fill his shoes. One of the most popular candidates is Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, who many people call the “Asian Pope Francis” (Firstpost). Tagle shares Pope Francis’ progressive views, criticizing the Catholic Church’s previous stance towards the LGBTQ community. However, due to Tagle being 67 years old, it is possible that other cardinals wouldn’t vote for someone as young as Tagle, which leaves the question of who will be the next pope?
Becoming the pope is a long process. First, according to Catholic Online, the individual elected must be a baptized Catholic male, and must be willing to be ordained a bishop. While it’s popular for a pope to be a cardinal, it’s not necessary, but the last time a non-cardinal was elected to be pope was 500 years ago. So, it’s safe to assume that the steps to become a pope are the following:
- Be baptized as a Catholic man
- Be a priest
- Be a bishop
- Be a cardinal
- Be elected and win a two-thirds majority in the conclave of cardinals
- Accept the role and become pope
While it may seem like 6 simple steps, each one requires a lot of hard work. Either way, the world will continue to see who becomes the next pope. Who will be the one to succeed Pope Francis?
