In a vast Vatican auditorium, the cardinals, so numerous they’re sporting name tags, are gearing up for the largest papal conclave ever.
Some have sharply criticised the late Pope Francis for shaking up tradition, while others urge his successor to stay the course. For New Zealand’s conservative Catholics, this moment is pivotal—will the Church hold fast to its timeless principles or drift further into uncharted waters?Cardinals from far-flung places like Myanmar and Malta are drawing battle lines over the Church’s future. Francis pushed a welcoming “todos, todos, todos” – everyone, everyone, everyone – pulling focus from moral absolutes to inclusivity. But as the Sistine Chapel looms on Wednesday, some cardinals, reflecting the concerns of many Kiwi faithful, want a return to a disciplined, hierarchical Church grounded in clear doctrine.
Francis’s papacy brought some calm to scandals over clerical abuse and Vatican finances since 2013, and the faith has inched forward globally. Yet, secularism, evangelical growth, and new rifts between traditionalists and reformists threaten stability. In private Vatican talks, described by seven insiders, cardinals are wrestling with a world of rising nationalism, anti-migrant sentiment, and religious strife. They agree the next pope must be a bold evangeliser.
Discussions have stayed broad, sidestepping thorny issues like female deacons or married priests. But the challenge is stark: uniting behind a new pope amid deep divisions. “It’s such a complicated situation in the church and in the world … for one person,” said a Swedish cardinal, a top contender. “It’s nearly impossible. You need to have a team around him and help him with all these issues.”
The real manoeuvring happens in Rome’s cafes and corridors, where cardinals in scarlet and black whisper over coffee and wine, subtly lobbying. Rumours swirl—Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s number two, was stung by claims he “failed the audition” with a lacklustre Mass, while progressive Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines faces online flak for allegedly irreverent behaviour during a liturgy.
Cardinals insist tackling clerical abuse is a priority, but survivors are outraged to see two scandal-tainted cardinals still lingering near the Vatican. Meanwhile, coded “church speak” dominates, as one cardinal noted: instead of naming President Donald Trump or Christian nationalism, some warn that “Christianity [must not be] used by politics.” Trump himself chimed in crassly, with the White House posting an image of him in papal robes.
The Vatican’s financial woes—slumping donations and a pension deficit—were laid bare by Cardinal Reinhard Marx. Some cardinals, echoing New Zealand’s conservative call for prudent stewardship, say the Church needs a sharp manager. Others resent Francis’s move to give laypeople a say, arguing it weakens the authority of bishops and cardinals. Cardinal Beniamino Stella, 84, “openly attacked Pope Francis” for this break with tradition, per America magazine. “We have listened to many complaints against Francis’ papacy in these days, but the speech by Cardinal Stella was by far the worst,” an unnamed cardinal told the Jesuit outlet.
The Swedish cardinal, Anders Arborelius, denied rampant sniping at Francis but admitted the choice is tough. After Francis’s whirlwind, some want a “calm” pope to “build bridges and unify the church.” Ideally, he’d blend “the prophetic voice of John Paul, the theological background of Pope Benedict” and Francis’s “heart of mercy.”
Expert Anna Rowlands, at a cafe near the Vatican, warned that Francis’s collaborative approach risks being dismissed as “soft” in a world of “macho politics.” With dozens of new cardinals from places like Rwanda, the conclave feels like “speed dating,” said Vatican watcher Rev. Thomas Reese.
The next pope must navigate a global faith at odds. Progressives, especially in Europe, demand faster reform, like women’s roles, while Africa’s growing churches, aligned with New Zealand’s conservative bent, rejected Francis’s same-sex blessings and seek outreach to polygamists. In the US, MAGA Catholics politicise the faith, risking a schism if a liberal pope emerges—or alienating progressives, like Germany’s dwindling flock, if a conservative takes the helm.
For New Zealand’s traditionalists, the stakes are clear: the Church must stand firm on doctrine, resist secular tides, and restore moral clarity. Saturday’s talks, per the Vatican, stressed peace and relevance, warning that a self-absorbed Church risks losing its voice. “Awareness emerged of the risk of the Church becoming self-referential and losing her relevance if she does not live in the world and with the world.”
