The conclave to choose the successor of Pope Francis is underway, with 133 cardinal electors meeting in the Sistine Chapel. Although many of them did not know each other before last week, they have the important task of finding the leader of the Catholic Church, which has 1.4 billion faithful.
On Tuesday morning, in one of the last formal rites, Francis' Fisherman's Ring and his official seal were destroyed. The cardinals will begin voting on Wednesday afternoon, with two rounds in the morning and two in the afternoon until a new pope is elected.
According to Cardinal Goh, the number one priority is that the new pope can spread the Catholic faith and maintain the relevance of the Church today. The successor to Francis is expected to make the Church credible and meaningful, especially to the youth.
Despite the geographical diversity of the cardinals, coming from 70 different countries, the main concern is to find a leader capable of guiding the Church at a crucial moment in its history. As Catholicism grows in Africa and Asia but declines in Europe, the cardinals seek a pope who can address these challenges.
Cardinal Archbishop of Mumbai, Oswald Gracias, highlighted the importance of the Church becoming more Asian, culturally and spiritually, reflecting the shift of the world's center of gravity towards Asia. The cardinals also believe they are guided by the Holy Spirit in their decisions.
Amid these discussions, it remains a relevant topic whether the new pope will reflect the new face of the Catholic Church and inspire the faithful around the world. With challenges such as abuse scandals and secularization, the election of the next pontiff is crucial for the future of the Church.
