Some early thoughts of how the conclave to choose the next Pope will act, who is in it, what they will look for in a new Bishop of Rome and what it will mean more broadly
It will not be Cardinal Parolin because his entire experience has been in the Vatican Diplomatic Service. He seems to have no pastoral experience. Any candidate seen as too closely associated with a particular faction will have difficulty reaching a two-thirds majority. That probably rules out Cardinal Erdo ("too conservative") and Cardinal Tagle ("too liberal). Cardinal Zuppi is a good bet as he has both pastoral experience as Archbishop of Bologna and diplomatic experience, having carried out several diplomatic missions on behalf of the Vatican. At 69, he is about the right age, not too young and not too old.
It will not be Cardinal Parolin because his entire experience has been in the Vatican Diplomatic Service. He seems to have no pastoral experience. Any candidate seen as too closely associated with a particular faction will have difficulty reaching a two-thirds majority. That probably rules out Cardinal Erdo ("too conservative") and Cardinal Tagle ("too liberal). Cardinal Zuppi is a good bet as he has both pastoral experience as Archbishop of Bologna and diplomatic experience, having carried out several diplomatic missions on behalf of the Vatican. At 69, he is about the right age, not too young and not too old.
Although a lapsed Catholic (very laspsed) I'd like to see a Pope who was actually a Catholic and not a moral relativist like the last one.
Churches were uncommonly full last Sunday. I don't think that was because they were in favour of open borders.
A self-described "lapsed Catholic" feels competent to judge whether or not somebody else is or is not a Catholic!
By the way, last Sunday was Easter Sunday.
Probably a better judge than a fully practicing Catholic for having intellectual and emotional distance.
By the way, I did not know last Sunday was Easter Sunday. The Sunday I referenced was last Sunday no matter your unwarranted remark.
My point was that last Sunday being Easter Sunday might have accounted for the churches being "uncommonly full".
Uncommonly full for the particular Sunday according to reports, not relative to ordinary Sundays.