The revolutionary Pope who loved China, and whose love was not fully reciprocated. The Church is at a crossroads in the choice of its next guide. It could be time for a black man in white.
Francis was a Pope who wanted to change the Church and the world. He set the machinery in motion. It’s not clear whether his successor will carry on with his reforms or decide to bring the house in order because too many reforms are ongoing, and the Church hasn’t had time to digest them. Will the next Pope concentrate on the Church or on the world in the middle of two wars, in Ukraine and the Middle East? Will he choose to be named Francis II or something else?
The Church could decide that the house must be reset, and an Italian pope could be called to step in again. Or it could be time for an African pope. The continent has the largest demographic growth, Catholic conversions are double the rate of demographic growth, and the Church has suffered many martyrs, with priests and faithful killed by Islamic terrorists.
The continent is also the arena of vast geopolitical tensions. From here come and will come most of the emigrants to Europe. It is the battleground for the contest of superpowers, with China, Russia, and Turkey all vying for power against the old colonial powers, as local communities struggle between them.
Funerals
His funeral will be a major diplomatic event. All governments will attend the funeral, including Russia and Iran—but not China. China, without formal diplomatic ties with the Holy See, could find itself outside a circle not just of developed countries or developing countries, but of countries willing to engage with the Pope.
This was the Pope who, more than anyone else, opened to China, but Beijing dragged its feet. It reported about the first papal interview on China in 2016, signed an agreement on the appointment of bishops in 2018, and sent messages whenever the Holy Father flew over the country during his frequent trips to Asia, but it failed to invite him for a visit, which he immensely desired.
In 2005, at the funeral of Pope John Paul II, a middle-ranking delegation came to Rome and paid homage to the body of the Pope the day before the funeral. It’s unclear what Beijing will decide to do this time.
Now, short of a miracle, Vatican-China ties are bound to go onto the back burner. The Vatican has no army divisions, but many empires have fallen by discounting the influence of a Pope.
