Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church

A significant legacy of Pope Francis will be how he kept Palestinians close to his heart. The pontiff consistently and repeatedly called for a Gaza ceasefire and a release of the Israeli hostages, and he brought particular attention to the suffering and dignity of Palestinians, including of Gaza’s small Christian community, which he phoned regularly. […]

The post Pope Francis was a tireless advocate for peace in Palestine appeared first on U.S. Catholic.

Pilgrims gather in St. Peter’s Square for a Mass and canonization of 14 new saints on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Vatican City, May 7, 2025 / 11:19 am (CNA).

Some of the people who are most desperate for hope — including suffering Christians in Ukraine, the Holy Land, and Africa — will be represented in Rome this week in a pilgrimage for the 2025 Jubilee Year. 

Over 1,000 people will take part in the pilgrimage, organized by the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). ACN supports Christians around the world who face major difficulties in practicing their faith, very often because of religious persecution. The pilgrimage, which takes place May 7–10, will have the participation of people from 23 countries. 

Coincidentally, the event begins on the day when cardinals will gather to elect a successor to Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday, April 21. The late pope designated 2025 a jubilee year and a time for Catholics to renew themselves as “pilgrims of hope.”

The theme of hope, said ACN president Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, “resonates especially with our pontifical foundation, since it is the underlying reason for the work we do: to take hope to those places where God weeps.”

Pilgrims will hear from some of the most dramatic examples of Christian persecution in the 21st century, including Ukrainian Greek-Catholic priest Redemptorist Father Bohdan Heleta, who was held prisoner during the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as representatives from Syria and Lebanon, who will share their experience in the region and the spiritual resilience of the Christians of the Middle East.  

In addition, Father Olivier Niampa of Burkina Faso, which ranks high on the list of countries plagued by terrorism, will share how Christians survive and keep the faith in a region under constant threat.

The speakers will share their testimony at a May 8 event in the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

Piacenza said the ACN pilgrimage is a concrete way of experiencing the jubilee in communion with the suffering Church in honor of those Christians who continue to give up their lives out of love for Jesus Christ. 

“The most convincing testimony to this hope is provided by the martyrs, who renounced life itself here below rather than betray their Lord,” the cardinal said, quoting from Pope Francis’ bull inaugurating the jubilee.

Regina Lynch, executive president of ACN International, explained that “the 2025 Jubilee is centered on hope, and hope was also a crucial issue for Pope Francis, and for us at ACN. With over 5,000 projects every year, in 130 countries, our mission is to console and give material aid but especially to provide hope to persecuted and discriminated Christians, and to Christian communities in grave need.” 

In an act of communion with the universal Church, benefactors and members from the foundation’s 23 national offices, in union with ACN International, will jointly take part in this pilgrimage to strengthen their faith and their commitment to the suffering Church. Although a private audience with the Holy Father had been originally scheduled, this and other events have been canceled due to the pope’s passing and current conclave.

Citing Pope Francis’ support for the mission of ACN, which was designated a pontifical foundation under Pope Benedict XVI, Lynch said that praying at Francis’ tomb in the Basilica of St. Mary Major “will strengthen us to renew our mission. As a pontifical foundation, we will also be praying to be at the disposal of the future pope, as we have been since the first days of our work.”  

The aim of the ACN-organized pilgrimage is not only to commemorate and accompany but also to help participants undergo their own spiritual renewal. They will pass through the Holy Door in the Basilica of St. Mary Major, a tradition during a holy year that brings spiritual benefits.

“Passing through the Holy Door is not an act of magic but a gesture which implies meditation, prayer, and conversion,” Piacenza pointed out. “The true pilgrim recognizes that he has been seduced by false idols — selfishness, pride, money — and wishes to be cured by God’s mercy. Therefore, crossing the threshold of the Holy Door becomes an act of love and humility.”

Though the cardinal participated in the conclave that elected Pope Francis in 2013, he is now over 80 and will not be able to take part in the one that begins today to elect Francis’ successor.

Pilgrims gather in St. Peter’s Square for a Mass and canonization of 14 new saints on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Vatican City, May 7, 2025 / 11:19 am (CNA).

Some of the people who are most desperate for hope — including suffering Christians in Ukraine, the Holy Land, and Africa — will be represented in Rome this week in a pilgrimage for the 2025 Jubilee Year. 

Over 1,000 people will take part in the pilgrimage, organized by the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). ACN supports Christians around the world who face major difficulties in practicing their faith, very often because of religious persecution. The pilgrimage, which takes place May 7–10, will have the participation of people from 23 countries. 

Coincidentally, the event begins on the day when cardinals will gather to elect a successor to Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday, April 21. The late pope designated 2025 a jubilee year and a time for Catholics to renew themselves as “pilgrims of hope.”

The theme of hope, said ACN president Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, “resonates especially with our pontifical foundation, since it is the underlying reason for the work we do: to take hope to those places where God weeps.”

Pilgrims will hear from some of the most dramatic examples of Christian persecution in the 21st century, including Ukrainian Greek-Catholic priest Redemptorist Father Bohdan Heleta, who was held prisoner during the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as representatives from Syria and Lebanon, who will share their experience in the region and the spiritual resilience of the Christians of the Middle East.  

In addition, Father Olivier Niampa of Burkina Faso, which ranks high on the list of countries plagued by terrorism, will share how Christians survive and keep the faith in a region under constant threat.

The speakers will share their testimony at a May 8 event in the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

Piacenza said the ACN pilgrimage is a concrete way of experiencing the jubilee in communion with the suffering Church in honor of those Christians who continue to give up their lives out of love for Jesus Christ. 

“The most convincing testimony to this hope is provided by the martyrs, who renounced life itself here below rather than betray their Lord,” the cardinal said, quoting from Pope Francis’ bull inaugurating the jubilee.

Regina Lynch, executive president of ACN International, explained that “the 2025 Jubilee is centered on hope, and hope was also a crucial issue for Pope Francis, and for us at ACN. With over 5,000 projects every year, in 130 countries, our mission is to console and give material aid but especially to provide hope to persecuted and discriminated Christians, and to Christian communities in grave need.” 

In an act of communion with the universal Church, benefactors and members from the foundation’s 23 national offices, in union with ACN International, will jointly take part in this pilgrimage to strengthen their faith and their commitment to the suffering Church. Although a private audience with the Holy Father had been originally scheduled, this and other events have been canceled due to the pope’s passing and current conclave.

Citing Pope Francis’ support for the mission of ACN, which was designated a pontifical foundation under Pope Benedict XVI, Lynch said that praying at Francis’ tomb in the Basilica of St. Mary Major “will strengthen us to renew our mission. As a pontifical foundation, we will also be praying to be at the disposal of the future pope, as we have been since the first days of our work.”  

The aim of the ACN-organized pilgrimage is not only to commemorate and accompany but also to help participants undergo their own spiritual renewal. They will pass through the Holy Door in the Basilica of St. Mary Major, a tradition during a holy year that brings spiritual benefits.

“Passing through the Holy Door is not an act of magic but a gesture which implies meditation, prayer, and conversion,” Piacenza pointed out. “The true pilgrim recognizes that he has been seduced by false idols — selfishness, pride, money — and wishes to be cured by God’s mercy. Therefore, crossing the threshold of the Holy Door becomes an act of love and humility.”

Though the cardinal participated in the conclave that elected Pope Francis in 2013, he is now over 80 and will not be able to take part in the one that begins today to elect Francis’ successor.

Cardinals participate in the fifth Novendiales Mass for Pope Francis on May 3, 2025 — the feast of Sts. Philip and James — in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

CNA Staff, May 7, 2025 / 10:38 am (CNA).

John, Pius, Leo, and Alexander. These are just a few of the names popes have taken over the centuries. When the white smoke appears and a new pope is chosen, he is asked: “By what name shall you be called?”

This tradition began in 533. Popes during the earlier centuries kept their birth names after their election. There were some popes who chose to change their names before this time, such as Mercurius. He felt it was inappropriate to be named after the pagan Roman god Mercury and decided to take the name John II after his predecessor John I, who was venerated as a martyr. 

The last pope to use their baptismal name was Marcellus II in 1555.

Although this has been a tradition for centuries, there are no set guidelines that a pope must follow. Papal names are freely chosen and the individual can choose to keep their birth name if they please. Most importantly, names are chosen and are not given to them.

Over the years, popes have decided to honor their predecessors, as well as saints, mentors, and even family members.

In 1978, Cardinal Albino Luciani became the first pope to take a double name. Luciani, who became John Paul I, decided to honor his two immediate predecessors — John XXIII and Paul VI. After his short pontificate came to an end, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla was elected pope. Wojtyla desired to continue his predecessor’s work and became the second pope to take a double name as John Paul II.

Many popes will also choose to honor a saint whose work here on earth emulates what they hope to achieve during their pontificate. 

Pope Francis made history when he chose a name that had never been used by a pope before. He explained that the name came to him when a cardinal embraced him and reminded him not to forget the poor.

“It was then that I thought of St. Francis. And then I thought of wars and about peace and that’s how the name came to me — a man of peace, a poor man,” he said. 

With St. Francis of Assisi in mind, Pope Francis’ pontificate embodied a spirit of caring for the poor and spreading peace. 

Another example is Pope Benedict XVI, who chose to honor Benedict XV and St. Benedict of Nursia.

In his first general audience, Pope Benedict XVI said: “I chose to call myself Benedict XVI ideally as a link to the venerated pontiff, Benedict XV, who guided the Church through the turbulent times of the First World War … The name Benedict also evokes the extraordinary figure of the great ‘patriarch of western monasticism,’ St. Benedict of Nursia, co-patron of Europe with Cyril and Methodius. The progressive expansion of the Benedictine order which he founded exercised an enormous influence on the spread of Christianity throughout the European continent. For this reason, St. Benedict is much venerated in Germany, and especially in Bavaria, my own land of origin; he constitutes a fundamental point of reference for the unity of Europe and a powerful call to the irrefutable Christian roots of European culture and civilization.”

So, what are the most popular papal names?

John is the most popular with 23 popes taking this name. The name Gregory has been used by 16 popes and the name Benedict has also been used by 16 popes. Clement was the name of 14 popes; Innocent was the name of 13 popes; and Pius was the name of 12 popes. 

There are 44 papal names that have only been used once. Some of these names are: Anacletus, Constantine, Cornelius, Francis, Hilarius, Linus, Marcellinus, Mark, Peter, and Valentine.

Cardinals participate in the fifth Novendiales Mass for Pope Francis on May 3, 2025 — the feast of Sts. Philip and James — in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

CNA Staff, May 7, 2025 / 10:38 am (CNA).

John, Pius, Leo, and Alexander. These are just a few of the names popes have taken over the centuries. When the white smoke appears and a new pope is chosen, he is asked: “By what name shall you be called?”

This tradition began in 533. Popes during the earlier centuries kept their birth names after their election. There were some popes who chose to change their names before this time, such as Mercurius. He felt it was inappropriate to be named after the pagan Roman god Mercury and decided to take the name John II after his predecessor John I, who was venerated as a martyr. 

The last pope to use their baptismal name was Marcellus II in 1555.

Although this has been a tradition for centuries, there are no set guidelines that a pope must follow. Papal names are freely chosen and the individual can choose to keep their birth name if they please. Most importantly, names are chosen and are not given to them.

Over the years, popes have decided to honor their predecessors, as well as saints, mentors, and even family members.

In 1978, Cardinal Albino Luciani became the first pope to take a double name. Luciani, who became John Paul I, decided to honor his two immediate predecessors — John XXIII and Paul VI. After his short pontificate came to an end, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla was elected pope. Wojtyla desired to continue his predecessor’s work and became the second pope to take a double name as John Paul II.

Many popes will also choose to honor a saint whose work here on earth emulates what they hope to achieve during their pontificate. 

Pope Francis made history when he chose a name that had never been used by a pope before. He explained that the name came to him when a cardinal embraced him and reminded him not to forget the poor.

“It was then that I thought of St. Francis. And then I thought of wars and about peace and that’s how the name came to me — a man of peace, a poor man,” he said. 

With St. Francis of Assisi in mind, Pope Francis’ pontificate embodied a spirit of caring for the poor and spreading peace. 

Another example is Pope Benedict XVI, who chose to honor Benedict XV and St. Benedict of Nursia.

In his first general audience, Pope Benedict XVI said: “I chose to call myself Benedict XVI ideally as a link to the venerated pontiff, Benedict XV, who guided the Church through the turbulent times of the First World War … The name Benedict also evokes the extraordinary figure of the great ‘patriarch of western monasticism,’ St. Benedict of Nursia, co-patron of Europe with Cyril and Methodius. The progressive expansion of the Benedictine order which he founded exercised an enormous influence on the spread of Christianity throughout the European continent. For this reason, St. Benedict is much venerated in Germany, and especially in Bavaria, my own land of origin; he constitutes a fundamental point of reference for the unity of Europe and a powerful call to the irrefutable Christian roots of European culture and civilization.”

So, what are the most popular papal names?

John is the most popular with 23 popes taking this name. The name Gregory has been used by 16 popes and the name Benedict has also been used by 16 popes. Clement was the name of 14 popes; Innocent was the name of 13 popes; and Pius was the name of 12 popes. 

There are 44 papal names that have only been used once. Some of these names are: Anacletus, Constantine, Cornelius, Francis, Hilarius, Linus, Marcellinus, Mark, Peter, and Valentine.

Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, chapel and statue. / Credit: Joseph Antoniello, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

CNA Staff, May 7, 2025 / 10:08 am (CNA).

Theologians from around the world will gather at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, this summer for the fifth annual Truth of Love Conference.

This year’s emphasis — the relationship of truth and love — takes inspiration from the past three pontificates. 

To be held at Franciscan University from July 11–14, the conference “will tackle some of the most pressing theological issues of our times,” according to organizers. 

Sponsored by the university and the Veritas Amoris Project, the conference will highlight various topics including creation, sexual difference, culture, synodality, and politics. 

The intersection of charity, truth, and theology will be the central topic for the two keynote speakers: Deacon Frederick Bauerschmidt, professor of theology at Loyola University of Maryland, and Father José Noriega, co-founder of the Veritas Amoris Project.

Stephen Hildebrand, event speaker and vice president for academic affairs at the university, said the conference is an “ongoing witness to the chief doctrinal pastoral concerns of the last three pontificates.”

“Pope St. John Paul II highlighted the splendor of truth, without which our efforts to do good are futile,” Hildebrand told CNA. “Pope Benedict taught us the primacy of love; and Pope Francis reminds us that love demands accompaniment.” 

Hildebrand noted that truth and accompaniment in love “drive to the heart of the Gospel” and “stand behind the vision of every Truth of Love conference.”

Conference organizer Jacob Wood, associate professor of theology and director of the doctoral program in sacred theology at Franciscan University, said participants will “seek a renewed understanding of the relationship between truth and love in Catholic theology today.” 

“In recent years, Christians have struggled with many tensions between truth and love,” Wood told CNA.

“Is truth ‘pastoral’? Does love relax us from what truth demands?” Wood asked. “And if love is truthful, then in what sense is love powerful? Does its power come solely from within, or does the truth of love also manifest itself in the wider structures of culture and society?”

Wood noted that they will be “debating a lot [of] theological questions that don’t have predetermined answers.”

“The goal is really seeking the truth together in an atmosphere of faith, hope, and charity.”

Catholic speakers at the conference include D.C. Schindler, associate professor of metaphysics and anthropology at the John Paul II Institute; Oana Gotia, professor of moral theology at the Sacred Heart Major Seminary; and Matthew Muller, director of the Symposium on Transforming Culture at Benedictine College. 

Father Edmund Waldstein, a monk of the Cistercian Abbey of Stift Heiligenkreuz in Austria and lecturer in moral theology at the abbey’s theological college, will also be speaking at the event. 

Several professors from Franciscan University will speak at the conference including Scott Hahn, who is the Father Michael Scanlan professor of biblical theology and the new evangelization at the university; John Bergsma, a Franciscan University theology professor; and several others.  

The conference will have “an atmosphere of prayer and contemplation” for participants, Wood said. 

“Formed by faith, hope, and charity, they’ll discuss and debate what it means to live, think, and act from the heart of the Church; and to bear witness to Christ at this critical moment in the history of the world and of the Church of Christ,” Wood said.

Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, chapel and statue. / Credit: Joseph Antoniello, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

CNA Staff, May 7, 2025 / 10:08 am (CNA).

Theologians from around the world will gather at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, this summer for the fifth annual Truth of Love Conference.

This year’s emphasis — the relationship of truth and love — takes inspiration from the past three pontificates. 

To be held at Franciscan University from July 11–14, the conference “will tackle some of the most pressing theological issues of our times,” according to organizers. 

Sponsored by the university and the Veritas Amoris Project, the conference will highlight various topics including creation, sexual difference, culture, synodality, and politics. 

The intersection of charity, truth, and theology will be the central topic for the two keynote speakers: Deacon Frederick Bauerschmidt, professor of theology at Loyola University of Maryland, and Father José Noriega, co-founder of the Veritas Amoris Project.

Stephen Hildebrand, event speaker and vice president for academic affairs at the university, said the conference is an “ongoing witness to the chief doctrinal pastoral concerns of the last three pontificates.”

“Pope St. John Paul II highlighted the splendor of truth, without which our efforts to do good are futile,” Hildebrand told CNA. “Pope Benedict taught us the primacy of love; and Pope Francis reminds us that love demands accompaniment.” 

Hildebrand noted that truth and accompaniment in love “drive to the heart of the Gospel” and “stand behind the vision of every Truth of Love conference.”

Conference organizer Jacob Wood, associate professor of theology and director of the doctoral program in sacred theology at Franciscan University, said participants will “seek a renewed understanding of the relationship between truth and love in Catholic theology today.” 

“In recent years, Christians have struggled with many tensions between truth and love,” Wood told CNA.

“Is truth ‘pastoral’? Does love relax us from what truth demands?” Wood asked. “And if love is truthful, then in what sense is love powerful? Does its power come solely from within, or does the truth of love also manifest itself in the wider structures of culture and society?”

Wood noted that they will be “debating a lot [of] theological questions that don’t have predetermined answers.”

“The goal is really seeking the truth together in an atmosphere of faith, hope, and charity.”

Catholic speakers at the conference include D.C. Schindler, associate professor of metaphysics and anthropology at the John Paul II Institute; Oana Gotia, professor of moral theology at the Sacred Heart Major Seminary; and Matthew Muller, director of the Symposium on Transforming Culture at Benedictine College. 

Father Edmund Waldstein, a monk of the Cistercian Abbey of Stift Heiligenkreuz in Austria and lecturer in moral theology at the abbey’s theological college, will also be speaking at the event. 

Several professors from Franciscan University will speak at the conference including Scott Hahn, who is the Father Michael Scanlan professor of biblical theology and the new evangelization at the university; John Bergsma, a Franciscan University theology professor; and several others.  

The conference will have “an atmosphere of prayer and contemplation” for participants, Wood said. 

“Formed by faith, hope, and charity, they’ll discuss and debate what it means to live, think, and act from the heart of the Church; and to bear witness to Christ at this critical moment in the history of the world and of the Church of Christ,” Wood said.

Bishop Robert Barron talks with EWTN News Correspondent Colm Flynn on May 5, 2025, about what he believes to be the qualities of some of the cardinals being mentioned as “papabile,” the Italian term for a man who could be pope. / Credit: EWTN News/Screenshot

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 7, 2025 / 09:38 am (CNA).

One of America’s best-known prelates, Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, has shared what he believes to be the qualities of some of the cardinals being mentioned as “papabile,” the Italian term for a man who could be pope.

In an interview with EWTN Vatican Correspondent Colm Flynn, Barron offered some quick takes both on several cardinals who are making headlines as well as some who are lesser known. He also noted that the final outcome could be a surprise, as was the case in 2013.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin

An Italian prelate who has served as the Vatican’s secretary of state since 2013, Barron said he thinks Parolin would be “a steady hand,” calling him an “ultimate Vatican insider.”

“He’s been the No. 2 man in the Vatican for all these years. Lots of experience around the world, plugged into a lot of different scenarios.” Barron said the “key thing” is that “the cardinals and bishops know him very well.”

Barron referred to Parolin as “a calm, steady presence” who is “not a flashy … charismatic figure.”

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle

Tagle from Manila in the Philippines is said to have strong similarities to Pope Francis. Barron called him a “charming” and “funny” man who has “charisma in great supply.”

“He’s an intelligent man but a very emotional man, too,” Barron said, adding that Tagle “would belong to the school that reads Vatican II more as a rupture than continuity” and would “probably lean further left than … the John Paul II model.”

Barron said if the cardinals are looking for “a change of direction” then “they might not go with him.”

Cardinal Robert Sarah

Guinean prelate Sarah is someone Barron has “admired for a long time,” calling him “a very spiritually alert man.”

Sarah is “someone that understands … the essential elements of the Church’s life,” Barron said. 

A potential drawback, according to Barron, could be his age. Sarah is “on the older side” at 78, but Barron recalled that “[Cardinal Joseph] Ratzinger was elected at 78.”

Cardinal Peter Turkson

Barron noted that the cardinal from Ghana has been a candidate in the last two conclaves and is “a substantial man” who has done “a lot of jobs” in Rome.

Barron said when he was with Turkson at a conference, he was impressed by his “simplicity and his goodness.”

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa

Barron called Pizzaballa an “impressive man” with “a strong spiritual foundation.”

“He’s been in Jerusalem all these years,” Barron said. “So he’s a man of the Holy Land, of the Scriptures.”

“He’s navigated some pretty choppy waters in the Middle East in getting people around the table and to talk to each other, showing a very deft hand,” Barron said. 

At age 60, however, Barron said Pizzaballa is on the younger side of the papabile spectrum, so “next time around he might be a better candidate.”

Cardinal Robert Prevost

Barron said the drawback for Prevost, who is from Chicago, is that he is from the U.S. and Barron thinks “it’s very unlikely an American would be elected pope.”

However, Barron noted that as the prefect for the Dicastery for Bishops and the head of the Augustian order, Prevost is “in contact with bishops all over the world.”

“So,” Barron said, “he might be perceived as an American, but not too American.”

Cardinal Timothy Dolan 

Dolan from New York “intrigues” Barron because the cardinal was “talked about quite a bit 12 years ago.”

“He was someone we were all taking seriously,” Barron said. “So I’ve wondered at times: Why not this time?”

Barron said Dolan “has tons of virtues” and highlighted his ability to preach the faith in “a persuasive way” with his “big personality.”

Dolan is 75, which Barron said could be a potential drawback, but said “he’s a pretty vigorous 75 and … both Ratzinger and Bergoglio were older than that when they were elected.”

Cardinal Peter Erdo

Barron said Erdo from Hungary is “a very impressive figure” who is “respected across the European continent.”

“Even though the college has become much more internationalized,” Barron said, “still 54 of the electors are from Europe, and he’s someone that has a lot of support on the European continent.”

Barron highlighted Erdo is multilingual, has Roman experience, and is “about the right age.” He said: “I wouldn’t count Erdo out.”

Cardinal Anders Arborelius

Barron said the Swedish cardinal is “an impressive man” and “an academic,” highlighting that he is multilingual.

Barron said when he met Arborelius, he thought it was “too bad” he was not a cardinal yet, “because he’d make a great pope.” Now that Arborelius is a cardinal, Barron said: “I still feel the same way.”

First things first

In the interview, Barron criticized any “politicization” of the papal selection process, which reflects a “lack of proper prioritization.”

“I think to put the stress on the spiritual, on the evangelical, on the declaration of Jesus — that’s what matters,” the founder of Word on Fire emphasized. 

“The first thing I’d look for is a disciple, a believer in Jesus who has the capacity to proclaim the Resurrection in a compelling way,” he said. “That’s the pope’s job, to be a source of unity for the Church.”

Bishop Robert Barron talks with EWTN News Correspondent Colm Flynn on May 5, 2025, about what he believes to be the qualities of some of the cardinals being mentioned as “papabile,” the Italian term for a man who could be pope. / Credit: EWTN News/Screenshot

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 7, 2025 / 09:38 am (CNA).

One of America’s best-known prelates, Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, has shared what he believes to be the qualities of some of the cardinals being mentioned as “papabile,” the Italian term for a man who could be pope.

In an interview with EWTN Vatican Correspondent Colm Flynn, Barron offered some quick takes both on several cardinals who are making headlines as well as some who are lesser known. He also noted that the final outcome could be a surprise, as was the case in 2013.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin

An Italian prelate who has served as the Vatican’s secretary of state since 2013, Barron said he thinks Parolin would be “a steady hand,” calling him an “ultimate Vatican insider.”

“He’s been the No. 2 man in the Vatican for all these years. Lots of experience around the world, plugged into a lot of different scenarios.” Barron said the “key thing” is that “the cardinals and bishops know him very well.”

Barron referred to Parolin as “a calm, steady presence” who is “not a flashy … charismatic figure.”

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle

Tagle from Manila in the Philippines is said to have strong similarities to Pope Francis. Barron called him a “charming” and “funny” man who has “charisma in great supply.”

“He’s an intelligent man but a very emotional man, too,” Barron said, adding that Tagle “would belong to the school that reads Vatican II more as a rupture than continuity” and would “probably lean further left than … the John Paul II model.”

Barron said if the cardinals are looking for “a change of direction” then “they might not go with him.”

Cardinal Robert Sarah

Guinean prelate Sarah is someone Barron has “admired for a long time,” calling him “a very spiritually alert man.”

Sarah is “someone that understands … the essential elements of the Church’s life,” Barron said. 

A potential drawback, according to Barron, could be his age. Sarah is “on the older side” at 78, but Barron recalled that “[Cardinal Joseph] Ratzinger was elected at 78.”

Cardinal Peter Turkson

Barron noted that the cardinal from Ghana has been a candidate in the last two conclaves and is “a substantial man” who has done “a lot of jobs” in Rome.

Barron said when he was with Turkson at a conference, he was impressed by his “simplicity and his goodness.”

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa

Barron called Pizzaballa an “impressive man” with “a strong spiritual foundation.”

“He’s been in Jerusalem all these years,” Barron said. “So he’s a man of the Holy Land, of the Scriptures.”

“He’s navigated some pretty choppy waters in the Middle East in getting people around the table and to talk to each other, showing a very deft hand,” Barron said. 

At age 60, however, Barron said Pizzaballa is on the younger side of the papabile spectrum, so “next time around he might be a better candidate.”

Cardinal Robert Prevost

Barron said the drawback for Prevost, who is from Chicago, is that he is from the U.S. and Barron thinks “it’s very unlikely an American would be elected pope.”

However, Barron noted that as the prefect for the Dicastery for Bishops and the head of the Augustian order, Prevost is “in contact with bishops all over the world.”

“So,” Barron said, “he might be perceived as an American, but not too American.”

Cardinal Timothy Dolan 

Dolan from New York “intrigues” Barron because the cardinal was “talked about quite a bit 12 years ago.”

“He was someone we were all taking seriously,” Barron said. “So I’ve wondered at times: Why not this time?”

Barron said Dolan “has tons of virtues” and highlighted his ability to preach the faith in “a persuasive way” with his “big personality.”

Dolan is 75, which Barron said could be a potential drawback, but said “he’s a pretty vigorous 75 and … both Ratzinger and Bergoglio were older than that when they were elected.”

Cardinal Peter Erdo

Barron said Erdo from Hungary is “a very impressive figure” who is “respected across the European continent.”

“Even though the college has become much more internationalized,” Barron said, “still 54 of the electors are from Europe, and he’s someone that has a lot of support on the European continent.”

Barron highlighted Erdo is multilingual, has Roman experience, and is “about the right age.” He said: “I wouldn’t count Erdo out.”

Cardinal Anders Arborelius

Barron said the Swedish cardinal is “an impressive man” and “an academic,” highlighting that he is multilingual.

Barron said when he met Arborelius, he thought it was “too bad” he was not a cardinal yet, “because he’d make a great pope.” Now that Arborelius is a cardinal, Barron said: “I still feel the same way.”

First things first

In the interview, Barron criticized any “politicization” of the papal selection process, which reflects a “lack of proper prioritization.”

“I think to put the stress on the spiritual, on the evangelical, on the declaration of Jesus — that’s what matters,” the founder of Word on Fire emphasized. 

“The first thing I’d look for is a disciple, a believer in Jesus who has the capacity to proclaim the Resurrection in a compelling way,” he said. “That’s the pope’s job, to be a source of unity for the Church.”

The Legionaries of Christ ordained 23 new priests on May 3, 2025, at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Legionaries of Christ

ACI Prensa Staff, May 7, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

In the midst of the pre-conclave atmosphere, with an eye toward the election of the new pope, the Catholic Church experienced another moment of profound hope with the ordination of 23 new Legionaries of Christ priests on May 3 in St. Paul Outside the Walls Basilica, one of the four great papal basilicas in Rome.

The ceremony, which was initially to be conducted by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, camerlengo of the Catholic Church, was delegated to Bishop Pedro Pablo Elizondo Cárdenas, Mexican bishop of the Diocese of Cancún-Chetumal, due to Farrell being engaged in his official duties at this crucial time for the Church.

A Church in full renewal

In his homily, Cárdenas emphasized the urgent need for priests “who know how to come out of themselves, out of their comfort zones. It needs priests, not men settled into their surroundings and living in comfort.”

He also emphasized that the Catholic Church is undergoing a full renewal process and requires priests who are “zealous and deeply rooted, courageous, not complacent or idle, who know how to undertake things, be active and take initiative, who know how to give everything for the mission.”

He therefore called on the new priests to dedicate their lives to prayer, reminding them that “a vocation is born in prayer, matures in prayer, and bears fruit in prayer.”

The priests come from various countries: one from Argentina, three from Colombia, one from El Salvador, nine from Mexico, two from Venezuela, one from the United States, and two from Brazil. From Europe, two were ordained from Germany, one from Spain, and one from France.

An increase in vocations

This day also marked a significant milestone for the Legionaries of Christ. According to its website, the congregation had 1,309 members at the end of 2024, of whom 1,033 are priests, 24 more than in 2023.

Mexico is the country that contributes the most members to the congregation, after the United States and Spain. The Legionaries of Christ’s formative process lasts 12 years before priestly ordination.

Currently, the congregation has a permanent presence in 23 countries and is organized into nine territories as well as two areas headed by a delegate. It also has a community of student priests in Rome, an International Pontifical Seminary in the same city, and an interdiocesan seminary and theological institute in São Paulo, Brazil.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.