Catholics weigh in on next pope, key issues for church

The Catholic Church will formally begin the process this week of selecting the next pope, and everyday Catholics gave insight into what they think the next leader should bring to the Vatican. 

Fox News Digital took to the campus of The Catholic University of America (CUA) in the nation’s capital to get a pulse on people’s papal preferences ahead of this week’s conclave.

“I’m excited for a pope that’s going to unite the church, and I think that’s what Francis did really well… I hope the legacy of the next pope will also be similar to that,” one CUA student named Daniel told the outlet. 

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The conclave is set to begin Wednesday following a mourning period after the death of Pope Francis last month.

During the conclave, cardinals vote through a secret ballot. A two-thirds majority is required for the election. After each round of submissions, ballots are read aloud and then burned. The ashes are used to notify audiences around the world and onlookers in St. Peter’s Square of the election’s status.

Ahead of the cardinals convening to select the next pontiff, Catholics on campus shared their thoughts on whether the next pope would lean more orthodox and conservative, or more pastoral and liberal.

“I actually believe that the Holy Spirit guides us where the Church needs us to be,” Father Erdman Pandero told Fox. “I don’t think that it is about politics in the Church or that people whose voices are being heard clearly. I always believe that it’s the Holy Spirit who knows who to pick.”

One Catholic student named John predicted a shift to a more pastoral nature. 

“I would say, given the composition of the College of Cardinals, it would lean more, I guess, pastoral, as you would say. But you never know. There’s always surprises with the conclave.”

A student named Elise responded, “I really don’t know, but I just hope that, whoever it is, he does all he can to help out the Catholic Church.”

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Additionally, the Catholics clued Fox News Digital in on the key issues they believe the next pope should address. 

One student named Taylor said she wants the new pope to focus on promoting “peace” in the world. “It’s probably one of their biggest things, bringing peace to the world and trying to find issues that they can help in as a leader of our faith and just seeing how faith can help bring people together.”

“Pope Francis came out with some regulations that aren’t very popular among Catholics who prefer the traditional Latin Mass,” John remarked. “I think that the next Pope should perhaps be a little bit more understanding of where those Catholics come from and what they prefer liturgically.”

Daniel noted how social issues like immigration should be addressed. 

“I think more on immigration. I think the area of immigration in terms of what the Trump administration is doing and also where the pope brings in terms of like, Catholic charity… You remember that it’s about the dignity of the human person.”

Fox also asked the Catholics to give their views on the legacy of the late pope. 

“I think Pope Francis left a lot of opinions on either side,” John told Fox News Digital. “He was a man who couldn’t be captured in one word and was difficult to define, and I think that’s part of what made him so great, but also what made him so confusing for Catholics sometimes.”

Fox also asked multiple CUA students whether they had a better or worse impression of the Church under Pope Francis.  

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According to Friar Vincent Mary, “it certainly depends on who you ask.”

Some of the students noted that their impression of the Church under Francis was positive.

“I’ve never seen any bad things or good things that stand out,” Taylor said. “I just think that the Church has grown in many different ways and I would say mostly all positive.” 

John remarked how his impression of Catholicism has remained the same no matter who’s been pope over the years. It’s “my religious home, and it’s where I’ll always be,” he said, adding, “I will always be faithful to whoever’s in charge, but at the same time, that doesn’t mean I can’t also have opinions about him.”

“I think the Church was doing very well when he was in charge,” a student named Frank told Fox Digital. ” He did a lot of good things for a lot of people, and I think whatever pope we get next should try to embody what he did as well, but change it a little bit to make it even better.”

Fox News’ Greg Norman also contributed to this report.