Tag: Pope

 

*By Paul Ejime

FLOWERBUDNEWS:      If it were a secular contest judged by ‘political correctness,’ or otherwise, and going by his public disagreement with his compatriot, President Donald Trump, especially over immigration, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost could have been dismissed as an outsider in the 2025 papal succession race.

Not that religion is devoid of politics, after all, President Trump recently shared a controversial Artificial Intelligence-generated image of himself in papal vestments.

However, when the bell tolled to confirm the news of the election of a new pope at the Vatican, Prevost’s choice over a dozen favourites was closer to an ‘also-ran’ except to the spiritually inclined.

As the white smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, the new pope’s name did not ring a bell outside the Sistine Chapel, where 133 sequestered Cardinal electors were gathered to elect the late Pope Francis’ successor.

Cardinal Dominique Mamberti emerged to announce the 69-year-old prelate as the 267th head of the estimated 1.4 billion Catholic faithful, making him the first pope from America and Peru on Thursday, 8 May 2025.

Prevost holds dual American and Peruvian citizenship and was chosen by the Cardinal Electors after a two-day Papal Conclave and three voting sessions.

When he first appeared on the balcony after his election, many did not recognise the prelate as he greeted the crowds in Latin, to the chorus, cheering and waving: ‘Habemus papam’ – we have a new pope.

The Chicago-born Prevost chose Pope Leo XIV as his papal title in line with the Catholic tradition.

The son of Louis Marius Prevost, a catechist with French and Italian roots, young Prevost considered the priesthood in his youth.

He joined an Augustinian minor seminary, attracted by the order’s stress on unity, communion, and the teachings of St. Augustine of Hippo.

Prevost studied canon law at the Angelicum in Rome and was ordained a priest in 1982 by Archbishop Jean Jadot, pro-president of the Vatican’s Secretariat for Non-Christians (now the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue).

After his studies, Prevost went to northwestern Peru, which had a strong connection with the U.S. Augustinians. He travelled all over the country and later became a naturalised citizen.

In 2001, he was elected prior general of the worldwide Augustinian order, a post he held for two six-year terms before Pope Francis named him apostolic administrator of the Chiclayo diocese, returning him to northwestern Peru.

A year later, he became bishop of the diocese covering one of Peru’s biggest cities, shantytowns and rural areas.

In 2022, Prevost was accused of failing to investigate cases of alleged abuse against two priests at the Chiclayo diocese. The diocese denied the allegations, but the cases made headlines in 2024.

The American prelate’s attitude is said to be shaped by the vow of obedience he made when he committed to the Augustinian order, citing an elderly priest who told him: “As a young man, it will be harder for you to live celibacy. But later, you’ll see that living obedience is the most difficult thing.”

In 2023, the pope named Prevost Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops from Chicago, the largest Archdiocese in North America, succeeding the Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet.

He also served as president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, once quoted as saying: “The authority we have (as bishops) is to serve, to accompany priests, to be pastors and teachers.”

Prevost led the recitation of the Holy Rosary for Pope Francis’ health in St Peter’s Square before the last Pope’s death and is expected to following his evangelical principles.

After Argentine Francis, the first pope from Latin America, many thought that the cardinals would elect a European successor, with Italians longing to bring the papacy ‘back home.’ But this has now been deferred to the next conclave.

Francis died at 88, after an impactful 12-year pontificate that touched many lives with his simplicity, humility and love for the poor and the marginalised.

He was unafraid to state his positions on controversial issues confronting the Church, such as the relation with the LGBTQ+ community, divorced people, unwed mothers, abortion and clerical abuse.

These unresolved issues will still engage, if not define, the papacy of the new pope and others after him.

World leaders are sending their congratulations as Catholics celebrate the election of a new pontiff. The faithful are also saying goodbye to charismatic Francis, all with breathtaking ceremonies rich in tradition and rites, observed once in a blue moon!

*Paul Ejime is a Media/Communications Specialist and Global Affairs Analyst*

 

ROME,  (Xinhua) /FLOWERBUDNEWS;  – Robert Francis Prevost, the cardinal of the United States, was elected the new pope on the second day of secret ballots in the cardinals’ conclave held in Vatican City.

The name he chose as the new pope was Leo XIV.

The College of Cardinals, composed of 133 cardinals, began the secret voting process to elect a new pope on May 7. The previous pope, Francis, passed away due to illness on April 21.

 

 

 

By Paul Ejime

FLOWERBUDNEWS:    In life and more so in death, Pope Francis earned universal respect for enthroning humility, simplicity, courage, and love for the poor and the marginalised, during his 12-year papacy marked by exemplary evangelical leadership.

More than 50 heads of state, 10 reigning monarchs, some 250 cardinals, 400 bishops and 4,000 priests were among the over 250,000 crowd gathered at St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City, and millions who followed Francis’ funeral via broadcast channels worldwide on 26 April 2025.

As a demonstration of genuine abnegation and unselfishness, the Argentine prelate Jorge Mario Bergoglio, nicknamed “Slum Bishop”, defied medical advice to bless thousands of the faithful on Easter Sunday, before succumbing to pneumonia on Easter Monday at the age of 88.
From Roman times, the Church and the State have had well-documented contentious relationships, including during the persecution of Christians. Still, the Vatican has laboured to steer clear of partisan politics.

However, unlike many previous elections of a new pope to head the estimated 1.4 billion Catholics,* the selection of Pope Francis’ successor on Saturday, 7 May 2025, has elicited a huge public interest with many, including non-Christians, asking when it will be Africa’s turn to produce a Catholic pope? This is particularly so, given that while Catholicism appears to be in retreat in other regions, Africa continues to record significant growth in numbers.

There are three recorded Black Popes in the history of the papacy and several African Cardinals had been tapped ‘papa-able’ in the past, including Francis Cardinal Arinze and John Cardinal Onaiyekan of Nigeria. Millions of Africans now nurse the secret desire to see a Catholic Pope from the continent, once a recipient of European Christian missionaries, but currently well-placed to be exporting evangelists to other parts of the World.

Although not as unambiguous as in laying out his burial plans in advance, cutting out elaborate papal funeral rites, Pope Francis had in 2021 joked that Pope John XXIV would come in 2025 when the bishop of Ragusa, Monsignor Giuseppe La Placa, invited him to visit the Italian City for the 75th Anniversary of the creation of the Diocese.

According to Vatican watchers, the nine front-runners in the papal race as Francis’s Most Likely Successors include Jean-Marc Cardinal Aveline, 66, the Archbishop of Marseille, France, who holds similar beliefs to Francis, despite having cautioned against blessing same-sex couples.

Next is Peter Cardinal Erdo, 71, the Archbishop of Budapest, Hungary. He was named the head of the Council of European Episcopal Conferences in 2005 and 2011, a role that could fetch him more votes among many European cardinal electors. Erdo seemed to oppose Francis’ call for churches to support migrants in 2015, and has said there “are absolutely no grounds” for considering same-sex marriages “in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God’s plan for marriage and family.”

Pietro Cardinal Parolin, 70, an Italian, is also a strong contender. He was appointed the Vatican’s Secretary of State by Francis in 2014 and equally commands the respect among secular diplomats, including for his negotiations with China and several Middle Eastern countries. He was also involved in reaching the accord between the Vatican and the Chinese government in 2018, even though the Vatican was criticised for “selling out” to China’s communist government.

There is also Marc Cardinal Ouellet, 80, of Canada, who was considered a top candidate in 2005 and 2013. Ouellet has controlled the Vatican’s bishop office for over a decade. He has a conservative leaning and opposes same-sex marriages and ordaining women as deacons.

Luis Cardinal Tagle, 67, of the Philippines, is a historian based in Rome. He was once considered Francis’ “rising star,” while serving as pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelisation in the Philippines. Tagle has previously criticised “harsh” and “severe” rhetoric used by clerics to describe the LGBTQ+ community, divorced people and unwed mothers.

Another front-runner in the papal race is Matteo Cardinal Zuppi, 69, of Italy, the archbishop of Bologna, known for his similarities to Francis, including a focus on migrants and the poor. Zuppi defended Francis’ decision to bless same-sex couples and is among the more progressive candidates for the papacy. He is also known for “street priest” attributes, and like Francis, supports the poor and the disenfranchised, although he opposes ordaining women as deacons and priests.

Fridolin Cardinal Ambongo Besungu, 65, the archbishop of Kinshasa, DR Congo, was named a cardinal by Francis in 2019 and is considered one of his possible successors. He is one of nine members of the Council of Cardinals, an advisory group to Francis, but led an opposition to Francis’ ruling in 2023 that churches should bless same-sex couples, writing: “unions of persons of the same sex” are considered “intrinsically evil.”

Robert Cardinal Sarah, 79, of Guinea, is a former head of the Vatican’s liturgy office. He is among the more conservative-leaning prospects and has opposed blessing same-sex couples, referring to the blessings as “heresy” and same-sex couples as “irregular.” Sarah also reportedly called abortion the “greatest tragedy of our time” and warned about the “threat” of Islam.

There is also Mario Cardinal Grech, 68, of Malta, the secretary general of the Synod of Bishops. While also sharing conservative views, in 2014, he called on the church to be more accepting of LGBTQ+ members, and also expressed support for women as deacons.
Robert Cardinal Sarah, of Guinea, and Fridolin Cardinal Ambongo Besungu, of Kinshasa Archdiocese, DR Congo, are among the 18 African Cardinals Eligible for the May 7 Conclave.

The others are Dieudonné Cardinal Nzapalainga, 58, of the Archdiocese of Bangui, and the first cardinal in the Central African Republic (CAR), Stephen Cardinal Ameyu Martin Mulla, 61, bishop of Juba, South Sudan, and Peter Cardinal Ebere Okpaleke, 62, of Ekwulobia Archdiocese, Nigeria.

Jean-Paul Cardinal Vesco, 63, of Algeria, Ignace Cardinal Bessi Dogbo, 63, of Abidjan Archdiocese, Cote d’Ivoire, Protase Cardinal Rugambwa, 64, of Tanzania, and Antoine Cardinal Kambanda, 66, of Kigali Archdiocese, Rwanda, who has devoted his work to growing Small Christian Communities (SCCs), are also among the Cardinal electors.

There are also Stephen Cardinal Brislin, 68, of Johannesburg Archdiocese, South Africa, Désiré Cardinal Tsarahazana, 70, of Toamasina, Madagascar, Cristóbal Cardinal López Romero, 72, of Rabat, Morocco, Arlindo Cardinal Gomes Furtado, 75, of Santiago Diocese, Cabo Verde, Peter Cardinal Kodwo Appiah Turkson, 76, of the Archdiocese of Cape Coast, Ghana, Berhaneyesus Cardinal Demerew Souraphiel, 76, of Addis Ababa Archdiocese, Ethiopia, John Cardinal Njue, 79, Emeritus Archbishop of Nairobi, Kenya, Philippe Cardinal Ouédraogo, 79, Emeritus Archbishop of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and Jean-Pierre Cardinal Kutwa, 79, Emeritus Archbishop of Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

The 252 Cardinals are from 94 countries in seven continents, while the 135 cardinals qualified to form the Papal Conclave on Saturday are from 71 countries. Europe has the largest number of electors, with 53, followed by Asia with 23, and Africa with 18.

South America has 17, North America 16, while Oceania and Central America have four Cardinal Electors, each. Francis appointed 108 of the 135 Cardinal Electors. His immediate predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, created 22, and Pope John Paul II, now a Saint, added five.

Meanwhile, two of the 135 potential cardinal electors have been ruled out of the 7 May Conclave, one on health grounds, and the other, convicted in the Vatican financial scandal, withdrew following a written instruction left behind by Pope Francis.

In the Catholic tradition, a new pope usually takes the name of previous popes, so who was Francis referring to as Pope John XXIV that will emerge in 2025? This will be revealed to the expectant World on Saturday when the white smoke billows from the chimney of the 15th-century *Sistine Chapel,* where the College of Cardinals will be sequestered under the oath of secrecy.

In the spirit of the sacred Christian injunctions of mutual love, justice and equality of all before our Creator, the nationality of the new pontiff should not be as important as the content of his character and his evangelical zeal to build on Francis’ legacy.

*Paul Ejime is a Media/Communications Specialist and Global Affairs Analyst*

 

By Paul Ejime

FLOWERBUDNEWS:  The passing of Pope Francis, aged 88, on Easter Monday (21 April 2025) has ended a 12-year papacy marked by humility and simplicity. Less than 28 hours earlier, the ailing pontiff, nicknamed “Slum Bishop” in his native country, Argentina, struggled to bless a crowd gathered at the Vatican to celebrate Easter Sunday this year. His final words in public were: “Dear brothers and sisters, I wish you a happy Easter.”

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on 17th of December 1936, to Italian immigrants, Pope Francis took the name of the 13th-century Saint also known for his simplicity. Instead of the Apostolic Palace reserved for Popes, Francis lived in a Vatican apartment, wore his old-fashioned shoes, discarding the red loafers of the papacy, and rode in compact cars or buses, abandoning the Papal limousine.

Pope Francis was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1969 and led the Religious Order in Argentina from 1976-83. He became Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was elevated to Cardinal in 2001 by then-Pope John Paul II, now a Saint.

Francis was elected the 266th Pope on March 13, 2013, on the fifth ballot, after his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI stepped down. He presided over the latter’s burial in December 2022.

( L-R Cardinals Robert Sarah & Peter Turkson)

 

The prelate scored several firsts, including, the first pope from the Americas, the first from the Jesuit Order; the first to take the name of Francis, after St. Francis of Assisi and the first Roman Catholic Pope to visit Iraq, where he met the country’s top Shiite Muslim cleric in 2021.

Francis made his funeral wishes ahead of time. In November 2024, he revised the traditional papal funeral rites, insisting that his would emphasise the role of a “humble bishop.”

The Master of liturgical ceremonies, Monsignor Diego Ravelli, later explained that the Vatican would be eliminating the usual requirement that the pope’s body be placed on an elevated bier in St. Peter’s Basilica to be viewed by members of the public.

“Instead, Pope Francis’ body will be placed in view at the Basilica in a simple coffin, where dignitaries and some of the faithful may pay their final respects.e on one of his 47 trips

3. L-R Cardinals Robert Sarah & Peter Turkson

“The burial itself will no longer require the three coffins crafted of cypress, lead, and oak, as is the papal tradition,” Ravelli said, explaining that this is “to emphasize even more that the Roman Pontiff’s funeral is that of a shepherd and disciple of Christ and not of a powerful man of this world.”

Announcing his demise, the Vatican said that Francis died on Easter Monday, two months following his treatment for bronchitis at Gemelli Hospital in Rome.

“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow, I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7.35 am, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father,” said Cardinal Farrell.

(Pope on one of his 47 trips)

“With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God,” he added.

On the night he was elected, Pope Francis and the Cardinals rode in a bus back to his hotel, instead of being driven in the papal car. The next morning, he insisted on paying the hotel bill.

During his days as an archbishop in Buenos Aires, Pope Francis earned the nickname ‘Slum Bishop,’ because of his frequent visits to crime-ridden shanty settlements. Apart from residing in a modest Vatican flat, he also cooked his meals.

His aides and associates testify that after every trip, Pope Francis would visit the Basilica, where he prayed before an image of Mary, cradling her baby son, Jesus Christ, saying: “It’s my great devotion. The place is already prepared,” in reference to his final resting place.

An advocate of the poor and migrants, Pope Francis’ first trip outside Rome in 2013 was to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa to meet with newly arrived migrants. He denounced what he called the “globalisation of indifference” towards would-be refugees.

He also prayed for dead migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2016 and brought 12 Syrian Muslims to Rome on his plane after visiting a refugee camp in Lesbos, Greece.

Such dispositions pitted Francis against U.S. and European policies, and he was on record as telling then-U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump in 2016 that “anyone building a wall to keep migrants out is not a Christian.”
Francis also became the first pope to use scientific data in a major teaching document, and made care for God’s creation a hallmark of his papacy.

In 2015, Francis in an environmental manifesto “Praised Be” called for a cultural revolution to correct what he called the “structurally perverse” global economic system that exploits the poor and turns the Earth into “an immense pile of filth.”

Early in his papacy, Francis signaled a more welcoming stance towards the LGBTQ+ community, declaring: “Who am I to judge?” when asked about a gay priest. In 2023, he was quoted as saying that “Being homosexual is not a crime,” and later approved blessings for same-sex couples, provided they don’t resemble marriage vows.

A notable scandal erupted during his papacy in 2018, when he controversially criticised victims of clergy sexual abuse in Chile and sided with a bishop accused of complicity in the abuse. However, realising his mistake, Francis wasted no time in inviting the victims to the Vatican and apologised. He also brought Chilean Bishops to Rome, and pressed upon them to resign over the scandal.

Francis went on to convene a summit of the Catholic hierarchy in 2019 on abuse and made a strong statement by defrocking former U.S. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick after a Vatican investigation implicated him in the abuse of minors and adults.

Furthermore, Francis approved Church laws abolishing the use of pontifical secrecy and establishing procedures to investigate bishops who abuse or cover up for predator priests. The high-profile case where Pope Francis seemed to side with accused clergy was blight, but his papacy was remarkable for his courage, simplicity, selfless and pro-poor leadership.

As World leaders mourn him, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage…” Despite their disagreements, U.S. President Trump wrote: “Rest in Peace Pope Francis,“ and in separate post, announced that flags would be flown at half-mast in the White House and other public buildings in and outside America in honour of Francis.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog praised the late Pope as “A man of deep faith and boundless compassion, (who) dedicated his life to uplifting the poor and calling for peace in a troubled world.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who personally met Pope Francis three times –  in 2013, 2015, and 2019 – called him a “defender” of “humanism and justice,” recalling his role in fostering ties between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.

King Charles III of England said he was “deeply saddened” by the death of Pope Francis, whom he visited earlier this month with his wife, Queen Camilla.

The UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, said the Pope’s “tireless efforts to promote a world that is fairer for all will leave a lasting legacy.”

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said Pope Francis was “a leader who connected with people and focused on contemporary global challenges.”

Nigerian President and  ECOWAS Chairman Bola Tinubu described Pope Francis as “a humble servant of God, tireless champion of the poor, and guiding light for millions.”

American Cardinal Kevin Farrell has stepped in as acting head of the Vatican, and as the World looks forward to the funeral of Pope Francis and the election in two weeks of the 267th leader of the estimated 1.4 billion Catholic faithful, the Italian Football Federation cancelled all matches on Monday in honour of the late pontiff.

The election of a new pontiff is a solemn event that equally generates huge public interest, especially the anticipation of the white smoke, which signals the selection of a new Pope by the Papal Conclave or College of Cardinals.

Africa’s two candidates for a potential pope are Cardinal Peter Turkson, 76, from Ghana, and Cardinal Robert Sarah, 79, of Guinea.

Pope Francis undertook 47 international trips during his papacy, including visits to 10 African, 22 Asian, 23 European, and 12 North and South American countries.

*Rest on, Holy Father, Pope Francis!*

(*Paul Ejime is a Media/Communications Specialist and Global Affairs Analyst*)

 

By Sale Lawal

FLOWERBUDNEWS:  Unfortunately, at 92 our own Cardinal Arinze cannot vote for new Pope or be voted for. According to the rules, the age to vote and be voted for is 80 years downward.

Media reports indicated that several Cardinals have emerged as possible “papabili”, a term used to describe those considered to be elected pope.

The Cardinals that are likely to be contenders according to the Western media are 4 from Italy, 1 from Philippines, 1 from Malta, 1 from Hungary, 1 from the U.S, 1 from Ghana and 1 from the Netherlands.

It is my thoughts that the next Pope will emerge either from the Philippines or Italy. Time will tell!

— Lawal Sale is Abuja based Global Affairs Analyst