THE next pope will be chosen by the College of Cardinals, the Catholic church’s most senior priests, following the demise of Pope Francis and out of these 135 electors, there is a Malaysian.
These cardinals, who are eligible to vote, are making their way for the conclave, which comes from the Latin word cum clave, meaning the “the key” indicating the closed, if not secretive, process of electing a Pope.
Johor-born Datuk Seri Sebastian Francis will join his counterparts from various parts of the world for the voting.
The 73-year-old priest, who now resides in Penang, has been the Bishop of Penang since 2011.
He was elevated to the rank of Cardinal in Sept 2023 by Francis. He is the second cardinal from Malaysia after the late Anthony Soter Fernandez.
Past Malaysian Catholic Lawyers Association president Datuk Joy Appukuttan said during Francis’ term, “We have seen a large number of cardinals appointed from smaller nations.
“Malaysia and Singapore stand out. Our (Cardinal Sebastian) Francis is one of them and will have to attend the conclave soon,’’ he said.
Another source said, “Cardinal Sebastian is on his way to Rome for the selection of the new Pope.’’
The Penang Diocese, in an entry on its website, described Francis’s personal belief is that “one must have good human and emotional maturity and balance, always be open to creative thinking, inclusive of all, especially ethic, racial and religious differences.”
The Guardian reported that there are more than 250 cardinals from more than 90 countries, but only about 135 are cardinal electors (those over the age of 80 are excluded).
“About 110 of the cardinal electors have been chosen by Francis in the past 10 years and largely reflect his vision of a more inclusive church.
“Once the cardinals are assembled in Rome, usually 15-20 days after the pope’s death, they gather under Michelangelo’s magnificent painted ceiling in the Sistine Chapel to begin their deliberations.
“After the words extra omnes – everyone out – are declared, referring to all but voting cardinals and a handful of officials and doctors, the doors are locked.
“The cardinals swear an oath of absolute secrecy, and are permitted no contact with the outside world for the duration of the election process. Their phones are removed, and no newspapers, television, letters or messages are allowed. The chapel is also swept for listening devices before and during the conclave,” it said.
The votes are taken until a candidate wins a two-thirds majority, which means there will be elimination rounds.
While the ballot is secret, The Guardian said “that does not mean the process is immune from factionalising, intrigue and lobbying.”
After each round of voting, the ballot cards are burned with black smoke emerging from the 60ft chimney, indicating an inconclusive ballot; white smoke announces to the world that a new pope has been elected. The election has received global attention because the Pope is regarded as the leader of 1.37 billion Catholics.
Francis, an Argentine, who became the first Latin American pope, spoke up for social justice, environmental issues as well as the Palestinian cause.
During his Easter Sunday address last week, he expressed his “closeness to the sufferings of Christians in Palestine and Israel, and all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people.”
He constantly criticised Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip, particularly the killing of Palestinians, and in one video posted on social media, he was seen making a call to the Catholic priests in Palestine to enquire about their well-being amidst the attacks. – April 22, 2025
Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai is a veteran journalist and Bernama chairman