The truth is no one really knows what to expect from the conclave. Due to being both a divine and human event, papal conclaves are usually almost impossible to predict.
Newsroom (07/05/2025 09:15, Gaudium Press) An often heard phrase is he who enters the conclave as a pope leaves as a cardinal. Another Roman phase is “A fat pope follows a thin one” this adage in the Catholic Church describing a perceived trend that conclaves tend to counterbalance the preceding pope with one having different ideological emphases.
Yet many Catholic’s like to try to guess at which cardinal could become the pope. We review here some of the papabili.
Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi
Born and raised in Rome, he has close family connections to the Vatican. now at age 69, the archbishop of Bologna, is a prominent figure on the center-left of the Catholic Church, and is often mentioned as a potential candidate for the papacy by those wanting a pope in full continuity with Francis. Known for his genial, accessible, and media-savvy approach, he has often been compared to Pope Francis in his emphasis on mercy and outreach, especially for the poor and the marginalized.
1. Background & Career Highlights
Born: October 11, 1955, in Rome, Italy.
Ordained: 1981; became a priest of the Community of Sant’Egidio, a progressive Catholic peace and justice group.
Archbishop of Bologna: Appointed in 2015 (a historically significant diocese).
Elevated to Cardinal: 2019 by Pope Francis.
President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI): Elected in 2022.
2. Religious & Theological Outlook
Pastoral Focus: Known for social justice, poverty relief, and interfaith dialogue.
Moderate Progressive: Aligns with Pope Francis’s vision but avoids radical doctrinal shifts.
Synod on Synodality: Supports greater lay involvement while upholding Church tradition.
Ecumenism: Works closely with Sant’Egidio, promoting Christian-Muslim-Jewish dialogue.
The cardinal’s theology has been criticized on several fronts. He tries to appeal to all sides of the Church, and has even celebrated the Traditional Latin Mass, but his focus is distinctly on progressive politics, and he is known jokingly as “chaplain” to Italy’s center-left PD party.
Additionally, according to the College of Cardinals Report, he is in favor of making priestly celibacy optional, reassessing Humanae Vitae, Communion for remarried divorcees, and promoting a synodal Church.
3. Diplomatic & Political Roles
Peace Mediator: Played a key role in Mozambique’s 1992 peace deal (via Sant’Egidio).
Ukraine War: Appointed by Pope Francis in 2023 as a peace envoy, meeting with Ukrainian and Western leaders. His mission has included visits to Kyiv, Moscow, Washington, D.C., the West Bank and Beijing to engage in dialogue with political and ecclesial leaders, emphasizing humanitarian efforts and the reunification of children with their families. Zuppi’s shuttle diplomacy received a mixed response, sparking debates and discussions on its effectiveness and the role of the Catholic Church in geopolitical issues.
Immigration Advocate: Supports humanitarian corridors for refugees.
4. Stance on Social Issues
Social Justice: Strong emphasis on helping the poor, homeless, and migrants. Due to Sant’Egidio’s influence, he said his vocation “was born as a service to the Church and the Community.” Growing in a lay community, Zuppi said, “helped me greatly to live out a priestly role that isn’t too clerical and, as the Pope says, clericalism is a sickness of the Church.” He said he “learned to live [his] ministry together with lay brothers and sisters, discovering the enormous richness of the Church and the different charisms” that are all necessary in communion.
LGBTQ+ Approach: More open to dialogue than conservatives but upholds Church teaching on marriage.
Climate Change: Backs Vatican environmental initiatives.
5. Relationship with Pope Francis
Trusted Ally: Seen as embodying Francis’s pastoral and diplomatic style.
Conclusion
For Zuppi, individualism is anathema and community, activism, and mission must come first. He has a devotion to Our Lady and values prayer, on which he places considerable importance. Zuppi is a pastorally progressive, diplomatically active cardinal who bridges social justice and Church tradition. His peacemaking efforts and leadership in Italy make him a rising figure in the Church.
It is not always easy to know exactly where Zuppi, an intelligent prelate with a sharp mind, stands on doctrine and other issues, as he has shown himself able to tailor his message to his audience or his pope. Invariably his views will lean clearly in a heterodox direction, such as on the indissolubility of marriage, homosexuality, gender ideology, and hell.
His supporters would say this makes him able to tackle the complexities of the modern world; his critics might describe him as a clever, archetypal modernist.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from collegeofcardinalsreport.com
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