‘Who Among Us?’ The Cardinals Now Face Their Test.; The New York Times, April 21, 2025

Austen Ivereigh, The New York Times; ‘Who Among Us?’ The Cardinals Now Face Their Test. 

"Whatever else emerges in the cardinals’ priorities for a new leader, it is likely to be Francis’ call for “synodality” that most resonates in their discussions. “Synodality” is the word given to the ancient church habit of assembling, discussing, discerning and deciding. Francis adapted the ancient practice of synods and councils in a radically inclusive way that invites all the faithful to be involved. The cardinals may conclude that right now, this is the greatest sign of hope the church can offer the world.

This “culture of encounter,” as Francis called it, may seem a puny thing to the powers that be. But it starts from the idea that those in thrall to the will to power cannot understand: the innate dignity of all, the need to listen to everyone, including those on the margins, and the importance of patiently waiting for consensus. These things are all crucial to the repair of a torn civic fabric.

The cardinals may look at the world and decide that, whatever else they might want from the next pope, the pressing issue facing humanity is how we treat one another."