With the loss of life of Pope Francis, cardinals from all over the world will quickly collect within the Vatican to decide on a brand new pontiff. Francis, after all, hailed from Argentina – however may the subsequent pope be British?
It has been 866 years because the papacy of Britain’s solely ever pontiff (Pope Adrian IV) led to 1159, and the historical past of the Catholic Church within the UK since then has been turbulent, with King Henry VIII maybe the primary offender.
There are at present 4 British cardinals, three of whom are younger sufficient to vote within the conclave.
And whereas none of them are thought-about odds-on favourites for the highest job, it is true that surprises do occur behind the shuttered doorways of the secretive congregation of cardinals.
So who’re the British cardinals, and will considered one of them be the subsequent pope?
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Cardinal Vincent Nichols. Pic: PA
Head of the Catholic Church in England and WalesCardinal Vincent Nichols, 79
Born in Crosby close to Liverpool, as a baby Cardinal Vincent Nichols hoped to be a lorry driver however as a teen reportedly felt the calling to hitch the priesthood whereas watching Liverpool FC.
He has served because the Archbishop of Westminster since 2009, essentially the most senior place within the Catholic Church in England and Wales. Earlier than that he was the Archbishop of Birmingham.
As cardinal, he’s recognized for main the church’s work tackling human trafficking and trendy slavery, for which he acquired the UN Path to Peace Award.
He was criticised by the UK’s Impartial Inquiry into Baby Sexual Abuse, which stated he “demonstrated a lack of understanding” of the affect of abuse and “seemingly put the reputation of the church first”.
“He has quite a reputation,” says spiritual historian and author Catherine Pepinster. “But I don’t think anybody has suggested he should be made pope.”
He himself has appeared to rule himself out of the operating as effectively, telling reporters he was “too old, not capable”.
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Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe. Pic: PA
The Francis allyCardinal Timothy Radcliffe, 79
Born in London in 1945, Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe entered the Dominican Order of preachers in 1965 and was ordained as a priest in 1971.
As Grasp of the Dominican Order – the primary Englishman in its 800-year historical past – he was common for his speeches across the monastic vows of poverty, chastity and obedience within the trendy world.
He was appointed cardinal simply final yr, on 7 December 2024, and is seen as an ally of Pope Francis who may vote for a candidate who would proceed his work.
He is a preferred determine, says Michael Walsh, an knowledgeable on Catholic points, however his age doubtless guidelines him out from critical consideration, he added.
“Timothy Radcliffe is an interesting one,” says Ms Pepinster. “There are a lot of people who listen to what he says.
“He has a fame for talking very effectively so presumably (he could possibly be thought-about), however he is almost 80.”
Like Cardinal Nichols, however, Cardinal Radcliffe appears to have confirmed he does not want the job, telling reporters he believed the Holy Spirit was “far too sensible to even consider me (as pope) for the shortest second”.
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Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald. Pic: Pierpaolo Scavuzzo/AGF/Shutterstock
The diplomatCardinal Michael Fitzgerald, 87
Made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2019, Michael Fitzgerald has been one of many main specialists on Christian-Muslim relations and served as one of many Catholic Church’s delegates to the Arab League of countries.
His ministry noticed him spend time in Africa and he was appointed titular archbishop of Nepte in Tunisia.
He’s recognized for partaking with different faiths and wrote a booklet to assist Catholics perceive and assist Muslims throughout Ramadan.
He additionally served as apostolic nuncio to Egypt, a diplomatic position much like an envoy.
At 87, he’s too outdated to vote for the subsequent pope however can nonetheless play a key position behind the scenes in discussions earlier than the conclave begins.
It is also not technically unattainable for him to be elected pontiff himself, regardless of being too outdated to forged his personal vote, although it is not doubtless.
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Cardinal Arthur Roche. Pic: Evandro Inetti/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
The Vatican insiderCardinal Arthur Roche, 75
Born in West Yorkshire in 1950, Cardinal Arthur Roche was ordained a priest on the age of 25 within the Diocese of Leeds.
Inside the church, some have regarded him as a cleric who was being fast-tracked to carry excessive workplace.
His time as Bishop of Leeds was not with out controversy, each for liturgical causes and likewise for his programme of closures and mergers of church buildings in his diocese.
He has held numerous posts within the Vatican and was made an Archbishop by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012, earlier than being made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2022.
Dr Walsh says that Cardinal Roche is not seen as a “significant character”, whereas Ms Pepinster instructed that his tenure as a Vatican official may work towards him in the case of cardinals coming in from all around the world.
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A British pope? Possibly not this time
“I don’t think there’s anything against having an English pope at all,” says Mr Walsh, when requested how Britain was seen usually.
However with all 4 British cardinals now 75 or older, age might make them unlikely candidates to be pope, he stated.
“I think they will look for someone younger,” he added.
There’s additionally a rising consensus that, like with Francis, the subsequent pope ought to come from past Europe, Ms Pepinster added.
Many imagine that, because the Church has expanded past its Catholic heartlands, the subsequent pope ought to come from elsewhere.
Requested in regards to the subsequent pope, Cardinal Radcliffe stated: “I think that we always open ourselves to be surprised. All recent popes have been quite different from each other.”
