Fr. Richard OMOLADE

The end of an era is the beginning of a new one. But as with most things, that new beginning is not known to anyone but God is aware and watches on as people scheme and plan, yet the future is in God's hands.

Since Pope Francis died, many friends have asked me "Do you think Africa is ready to produce the next Pope?" Other questions are generally in the same line of the possibility of a Black man becoming the next Pope. For most Catholics, this question is basically a misnormer. They believe the hand of God guides the process and the Holy Spirit will guide electors to the best possible candidate.

Yes, we cannot rule out the influence of human nature, but the system is well ordered to ensure a peaceful transition and a candidate good for the Church of the time. With the values of the world in tatters, we need a moral force to lead the Church and point the world in the right direction. With absolutism on the rise, we need a man with a clear voice of reason to work with others and a man with a clear conscience to become the voice of truth in a world ravaged by evil and permissiveness of all sorts. With dictatorship of all kinds spreading in politics, in religion and even in economics, we need a man that will fight for the common good and especially for the rights of the poor.

At this time in the life of the Church,  we need both ressourcement and aggionamento, a clear decisión to go back to the source, that is, to the Word of God and an openness to embrace renewal that is much needed to be relevant in today's world. We need a man of faith who is neither a liberal nor a conservative but a man in love with God and the truth of the faith. We need a shepherd in love with the flock of God and not the world. We need a man not self-absorbed but one already taken over by God himself, a shepherd who lives no longer for himself but for God.

Both John Paul II and Pope Francis were crowd pullers due to their social and charismatic nature, while this is not a criteria, we need a Pope who is a father and humane, whose human emotional maturity will make him accessible to the people and not a recluse. While leading us to our heavenly home, we need a Pope that is people oriented and not one that is focused only on servicing the system and safeguarding the status quo. We need a Prodigal father whose mercy seat is always reachable and who is always ready to reconcile aggrieved parties and welcome all home.

The next successor of Peter and Vicar of Christ must be an intentional leader. The Church needs a leader able to lead and willing to lead and serve. Leadership in the 21st century is not going to be pretty, so we need a leader with courage and determination to please only God. This is the situation, humanly speaking? But then, what is the Holy Spirit thinking about His Church? What is the plan of the Holy Spirit for the Church? These are not easy to grasp or even discern. What then must we do?

As the conclave goes, betters are already placing their bets on their papabile, forecasters are hard at work, arguing the rationale for various candidates, simple Catholics in the world over are praying for a good and Holy Pope. What will it be? The Church is not ours, we belong to it. The Church belongs to God and the Holy Spirit, the moving agent of transformation and renewal will not abandon the Church.  So there is no need to worry, there is no need to panic. Catholics should let go and let God, that is, leave our wishes and desires in God's hands.

Though it is called an election, but the making of a leader is much more than election, there is divine purpose at work and the divine knows how to use frail human beings to accomplish his goal. The Holy Spirit is ever powerful and He goes on working and all that He does is always good. So, with the Holy Spirit in control, the Church is in safe hands and will be entrusted with the rudder of the ship of the Church and together, with sheep and shepherd, the Church will be guided to safe harbour.

In the main time, let us enjoy the news of intrigues and politicking, the AI generated ideas and forecasts. In the end, it will end in praises, for God is God and there is always something new up his sleeves that He reveals to show us that He is still in charge.