(LifeSiteNews) — In this exclusive interview, Abbé Claude Barthe diocesan priest, co-founder of the journal Catholica and chaplain of the Summorum Pontificum pilgrimage, tells John-Henry Westen that conclave cardinals need to elect a pope of faith and courage to the reverse the doctrinal confusion left by Francis. He names Cardinals Ranjith and Erdő as hopefuls for restoring orthodoxy, calls for prayer and fasting, and stresses bishops must resist heterodoxy — even from a reigning pope.
Which cardinal do you think is the best candidate to restore orthodoxy in the Church?
Two names come to mind who could realistically garner significant support:
- Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, 77, former nuncio to Indonesia and Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship under Cardinal Cañizares. Currently Archbishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital. Ranjith is a pastoral and political prelate—affable, astute, and multilingual—who was a prominent advocate for the “reform of the reform” during Benedict XVI’s pontificate. In Rome, he celebrated the Traditional Latin Mass daily.
- Cardinal Péter Erdő, 72, Archbishop of Budapest, is favored by conservatives in the College of Cardinals. An excellent canonist and capable administrator, he is also multilingual, discreet, and somewhat reserved. He represents the so-called “illiberal” churches of Eastern Europe—Hungary, Poland, and Ukraine (the martyred Greek Catholic Church once led by Cardinal Slipyi and now by Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk). These churches reject Western ultraliberalism in moral and family matters. Erdő is a Ratzingerian—very cautious, not opposed to the Traditional Latin Mass, but hasn’t overtly promoted it.
What are the most important qualities that the cardinals should look for in the next pope?
Faith and the courage to profess it.
The two names I’ve mentioned could serve as transitional figures. They should be courageous in faith and paternal, like good shepherds who love their sheep and wish to gather and heal them.
The pope who will lead the Church out of its current crisis must fulfill his mission as the Vicar of Christ, which is to confirm his brethren in the faith. He must restore the rule of faith and infallibility, which has been sidelined by the “pastoral magisterium” of the last council. He will need to redraw the boundaries between truth and error and exercise charity by protecting the flock from those who sow spiritual death. This pope will, in some form, have to face martyrdom.
What should be the top priority of the next pope?
Restoring the purity of the faith. In my forthcoming book, The Church Tomorrow: For a True Reform of the Church, I discuss elements for a gradual revitalization of the Church: liturgical renewal, renewed preaching on the last things, restoration of the practice of confession, straightforward catechetical teaching, moral preaching—especially on conjugal morality—and priestly formation.
What is the biggest crisis that the next pope faces following the papacy of Francis?
Jesuit Antonio Spadaro, former director of La Civiltà Cattolica and a thinker of Francis’s pontificate, recently stated in La Repubblica that “the future Church will be plural” and that unity should no longer be sought, but diversity. Unfortunately, this reflects reality: Francis’s pontificate has made evident that the rule of faith has been shattered. Since the conclusion of Vatican II sixty years ago, the Church has become Anglicanized. Now, every Catholic—be it theologian or layperson—can “cobble together” their own creed and morality.
Whoever is elected pope in the coming days will inherit this fragmented Catholicism. Sadly, after a thunderous pope, we might end up with a lackluster one—a sort of bankruptcy trustee.
How should faithful Catholics respond if a heterodox cardinal, such as Parolin or Zuppi, is elected pope?
Ordinarily, Catholics should be submissive to their pastors, especially the pope. But in these times of dramatic crisis, exacerbated by a pontificate that has promulgated documents like Fiducia Supplicans and the exhortation Amoris Laetitia (which, in paragraph 301, suggests that in certain cases, adulterous spouses aware of moral norms can be in a state of grace), it is legitimate to first examine the doctrine of those who govern souls. However, it is primarily the teaching members of the Church—bishops and cardinals—who must vocally oppose heterodox teachings. They must urge the pope to profess the faith and confirm his brethren, even if it means retracting errors.
Do you recommend any prayers or spiritual practices, such as the Rosary or fasting, that the faithful could employ to help the Church before and during the conclave?
Prayer, fasting, and sacrifices are highly commendable. However, I would caution against overemphasizing the importance of this conclave. In the long post-conciliar history, it’s one event among many. That said, the changes it brings to Roman governance—whether for better or worse—could advance the moment of full restoration. I join those who recommend invoking the Virgin Mary, Mediatrix of all graces, especially through the Rosary, for the Church. May Mary, Mother of the Apostles, inspire valiant bishops!
Who will count the ballots in the conclave?
Three scrutineers and three revisers are publicly drawn by lot from among the cardinals. The three scrutineers sit at a table before the Sistine Chapel altar. In full view, they count the ballots, which must match the number of voting cardinals. Then, the first scrutineer unfolds each ballot, reads it silently, passes it to the second, who does the same, and then to the third, who reads the name aloud. There’s one vote on the first evening, then four per day—two in the morning, two in the afternoon. After each vote, the revisers re-examine all ballots and the tally sheets to ensure accuracy. No errors can occur.
Is it true that God chooses each individual pope, as many say?
Certainly, God chooses the pope through the cardinals’ election. But God’s providence is deeply mysterious: He willed both Saint Pius V and Alexander VI as Vicars of Christ. The moral corruption of Alexander VI’s Rome was immense, but aren’t doctrinal wounds even graver? In any case, we know that God permits evil only because a greater good can result. Thus, from the harm caused by pastors like Alexander VI came the holy and marvelous reaction of the Catholic Reformation in the 16th century. Similarly, in the 21st century…
This interview has been translated with the assistance of AI and checked for accuracy.
