Progressive versus traditionalist? The polarising issues that will define the next pope

The Journal

22-04-2025

FOLLOWING THE DEATH of Pope Francis yesterday, there is inevitable speculation about who will follow in his footsteps and what issues will be important to the next pope.
However, only time, and the conclave will tell if the
next pope
will build on Francis's more progressive agenda, or represent a return to more traditionalist values.
The late Pope Francis was outspoken about an array of issues, from abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, to climate change and immigration.
Issues facing the church
Electing a new pope can be as much a political balancing act, determining who will champion the issues relevant to the church, as it is a spiritual exercise.
The divide is generally between that of progressive, or liberal, and traditionalist, or conservative.
Progressives/liberals would favour reforms to the church's attitude toward cultural and social issues. While traditionalists/conservatives would oppose those reforms in favour of creating even stricter norms or maintaining the status quo.
Some of the issues facing the Catholic Church upon which their leaning will be judged include climate change, migration, abortion, and LGBTQ+ rights.
Other issues, such as dealing with clerical sex abuse are also seen as an important barometer of a pope's outlook.
Colm O'Gorman said that Pope Francis's
handling of the scandal was 'disappointing
,' despite an 'enormous respect' for the late Pope.
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Below are a few of the issue areas which may affect the next pope, and Pope Francis's legacy in these issues.
Climate change
There is a moral imperative to address climate change and take action, according to the Catholic Church.
Pope Francis wrote an encyclical, Laudato Si, which recognised climate change as a global problem with significant consequences, especially for the global poor. During his papacy, he declared the science is clear, and there is a moral imperative to take action.
More traditionalist priests are likely to may maintain the moral imperative to care for all of God's creation, though they may not see the same urgency to address the issue.
Migration
The Catholic Church would view migration as recognising the inherent dignity of every person, and addressing the root causes that lead to migration.
A top priority for Pope Francis was to
advocate for vulnerable migrants
. He d
enounced the border initiatives from US president Donald Trump
, and brought asylum-seekers to the Vatican with him from overcrowded island camps.
He visited and prayed at places where people perished crossing borders.
A more traditionalist pope may emphasise the importance of national sovereignty and cultural identity while also recognising the inherent dignity of every human being.
LGBTQ+
Pope Francis arguably did
more for LGBTQ+ issues
than any other pope in history, according to a prominent US priest.
He moved away from the stigmatising language that the Vatican has used in the past around LGBTQ+ people. He also formally signed off on allowing Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples in December 2023.
Pope Francis also called for the Church to apologise for the harm it has caused to the LGBTQ+ community, and said: 'We Christians have to apologise for so many things, not just for this [treatment of gay people], but we must ask for forgiveness, not just apologise.'
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It's not clear if a more traditionalist pope could resend the actions taken by Pope Francis, but the next pope may not continue in the same direction and make as many progressive moves.
Abortion
The Catholic Church views abortion as gravely wrong, and the late pope was consistent with the Church's view, maintaining that abortion is 'murder' and a 'grave sin.'
Though he granted priests the right to forgive an abortion in 2015.
He was also against surrogacy, calling it 'deplorable', as he sees it as an 'exploitation of women' and 'objectification of children.
Women in the church
Other issues, like women's rights in the church were left largely unaddressed by the late pope.
In a statement yesterday following the Pope's death, the Catholic Women's Ordination said: '[Pope Francis] was not afraid to enter the political arena where he saw injustice.'
The organisation added that it was 'extraordinary' that his 'revolutionary thinking' did not extend to women. 'Women seeking sacramental ordination in the Catholic Church have been rejected,' it said.
Though Pope Francis also appointed more women than ever before to top Vatican positions.
Despite the advancements, the church's male-dominated structure remains intact, and women's ordination continues to be off the table.
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