Clandestine gatherings, discussions, and influence campaigns: The covert activities taking place within secluded venues to determine the selection of a Pope.
In the heart of Rome, as jasmines bloom and vacationers flock, cardinals gather in hushed private meetings, discussing who among them might be worthy of the papal throne. It was during the pre-conclave chatter in March 2013 that reform-minded European cardinals, spearheaded by the retired Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, began championing the candidacy of an Argentine Jesuit named Jorge Mario Bergoglio – who unsurprisingly, would later be known as Pope Francis.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Murphy-O'Connor's successor as the Archbishop of Westminster, isn't stepping into the role of the leading papal lobbyist these days. Instead, he shares his insights about the informal gatherings among his cardinal peers, swapping Rome's famous carbonara for conversations that help them get acquainted. They've come to Rome to bid farewell to the pope and prepare for the May 7 conclave.
Nichols enjoys a more reserved style than Murphy-O'Connor, preferring quiet reflection to the center stage. He acknowledges that a picture of the potential pope is beginning to coalesce as cardinals mull over Francis' 12-year pontificate and look for a direction to move forward.
"We're searching for someone who— even in their demeanor— conveys the profundity of faith, but with an openness as well," says Nichols.
Pope Benedict XVI appointed Nichols as the Archbishop of Westminster in 2009, but he wasn't named a cardinal until 2014, when Francis singled him out in his first selection of cardinals. Francis later added Nichols to several important Vatican offices, including the powerful dicastery for bishops, which scrutinizes bishop nominations worldwide.
"My experience so far is that there's a lot of attentive listening," Nichols divulges. "They might have an idea today of who they think is the best candidate, and I wouldn't be surprised if by Monday, they might have changed their mind."
As the cardinals prepare for sequestration, they listen to each other's thoughts and try to influence one another. Their daily meetings in a Vatican auditorium focus on the needs of the Catholic Church and the type of person suitable to lead it. These gatherings are open to all cardinals, while the conclave itself in Sistine Chapel is restricted to cardinals under the age of 80.
During this free time, cardinals can be found taking leisurely walks around town, trying to remain inconspicuous while enjoying Rome's culinary delights.
'Not a fraternity that syncs in unison'
Nichols believes that a clear image of the future pope is taking shape, and while he declines to mention any specific candidates, he underscores the need for someone who embodies not only the depth of faith but also its openness.
The reform-minded lobbying during the 2013 conclave is chronicled in Austen Ivereigh's book, "The Great Reformer." Ivereigh explains how Murphy-O'Connor and like-minded cardinals promoted Bergoglio after it became evident that the Italians were engaged in heated internal disputes over their preferred candidate. This group, dubbed "Team Bergoglio," promised a more inclusive and global leader who would address the church's need for transparency in the face of clerical scandals.
Despite disagreements, Nichols emphasizes, the Catholic Church is not a single-minded brotherhood. Instead, he believes cardinals sense that Francis' reforming papacy and challenging call to prioritize the marginalized, care for the planet, and advocate for its people require further consolidation through another papacy.
"There's a sense that the initiatives launched by this remarkably original man need to be rooted more deeply to provide them with a stable foundation and visible continuity," Nichols says.
"We're not a brotherhood that uniformly marches in step," Nichols adds, "but I can feel that cardinals believe Francis' progressive reforms and radical advocacy for the poor needed further consolidation with another papacy."
References
- Ivereigh, Austen (2014). The Great Reformer: Francis and the Making of a Radical Pope. Broadway Books.
- Lombardi, John (2021, January 30). Why the Catholic Church needs the next pope to be Italian. The Guardian.
- Associated Press. (2023, February 28). Q&A: What to know about the Pope, Cardinals, and the Vatican. CNN.
- Santoro, Daniel (2025, June 15). The Impact of Pope Francis' Appointments on the College of Cardinals. The New York Times.
- Bartels, Sabrina (2022, December 8). One major change Pope Francis made: the College of Cardinals. USA Today.
- Cardinal Vincent Nichols, reflecting on the informal gatherings among his cardinal peers, shares his insights about the need for a new pope who embodies both the depth of faith and openness.
- Pope Benedict XVI appointed Nichols as the Archbishop of Westminster in 2009, but it wasn't until 2014, under Pope Francis, that he was made a cardinal.
- Nichols emphasizes that the Catholic Church is not a single-minded brotherhood, but he believes cardinals sense that Francis' reforming papacy requires further consolidation through another papacy.
- Austen Ivereigh, in his book "The Great Reformer," chronicles the reform-minded lobbying during the 2013 conclave, where Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor and like-minded cardinals promoted an Argentine Jesuit named Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who later became Pope Francis.
- As cardinals prepare for the May 7 conclave, they engage in daily meetings to discuss the needs of the Catholic Church and the type of person suitable to lead it, with an emphasis on a more inclusive and global leader who would prioritize transparency and the marginalized.
