Photo: AFP
The Papal Conclave is underway at the Vatican. After the papacy of the very politically active Francis, will the Cardinals choose a Pope who stays out of politics, or follow the precedent of speaking out that Francis set?
As it turns out, Francis isn’t the first Pontiff to speak out on political issues, and both Catholics and non-Catholics are asking the same question: "Will that trend continue?" Jonathan Saenz with Texas Values answered by saying, "I wouldn’t be surprised if the Pope is someone who represents more of a traditional philosophy."
Saenz went on to say that that doesn’t mean the Pope will be completely silent on major social or even political issues that impact Catholics. He said, "That role that the Pope has had, it’s not going to change. It’s not a political position though, it’s a faith-based position."
He pointed specifically to issues like abortion, which is seen by many Christians of all denominations as a major religious issue, and is also something that the Catholic Church has spoken out about for years.
So, while many might look at the political implications of the Conclave, Saenz says that, "The reality is, a lot of it is where the church is in its numbers, its focus on the issues of faith. That is the primary role that the Pope is in."
