When Pope John Paul I died in 1978, after just 33 days of reign, this author was a young journalist and close friend of the then Catholic Bishop of Jos, Gabriel Gonsum Ganaka; while the now late Pope Francis was known as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, a Jesuit Provincial Superior in faraway Argentina.
As journalists, a late friend and colleague of mine, Obinwa Nnaji and I visited Bishop Ganaka and spoke with him about tradition and succession in the papacy; just as it is being done all around the world today before a successor for Pope Francis emerges. Cardinal Karol Wojtyla did succeed to become Pope John Paul II in 1978.
By the passing of the 88 year-old Pope Francis, the whole world (including the 1.4 billion Catholics) was thrown into mourning for a pontiff who raised the hope of the downtrodden.
Replacing Pope Benedict XVI on March 13, 2013, Pope Francis, now departed, will be specially remembered among many other things, as one of the most progressive and outspoken pontiff. He also spoke in support of the poor, refugees and climate change solutions.
Meanwhile, the process for finding a new Pope has begun (even if subterranean), even before the Pontiff is buried. After the Pope’s funeral, commences the papal conclave, which is closed to the public and open only to Catholic cardinals below the age of 80 years.
There are 135 cardinals for choosing Pope Francis’ successor during a secret ballot which will be conducted within the pope’s official residence, in the Sistine Chapel of the Apostolic Palace.
Choosing the next Pope could be quite tedious and could take days, weeks, if not months; as there is no history of a Pope emerging at the first ballot, ever.
The longest conclave of Catholic Cardinals to choose a Pope in the last 200 years took 51 days to usher in Pope Gregory XVI. But in 1978, Pope John Paul II was elected after just three days of the conclave, making him the third Pope to preside over the Catholic Church in one single year (Pope John Paul I having died after 33 days). This was to the relief of Bishop G.G. Ganaka (later Archbishop) and his two journalist-friends who had anticipated a gruelling event as usual.
No one knows who succeeds or how long it takes to find a successor to Pope Francis who fought for the interests of the poor people of this world.
At the last count, it was said that about 15 cardinals were in the running for the job (including two from Africa). As we wait to see, one thing is however certain: the world will be a better place if Pope Francis’ successor follows in his stead.
