The Real Conclave: Prologue
Prelude to the passing, and election, of a Pope.
The election of a pope is one of the most sacred and consequential events in the life of the Catholic Church. It is a moment where history bends, where the leadership of the world’s largest Christian body is entrusted to what the faithful believe to be the new successor of Saint Peter. The process is ancient, rooted in centuries of unbroken tradition, yet each conclave carries its own weight, shaped by the tensions, crises, and divisions of its time.
This series is an exploration of such a moment.
At the time of writing, Pope Francis’ health has been in decline, with respiratory complications that have led to hospitalisation raising concerns about the stability of his leadership and the inevitable transition that will follow. Though he continues to lead the Catholic Church, speculation is already growing—who will succeed him, and what will that choice mean for the future of Catholicism? This book envisions the scenario that will one day come to pass, presenting a dramatic yet deeply realistic depiction of the conclave that will shape the Church’s direction for generations.
But this is no ordinary papal transition. Pope Francis has been one of the most divisive figures ever to occupy the Chair of Saint Peter. His papacy has not been marked by a unifying moral authority, nor by a reinforcement of Catholic tradition. Rather, he has presided over a Church in crisis—a crisis that he himself has fuelled.
Francis was a pope of rupture, not continuity. His pontificate has been marked by ambiguity in doctrine, suppression of tradition, and open hostility toward faithful Catholics who seek to preserve the Church’s heritage. He has empowered radical factions within the Church, while persecuting traditional orders, silencing orthodox clergy, and aligning himself with secularist and globalist forces that have no interest in defending Catholic moral teachings.
His most infamous actions include:
The suppression of the Traditional Latin Mass, reversing Pope Benedict XVI’s restoration of it and attempting to eradicate the Church’s ancient liturgical heritage.
The Fiducia Supplicans scandal, in which he allowed same-sex couples to receive blessings from Catholic clergy—an outright contradiction of Catholic moral teaching.
The German Synodal Path, where bishops in Germany openly defied Rome, pushing for women priests, LGBTQ+ blessings, and doctrinal changes that amount to heresy.
The Pachamama scandal, where Francis welcomed a pagan fertility idol into the Vatican and allowed it to be venerated inside St. Peter’s Basilica.
His secretive deal with Communist China, in which the Vatican ceded authority to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), allowing it to appoint Catholic bishops—betraying underground Catholics who have suffered decades of persecution.
His role in covering up sexual abuse scandals, including the disgraceful case of former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, one of the Church’s most notorious abusers, whom Francis shielded and promoted until public pressure forced action.
Far from strengthening the Church, Francis has sown division, weakened doctrine, and undermined the very faith he was called to defend. His papacy has emboldened those who seek to remake Catholicism in the image of the modern world, rather than preserve the eternal truths entrusted to it by Christ.
Now, with his death, the question looms: Will the Church continue down this path of destruction, or will it reclaim its sacred foundations?
Why This Matters to the World
Not all who read this series will be Catholic. Many may have little interest in the theological disputes within the Church, but what happens in the Vatican does not stay in the Vatican.
Catholicism is the largest denomination in Christianity, and the second-largest religion in the world after Islam. The Catholic Church’s influence spans continents, cultures, and civilisations. And while the Pope is first and foremost a spiritual leader, he is also a head of state—the sovereign of the Holy See, the world’s smallest yet one of its most politically significant nations. The Vatican plays a pivotal role in diplomacy, global politics, economics, and moral discourse.
Pope Francis wielded this influence with a strong political vision albeit a misguided one, aligning the Church with climate change activism, open-border immigration policies, and economic globalism. He has promoted leftist agendas on wealth redistribution while remaining relatively silent or weak in the face of true moral evils—abortion, gender ideology, and the growing persecution of Christians worldwide.
His successor will inherit not only the spiritual leadership of the Church but also the immense political authority that comes with the papacy. The next pope will decide whether to continue this path of secularisation and compromise or restore the Catholic Church’s divine mission.
A Church at War With Itself
The conflicts described here are not speculative. They are the very struggles that define Catholicism in this moment:
The battle over doctrine – Will the Church continue to embrace ambiguity on moral and theological issues, or will it return to its unshakable foundations?
The suppression of tradition – The Latin Mass, once declared a rightful heritage of the Church, has been driven to the fringes by Francis’ restrictions. Will it be restored?
The influence of secular ideology – Will the Church continue aligning itself with international progressive movements, or will it once again stand apart as an uncompromising moral authority?
The Vatican’s relations with world powers – Will the next pope challenge authoritarian regimes like China, or will he follow Francis' diplomatic accommodation?
The deepening schism within the Church – With the German Church defying Rome, promoting blessings for same-sex unions, women priests, and doctrinal changes, will the next pope bring them back in line—or let the Church fracture further?
The next conclave will not be a mere ceremony—it will be a battle for the soul of the Church.
This series does not claim to predict the future. Rather, it is a reflection of what is at stake. The arguments presented are not new—they have been made by bishops, theologians, and faithful Catholics across the world. Yet the urgency of these debates has never been greater. Will the next pope continue the modernist revolution, or will he restore the timeless truths of the Church? Will Catholicism stand firm against the tides of secularism, or will it continue to drift toward accommodation and irrelevance?
What is written here is, for now, a story. But one day, the white smoke will rise. The world will look to the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, waiting for the name to be announced. And when that moment arrives, the Catholic Church will once again find itself at a crossroads.
This series, to be issued over the course of the next week, is a solemn reminder of that moment to come.