He has played a crucial role in reestablishing relations between the Holy See and China, and signing an agreement to appoint Chinese bishops jointly with Beijing. A moderate, seen as progressive by his critics, he assumed an outsized role during the Pope’s illness, leading the prayer session for his recovery, which was seen by some as an unseemly campaign bid.
Parolin is, however, seen as overly bureaucratic and lacking the charisma and common touch of the late pope. This could prove an Achilles heel, alongside a lack of pastoral experience.
Some are already hoping to wreck any bid by Parolin and, depending on whom you speak with, he’s seen as either a Trojan horse for progressivism or conservatism.
The College of Cardinals Report, a review of cardinals’ positions compiled by conservative journalists Edward Pentin and Diane Montagna, casts him as a “subtler” progressive able to put a mainstream spin on Francis’ radicalism. A more progressive-minded Church official, meanwhile, told POLITICO that Parolin is “a very humble and a very gentle person but because of his gentleness people don’t see he’s much more conservative than the pope.” The official suggested Francis had begun to marginalize Parolin amid the “whispers” around his possible conclave bid.
Another Italian possibility is Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from Lombardy, who is Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. The 60-year-old could well benefit from a nostalgia among fellow Italian cardinals about having one of their countrymen back in the top job. Pizzaballa — who has lived in the Holy Land for more than three decades, speaks Hebrew and has admitted that he talks to Hamas “by necessity” — is an authority in the Middle East, which could be an advantage.
Seen as frank-talking, he rose quickly through the ranks thanks to views aligned with Francis on protecting the environment and inter-religious dialogue. He has largely stayed away from public disputes in the church over church doctrine, which makes him an unknown quantity but conservatives are not overly hostile to him as he is supportive of the Latin mass.
Still, he is somewhat young to be pope, as cardinals are reluctant to elect a leader who is likely to stick around for several decades.
