For the first time in 12 years, the Vatican sits vacant following the death of Pope Francis I on Monday.
Francis, who was 88, died hours after giving his final Easter Sunday blessing to audience members gathered in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.
Thomas Davis, a sophomore majoring in accounting, said that the Pope’s death took him aback.
“I know many were unsurprised, but I was shocked,” Davis said. “It seemed, according to Vatican news, that his health was getting better, and I’ve never really known a Catholic Church without Pope Francis.”
Father Seth Reed, the chaplain of University Catholic at MTSU, remembered waking up in the middle of the night to the news.
“I remember waking up around 3:30 a.m. on Easter Monday for some reason and seeing a couple of notifications on my phone,” Reed said. “I checked them and saw that some of my University Catholic students were saying Pope Francis had died. I went to the Vatican’s website to verify the information and, once confirmed, said a few prayers for Pope Francis and for the repose of his soul.”
While the timing of the Pope’s death surprised Reed, he said he had a sense it was coming due to Francis’s health issues. These health issues culminated with Francis being hospitalized for a month with a severe case of pneumonia in both lungs. The world now waits to find out who will be the next spiritual leader of the Catholic Church. A papal conclave convenes to elect a new Pope anywhere between 15 to 20 days after the passing of one. In this case, the conclave must meet between May 6 and May 11.
Many wonder if the cardinal electors will select a Pope with more progressive ideas similar to Francis or opt for a more traditionalist leader. Fueling the speculation is the fact that Francis appointed 108 out of the 135 eligible electors for the upcoming conclave, four out of five electors.
Davis believes the Catholic Church needs clarity and authenticity from the next Pope.
“There was a trend in the latter half of the last century towards theological ambiguity and a more ‘modern’ liturgy that focuses on experience at the cost of authentic sacrifice and worship,” Davis said.
Though many worry about choosing the “right” Pope, Davis said he is confident the conclave will make the best choice.
“At times, Pope Francis spoke in ways that were unclear or ambiguous to some when speaking with more clarity could have avoided all confusion,” Davis said. “I have a confident hope that our next pope will be a man who satisfies a motto of Pope Francis’ successor, ‘Caritas et veritas’, and finds that virtuous balance between truth and charity.”
Reed, on the other hand, would like a more moderate Pope.
“I’d like to see the next Pope take more of a middle ground – somewhere between Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis,” Reed said. “I think the Church right now needs a leader who is as pastoral and loving as Pope Francis, but also as clear in his teachings as Pope Benedict. Someone who can bring both the heart and the mind of the Church together.”
Regarding Francis’s legacy, Reed believes it will be his leadership.
“He often said that shepherds must smell like their sheep, and I think he truly embodied that, both for Catholic clergy and even non-Catholic religious leaders,” Reed said. “He reminded us that the role of a shepherd is to be with the people, to walk with them, and to love them deeply.”
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