A Conclave on the Bus: Three New Contenders to Become the Next Pope

• by Arlen Fitzpatrick
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Whispers of a Bus-Side Conclave in the Vatican

Plenty of things in the Catholic Church are steeped in strict tradition—think centuries-old rituals and solemn, smoke-filled rooms at the Sistine Chapel. But lately, insiders say the usual script has gone off-track. Word is, at least one discussion about the next Pope happened not behind church doors but on a bus. Not a luxury coach or a private Vatican vehicle, but an ordinary bus hauling cardinals through the city. If you can picture some of the world’s highest-ranking church officials, crimson skullcaps and all, bouncing over Rome’s cobblestones while debating who should take the White Throne, well, so can quite a few Vatican-watchers.

Cardinals crammed on that bus were apparently grappling with a changing Church. The old guard, mostly from Europe, faces pressure from fast-growing Catholic communities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The hustle and bustle of an offsite discussion hints at just how nervous and energized the papal race has become. And while there’s still no substitute for the locked-door secrecy of the Sistine Chapel, this episode signals change—even in the Vatican, old habits can get bumped off course.

Meet the New Three: Who's on the Fast Track to the Papacy?

Out of these bus-side whispers and larger talks, three cardinals are suddenly getting all the buzz as potential popes. None fits the stodgy, distant stereotype. One is known for fighting corruption head-on—think public showdowns with mafia figures and refusing to look away when scandals explode. Another cut his teeth working with refugees and the urban poor, taking the kind of hands-on approach that Pope Francis made famous. The third, a technology-savvy mind from Africa, is passionate about connecting young Catholics online and drawing in a generation glued to their screens.

Each carries a set of challenges for traditionalists. The corruption-fighter ruffled enough feathers with his outspoken style that older Vatican officials reportedly worry about his bruising approach. The advocate for the poor sometimes lands in hot water for arguing about Church property being sold to fund charities. The African cardinal’s openness to modern technology thrills younger priests but has some bishops shaking their heads, muttering about lost dignity. None of these cardinals is a household name outside Catholic circles—at least, not yet.

The Church’s center of gravity is shifting southward, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Vatican insiders are openly discussing candidates from beyond Rome. If anything, this detailed scrutiny on a handful of non-European cardinals points to a deeper search for relevance as Catholic communities expand outside the West.

All these talks, whether whispered on a city bus or in vaulted marble halls, show that the process for choosing the next Pope is anything but smooth and predictable. This year, the world’s oldest voting club seems ready to break habits—and maybe make history in the process.