Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg, attended Mass in honor of Pope Francis' pontificate celebrated by Cardinal Aveline at the Church of St. Louis of the French in Rome on April 24, 2025. Afterwards, he took the time to answer questions from journalists, including I.MEDIA.
The cardinal from Luxembourg, the general relator of the Synod on Synodality who was close to Francis, talks about the conclave and the future of the Church.
On the eve of the Pope's funeral and with the conclave approaching, this central figure in Francis' pontificate outlined his thoughts on the future pope (slightly edited for brevity). He confirmed that the conclave could begin on May 5 or 6.
An unexpected situation
How have you been feeling these past few days?
Cardinal Hollerich: On Easter Monday, I celebrated Mass at a prison in Luxembourg. Since we don't have phones in prison, one of the guards told us the news. I didn't know if it was true. When I got out of prison, our communications officer was waiting for me. That's when I knew it was true. I was able to catch a flight that evening to come to Rome.
I felt great sadness when I said goodbye to Pope Francis. He was like a father to me. I had been lucky enough to see him just two weeks earlier, at his residence in St. Martha's, when he returned from the hospital. He looked very frail. But I never thought that the Lord would take him into his arms so soon.
Do you feel an overwhelming burden on your shoulders?
Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich: Yes, we need the faithful because we are electing the future pope. We cannot do this without being truly supported and commissioned by the faithful.
Meetings with other cardinals have begun
What is the atmosphere like at the general congregations that began this week?
Cardinal Hollerich: We’re all responsible adults. We know that we must talk to each other and listen to each other, for the greater good of the Church, of the “holy People of God,” and for our own good.
Are you still at the stage of procedural discussions, or have you started to discuss deeper issues?
Cardinal Hollerich: Yes, we have begun. I cannot say what about. There were already 113 cardinals [on Thursday, April 24, editor's note]. The number of cardinals who aren’t Italian or Roman is increasing, so the atmosphere is also changing a little.
Is it already time to take stock of Francis' pontificate?
Cardinal Hollerich: Everyone is saying what they want to say. And we’re listening carefully.
Are things taking shape?
Cardinal Hollerich: We'll have to wait longer to see!
The profile of the next pope
Do you have a profile of the pope you’d like to see for the Church today?
Cardinal Hollerich: I do! But we'll have to see if it matches the profile that others have in mind.
What is that profile?
Cardinal Hollerich: To continue what Pope Francis has begun, that is, giving priority to the poor and committing to an integral ecology centered on people. [...] Synodality must also be pursued. We submitted a text to the pope for the post-synodal period to update the Synod [which concluded last October in Rome]. He signed this text from the hospital. For me, it’s a bit like Francis' testament that we must carry forward.
Do you think the Church is divided?
Cardinal Hollerich: There are certainly very different visions, but that doesn’t mean “divided.” We’re in deeper communion than the opinions that divide us.
Can these divisions be overcome?
Cardinal Hollerich: I hope so! In fact, that’s what we did at the Synod. We avoided bad radicalism while keeping the radicalism of the Gospel. It would be good to do the same and find common ground where we can walk together. Being conservative or progressive isn’t important. What’s important is to have faith in the living Christ, to be able to share it with our brothers and sisters, and to walk together listening to the Spirit.
Do you have enough time to achieve this?
Cardinal Hollerich: We have time.
The upcoming conclave
Is there a timetable for the start of the conclave?
Cardinal Hollerich: We don't know yet when the conclave will begin, but we can see it more or less, if we look at the nine days [of mourning to be observed after the pope's funeral on April 26, editor's note].
Can we already say it will be May 5 or 6?
Cardinal Hollerich: Probably, I think so, seeing that by then the nine days of mourning will be over.
Will it be a long conclave?
Cardinal Hollerich: I'll leave that to the Holy Spirit to decide! I'm not the Holy Spirit!
How do you feel about the weeks ahead?
Cardinal Hollerich: I’m a little apprehensive, because I feel very small. We have to make decisions for the whole Church, so we really need to pray for ourselves, that we may be attentive to the Holy Spirit. But I also move forward with great hope, knowing that [...] the Holy Spirit never abandons his Church and that Christ is alive. He is risen and is among us. That is what we can be sure of.
How the world situation affects the conclave
Will the current context play a role in the election? Times are particularly hard...
Cardinal Hollerich: I think about young people. In our European countries, they’ll be poorer in the future than they are now. We’ve always lived in a world that [trended toward] the better. They’ll have the opposite.
With the threat of war, which has never existed in my personal history, there are rapid changes. We’re at the very beginning of artificial intelligence. This will turn the world upside down. The world they’ll see when they’re my age and when I’m resting in the crypt in Luxembourg will be very different from the world of today.
So the next pope will be the leader of Catholics in a tougher world?
Cardinal Hollerich: I think so. But the Church can bring something to this world. The Gospel, words of peace and hope. People need words of hope. And who else can give it to them? A materialist cannot give words of hope.
In Pope Francis' legacy, what should be emphasized or downplayed?
Cardinal Hollerich: I’ve always admired Pope Francis. If the synodal approach continues, more attention will be paid to different cultures. We’ll have to find unity in diversity. Perhaps we also need to open up to the right, not just to the left.
For example, on liturgical issues?
Cardinal Hollerich: Yes, I have nothing against the Tridentine Mass if we don't think it's the only valid Mass and reject the Mass of Paul VI. That's not right!
There’s a kind of secularization that’s not only outside the Church, but also present within the Church. When we become so attached to external forms, I fear that we’ve lost some contact with the living God.
A Pope from the southern hemisphere?
In 2013, the cardinals went to South America to find a pope. Has the time come for Africa and Asia?
Cardinal Hollerich: Why not!
But it isn’t obvious?
Cardinal Hollerich: Rather than looking at a geographical region, we need to look at what skills and personality would be best today.
What would those qualities be? Should the pope be a unifier? A leader?
Cardinal Hollerich: A unifier, certainly. A pope is always a unifier, because Peter is the ministry of unity in the Church. You don't achieve unity in the Church by going backwards.
Do we need a pope who can help us digest Francis' pontificate?
Cardinal Hollerich: I've digested it!
But not everyone has!
Cardinal Hollerich: That's not necessarily the Pope's fault! You know the joke: when you hit someone on the head with a book, if it sounds hollow, it's not necessarily the book...
Desirable qualities for a future pope
What qualities should the future pope have?
Cardinal Hollerich: A simple man who can connect with people, who knows how to listen to people, both left and right. A pope who lives the Gospel, who represents the face of the Gospel, of Christ, to the whole world. That's hard to find. But I think God will also give the future pope the grace of state. I wish him all the best.
Is age an important criterion?
Cardinal Hollerich: Not too young, not too old.
Could it be you?
Cardinal Hollerich: No! I believe in the Holy Spirit, and I know my limits. The Holy Spirit won’t do anything foolish.
Today, observers are leaning toward a European... What do you think?
Cardinal Hollerich: It's mainly Europeans who say that. I don't think Africans, Americans, and Asian bishops say the same thing. I read an Asian publication today. It was clear: they say we need a pope from the young Churches.
Is speaking Italian an important criterion?
Cardinal Hollerich: The pope is the bishop of Rome. It would be good if the bishop could speak with these people. But languages can also be learned.
Could there be a psychological barrier to electing a European pope?
Cardinal Hollerich: I don't think so. It's really not a question of excluding continents or nations. It's really about finding the best person.
The importance of evangelization
Pope Francis had high hopes of visiting China. Is Asia the number one priority?
Cardinal Hollerich: It's either Asia or Africa. But as I said, we don't think in terms of priorities.
But in terms of evangelization, are these the priorities for the future?
Cardinal Hollerich: Yes, that's clear. We must evangelize. With the secularization we’re experiencing, we must once again dig deep into our inner selves, [...] dig deep into the hearts of men and women. Otherwise, religion becomes an ideology. That’s not why we are here.
Are the regions mentioned continents where Evangelicals are very present? Does that also matter?
Cardinal Hollerich: Yes, but I don't think we should get into political arguments now. From what I've heard from these young Churches, being a more synodal Church slows down the progress of evangelicals a little. Because we’re closer to the people.
We need to distinguish between hierarchy, the ordained priesthood, what the dogma says, and how we’ve experienced it sociologically in the Church, that is, as a pyramid. I think the time of pyramids is over. That was ancient Egypt. Now we have to be with the people.
Pope Francis’ legacy
Pope Francis has succeeded in decentralizing the Church...
Cardinal Hollerich: Yes, and I think it will continue. Because on certain issues, we have to give different answers in different cultures. On certain issues! Not on everything related to faith. We can't say, “We believe this in Germany but not in France.”
Pope Francis has been very cautious about the ordination of married men. Will this issue come up again?
Cardinal Hollerich: I think it will come up again because we’ll have a huge shortage of priests. Access to the sacraments must be the Church's priority. That's my personal opinion, which I may also change. Nothing I say is set in stone. That's what I think at the moment. Listening to my colleagues, who have other arguments and other experiences, I hope that I will also be able to change my opinions and positions.
When we look at the 108 cardinal electors appointed by Pope Francis, can we assume that the election will be ideologically predetermined?
Cardinal Hollerich: They’re very different. The pope has not appointed clones. They have very different positions on certain issues, which is normal.
Will the abuse crisis also be at the heart of the general congregations?
Cardinal Hollerich: I hope so. I hope it will be discussed because we need to be a Church where people feel that we want to be authentic, that we want to follow Jesus. To achieve this, there must be complete transparency in everything related to abuse.
And what about the financial reform of the Curia?
Cardinal Hollerich: It will certainly play a role, or at least it will be discussed.
A pope of peace who knows how to delegate
Will we need a pope who is a good administrator and manager?
Cardinal Hollerich: No, we need a pope who knows managers and knows who to ask for these services. We aren’t financiers. In my diocese, I have my economic council, which I listen to. They know more than I do. Otherwise, I wouldn't need them. To make decisions, I need competent people, both men and women.
Is the world in crisis a factor in choosing the next pope?
Cardinal Hollerich: I think it's necessary. Pope Francis was the pope of peace. We saw that he suffered greatly from the risks of war. It hurt him physically. After his hospitalization, when he visited St. Peter's Basilica, he wanted to be at the tomb of Pius X, who died on the eve of World War I ... Francis spoke of a third world war fought piecemeal. Unfortunately, we’ve seen that he was right.
We need a pope of peace, a pope who reminds us of what politics forgets. We need a moral authority that says something other than “buy weapons.” We can avoid war by being heavily armed. But we’ll never win peace with weapons. We need to change hearts.
