The Sistine Chapel where the 134 cardinals will gather on May 7 to elect a new pope.
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On May 7, unless one or the other, 134 cardinals will meet in the Sistine Chapel. It will not be a question of appointing the best cardinal but the best pope, to which the heavy task of guiding the people of God will be liable and directing the state of the Vatican. Names circulate: notably those of the Cardinaux Hollerich (Luxembourg), Tagle (Philippines), Zuppi (Italy), Aveline (France).
Swiss cardinals
Our country has two cardinals and both are voters: Kurt Koch (75), Lucernois, and Haut-Valaisan Emil Paul Tscherrig (78).
Former professor of theology, Cardinal Koch was bishop of the diocese of Basel from 1995 to 2010. Although central personality of the Catholic Church in Switzerland, he left the impression of a prelate less progressive than hoped, defending the rule of celibacy of the priests, which was not imposed before the XIe century, under Grégoire VII. He is president of the Pontifical Council for the promotion of the unity of Christians.
Cardinal Tscherrig represented the Vatican as an ambassador. Haut-Valaisan has thus acquired the experience of the Universal Church and is known for its simplicity.
According to an American investigation institute, Cardinal Koch is part of twenty-two papabile. We have undoubtedly forgotten that several Swiss bishops access the pontificate!
But they were not of Swiss origin. Thus Jules II, one of the most famous popes among the 266 Pontifes sovereigns, was bishop of Lausanne and the antipape Félix V, bishop of Geneva.
Our world is delivered to wars, civilian violence, insecurity and consumerism despite the constant denunciations of Pope Francis. Have we really heard his message?
The conclave, where reformists and conservatives will compete, could ultimately elect Pope Maximus A cardinal of a stable country like ours, land of welcoming, dialogue, practicing the art of compromise, where Catholic, Protestants, Muslims and Jewish intelligence coexist. So why not a pope from Switzerland?
François Berger, writer, publisher and lawyer
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