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I understand the impulse to speculate, strategize, and predict outcomes of the upcoming conclave. But we must resist the urge to reduce the sacred to mere realpolitik.
For months, the world watched closely as Pope Francis’s declining health raised questions not just of leadership succession, but the possible shifts in the role of the Catholic Church in global politics. The uncanny timing of that moment coincided with the global attention on Conclave, a film that has captivated audiences and stirred online discourse for its dramatized portrayal of Vatican politics.
Conclave, an Academy Award frontrunner, has earned critical praise for its lush production, intricate costume design, and highly stylized cinematography. Despite its aesthetic brilliance, the film has sparked controversy for its unflattering depiction of the inner workings of the College of Cardinals. (WATCH: How a crucial Filipino role in Conclave was switched to Mexican.)
Though papal political commentary has been a constant subculture of its own throughout the internet even before the film, with Catholic and secular commentators alike, the release of the Conclave have intensified, emboldened, and spread these discussions across social media with memes, threads, GIFs, video essays, and podcasts. Many viewers have noticed analogies between characters in the film and real-life politicians. There is a cardinal resembling strong conservative tendencies like Donald Trump, the pandering but ineffectual liberal cardinal resembling progressives, and charismatic ethnic candidates from more marginalized areas of the Catholic Church.
Life imitating art
In the wake of Pope Francis’s death, social media platforms are once again flooded with lists of “papabile” — those seen as potential candidates for the papacy which also resemble political lines drawn in the film. Traditionalists advocate for a return to European leadership, with names floated from Italy, Germany, and Hungary. Filipino Catholics, in particular, are hopeful for Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, who holds strong appeal among both local faithful and progressive factions of the global Catholic Church. Others rally behind candidates from Africa or South Asia, viewing them as symbols of a diversifying Church.
While these discussions may seem inevitable in our highly politicized digital age, they often miss the deeper spiritual dimension of the papacy. The polarizing political commentary surrounding the film overshadows the more poignant message within the film. The most controversial detail of the Church centers on the identity of Cardinal Benitez, a mysterious papal candidate who eventually becomes Pope by the film’s end.
Though he inspired his fellow cardinals with a heartfelt plea, many critics and Catholics have fixated on the queer biology of Benitez rather than his demonstrated emulation of Christ. These criticisms repeat the sin that the film seeks to condemn, ambition and accusation. In contrast to the depiction of the cardinals as godless, amoral and pragmatic, the film lauds and celebrates the quiet and unlikely. The last became the first.
Ultimately, the film questions whether the Conclave as an institution can recognize who God has qualified and make room for the will of God in its selection of Pope. Should we not make room for God when the actual conclave happens soon?
What does this mean for the faithful?
As a political analyst, I understand the impulse to speculate, strategize, and predict outcomes of the upcoming Conclave as any other electoral campaign.
The Pope, after all, holds wide influence across the globe. But as a person of faith, I believe we must resist the urge to reduce the sacred to mere realpolitik. The papacy is not a popularity contest, nor is the pope a mere ethnic mascot or elected politician. He is the Vicar of Christ. His selection, however mediated by human affairs, is ultimately an act of divine revelation.
The separation of the Church and State cuts both ways. Just as we ask the Church to keep doctrine out of politics, perhaps we, too, should keep politics out of doctrine.
Instead of projecting political expectations onto the Church, we might better spend this time reflecting on how Pope Francis challenged and disrupted conventional political categories like progressive and conservative, as one of my former teachers wrote. Though he was initially seen by many traditional Catholics as a dangerous progressive, he also maintained dogmatic lines on issues such as gender ideology, abortion, and divorce.
Most of all, he brought to light the Church’s compassionate dimensions — especially its outreach to the marginalized — not by distorting doctrine, but by emphasizing its pastoral heart. His papacy reminded us that the mission of the Church is not political but evangelical. Politics may be a tool, but it is not the goal. He is accountable to God, not to “Caesar.”
Perhaps what the Church — and the world — needs most is not a Pope that agrees with us politically, but one that facilitates a renewed openness to the mystery of God’s will. The legacy of Pope Francis should challenge us not to win debates or elections, but to return to the Gospel’s core message: mercy, justice, humility, and hope. – Rappler.com
Matthew Ordonez teaches university courses in political science, development studies and electives on cinema and politics. He is also a member of the Society of Filipino Film Reviewers.
