As the College of Cardinals prepares to convene to elect a new pope following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, the future leadership of the Roman Catholic Church is poised for change. During his 12-year papacy, Pope Francis reshaped the College of Cardinals. He shifted its leadership base away from its historic European roots. Under his tenure, Francis appointed cardinals from diverse regions across the world. He focused particularly on Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East-North Africa region.
Currently, 135 cardinals are under 80 years old. They are eligible to vote in the upcoming papal election. Let’s break down the current regional representation of these voting cardinals compared to the state of affairs when Francis became pope in 2013:
- Asia-Pacific: 18% (up from 10% in 2013)
- Sub-Saharan Africa: 12% (up from 8% in 2013)
- Latin America-Caribbean: 18% (up from 17% in 2013)
- Middle East-North Africa: 3% (up from 2% in 2013)
- Europe: 40% (down from 51% in 2013)
- North America: 10% (down from 12% in 2013)
POPE FRANCIS’ CARDINAL PICKS REFLECT GLOBAL SHIFTS
Pope Francis, the first-ever Latin American pope, made significant strides in diversifying the College of Cardinals. Despite these efforts, he still appointed more Europeans than any other regional group. Of the 108 cardinals he appointed, 38% are from Europe. 19% are from Latin America and the Caribbean. Another 19% are from the Asia-Pacific region. 12% are from sub-Saharan Africa. 7% are from North America. Only 4% are from the Middle East and North Africa.
In total, cardinals appointed by Francis make up 80% of the 135 voting members of the College of Cardinals. The rest of the voting cardinals were appointed by Pope Benedict XVI and St. John Paul II.
DISCREPANCIES IN REPRESENTATION COMPARED TO THE GLOBAL CATHOLIC POPULATION
Looking at the global Catholic population offers additional insight into the regional representation of voting cardinals. As of 2022, Europe accounted for only 21% of the global Catholic population, yet it has 40% of the voting cardinals, maintaining a significant overrepresentation.
In contrast, Latin America and the Caribbean, home to 41% of the global Catholic population in 2022, has only 18% of the voting cardinals, making it the most underrepresented region in the Church’s leadership despite Francis’ efforts.
PATH FORWARD: A GLOBALIZED CATHOLIC CHURCH
The upcoming papal election could signify a continuing shift toward more global representation in the Church’s leadership. Pope Francis’ appointments reflect the changing face of global Catholicism, and as the College of Cardinals moves forward, it remains to be seen whether this trend will continue in future selections.
