FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Russ Petrus, Executive Director
russ@futurechurch.org, 216-228-0869 x 2

As cardinals gather in the Vatican to begin the papal conclave, FutureChurch urges those entrusted with the sacred task of electing the next pope to listen to the voices of the People of God and choose a shepherd who will embrace a vision of a more inclusive, listening, and Spirit-led Church and a more just world.

This conclave does not take place in a vacuum. It comes as Catholics communities around the globe are engaging with the call to synodality — a Church that listens, discerns, and moves in communion with one another and with the Holy Spirit. FutureChurch recognizes this moment as a pivotal opportunity to build on Pope Francis’s legacy of opening the entire Church to dialogue, accompaniment, and reform.

Moreover, in a world fractured by war, rising authoritarianism, climate change, and disregard for basic human rights, the Church has a gospel mandate to champion justice, peace, care for all creation, and human dignity. A new pope must unequivocally defend those whose lives are threatened and dignity denied—migrants, prisoners, workers, and all those suffering under systems of oppression.

“This conclave must be more than a change in leadership — it must also be a step forward in our collective journey toward a Church and world that more closely reflects the Kin-dom of God,” said Russ Petrus, Executive Director of FutureChurch.

FutureChurch calls on the next pope to:

• Promote a culture of synodality, where bishops, priests, religious, and laity truly discern together as equal members of the Body of Christ.
• Expand the role of women in both leadership and ministry, including ordination.
• Confront clericalism and ensure transparency and accountability.
• Embrace LGBTQ+ Catholics fully in the life of the Church.
• Prioritize human rights, ecological justice, economic equity, and global cooperation and peace in the spirit of Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti.

As the cardinal electors enter the Sistine Chapel and smoke rises above the Vatican in the days ahead, FutureChurch invites all to pray and hope that the conclave will bring forth a new pope who reflects the compassion, courage, and inclusive love of Christ: “Come, Holy Spirit, Come!”

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To foster prayer and hope at this time of transition, FutureChurch will make pre-recorded daily prayers available beginning Tuesday May 6th and each evening of the conclave until a new pope is elected. We invite your prayer intentions which will be included in our recordings. Visit https://futurechurch.org/praying-for-the-conclave/ to sign up to receive these videos or to offer your intentions.