Bishop Barron offers overview of ‘papabile’ field

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 7, 2025 / 09:38 am

One of America’s best-known prelates, Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, has shared what he believes to be the qualities of some of the cardinals being mentioned as “papabile,” the Italian term for a man who could be pope.

In an interview with EWTN Vatican Correspondent Colm Flynn, Barron offered some quick takes both on several cardinals who are making headlines as well as some who are lesser known. He also noted that the final outcome could be a surprise, as was the case in 2013.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin

An Italian prelate who has served as the Vatican’s secretary of state since 2013, Barron said he thinks Parolin would be “a steady hand,” calling him an “ultimate Vatican insider.”

“He’s been the No. 2 man in the Vatican for all these years. Lots of experience around the world, plugged into a lot of different scenarios.” Barron said the “key thing” is that “the cardinals and bishops know him very well.”

Barron referred to Parolin as “a calm, steady presence” who is “not a flashy … charismatic figure.”

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle

Tagle from Manila in the Philippines is said to have strong similarities to Pope Francis. Barron called him a “charming” and “funny” man who has “charisma in great supply.”

“He’s an intelligent man but a very emotional man, too,” Barron said, adding that Tagle “would belong to the school that reads Vatican II more as a rupture than continuity” and would “probably lean further left than … the John Paul II model.”

Barron said if the cardinals are looking for “a change of direction” then “they might not go with him.”

Cardinal Robert Sarah

Guinean prelate Sarah is someone Barron has “admired for a long time,” calling him “a very spiritually alert man.”

Sarah is “someone that understands … the essential elements of the Church’s life,” Barron said. 

A potential drawback, according to Barron, could be his age. Sarah is “on the older side” at 78, but Barron recalled that “[Cardinal Joseph] Ratzinger was elected at 78.”

Cardinal Peter Turkson

Barron noted that the cardinal from Ghana has been a candidate in the last two conclaves and is “a substantial man” who has done “a lot of jobs” in Rome.

Barron said when he was with Turkson at a conference, he was impressed by his “simplicity and his goodness.”

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa

Barron called Pizzaballa an “impressive man” with “a strong spiritual foundation.”

“He’s been in Jerusalem all these years,” Barron said. “So he’s a man of the Holy Land, of the Scriptures.”

“He’s navigated some pretty choppy waters in the Middle East in getting people around the table and to talk to each other, showing a very deft hand,” Barron said. 

At age 60, however, Barron said Pizzaballa is on the younger side of the papabile spectrum, so “next time around he might be a better candidate.”

Cardinal Robert Prevost

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Barron said the drawback for Prevost, who is from Chicago, is that he is from the U.S. and Barron thinks “it’s very unlikely an American would be elected pope.”

However, Barron noted that as the prefect for the Dicastery for Bishops and the head of the Augustian order, Prevost is “in contact with bishops all over the world.”

“So,” Barron said, “he might be perceived as an American, but not too American.”

Cardinal Timothy Dolan 

Dolan from New York “intrigues” Barron because the cardinal was “talked about quite a bit 12 years ago.”

“He was someone we were all taking seriously,” Barron said. “So I’ve wondered at times: Why not this time?”

Barron said Dolan “has tons of virtues” and highlighted his ability to preach the faith in “a persuasive way” with his “big personality.”

Dolan is 75, which Barron said could be a potential drawback, but said “he’s a pretty vigorous 75 and … both Ratzinger and Bergoglio were older than that when they were elected.”

Cardinal Peter Erdo

Barron said Erdo from Hungary is “a very impressive figure” who is “respected across the European continent.”

“Even though the college has become much more internationalized,” Barron said, “still 54 of the electors are from Europe, and he’s someone that has a lot of support on the European continent.”

Barron highlighted Erdo is multilingual, has Roman experience, and is “about the right age.” He said: “I wouldn’t count Erdo out.”

Cardinal Anders Arborelius

Barron said the Swedish cardinal is “an impressive man” and “an academic,” highlighting that he is multilingual.

Barron said when he met Arborelius, he thought it was “too bad” he was not a cardinal yet, “because he’d make a great pope.” Now that Arborelius is a cardinal, Barron said: “I still feel the same way.”

First things first

In the interview, Barron criticized any “politicization” of the papal selection process, which reflects a “lack of proper prioritization.”

“I think to put the stress on the spiritual, on the evangelical, on the declaration of Jesus — that’s what matters,” the founder of Word on Fire emphasized. 

“The first thing I’d look for is a disciple, a believer in Jesus who has the capacity to proclaim the Resurrection in a compelling way,” he said. “That’s the pope’s job, to be a source of unity for the Church.”