Cardinal Dew, aged 76, was appointed by Pope Francis in 2015 and retired as Archbishop of Wellington in 2023. He will be the third New Zealander to vote in a papal election, following Cardinals Reginald Delargey and Thomas Williams.
He described Pope Francis as humble and open. He emphasized the need for the next pope to be politically astute and to address disinformation, highlighting the importance of clear communication in today’s world.
“It seems that he had made up his mind that he would do all he could right till the very end, that was the kind of guy Pope Francis was,” Dew said.
He didn’t name who he would vote for but said he had a few candidates in mind, and ruled himself out of consideration for the post of Pope.
“I don’t think so, no. I think whoever is elected these days needs to be someone who can speak several languages, who is very politically astute as well, and I’m certainly not that, and has an ability to really get alongside people from all around the world,” he said.He recalled an encounter with Pope Francis during a visit to the Vatican shortly after the Kaikōura Earthquake in 2016. He was struck by the Pope’s compassion when he asked about those affected by the disaster.“It will be an honour to be at Pope Francis’ funeral because he has, I believe, made a real mark on the world,” he said.
Who is Cardinal John Dew
Cardinal John Dew was born in Waipawa and studied for the priesthood in Christchurch. He was ordained in 1976 and served as assistant priest at St Joseph’s Parish in Upper Hutt until 1979.
He became a bishop in 1995, with his consecration held at Wellington Town Hall. In 2004, Pope John Paul II appointed him Archbishop of Wellington. Pope Francis named him a cardinal in 2015, making him only the fourth New Zealander to receive the title.
Dew was active in addressing abuse within the Church. In 2021, he publicly apologised to victims, acknowledging the harm and trauma caused. He reiterated this at the Royal Commission of Inquiry in 2022, calling abuse “unacceptable and indefensible.”
In 2023, Pope Francis accepted Dew’s resignation upon his 75th birthday. That same year, Dew faced a historical abuse allegation from the 1970s, which he strongly denied. Police found insufficient evidence to lay charges.
He also served as president of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
The Conclave
While there are more than 250 cardinals across over 90 countries, only 135 are eligible to vote for the next Pope, as those aged over 80 are excluded from the conclave.
Pope Francis appointed around 110 of these voting cardinals during his papacy. Among them, 53 are from Europe, 20 from North America, 23 from Asia, 18 from Africa, 17 from South America, and four from Oceania, including Cardinal John Dew from New Zealand.
The conclave is held in the Sistine Chapel, where cardinals are bound by strict secrecy. They take a solemn oath not to reveal any details of the voting process, with excommunication as the consequence for breaking it.
Voting takes place twice each morning and afternoon. A candidate must receive a two-thirds majority to be elected. After each voting session, ballots are burned in a stove. Black smoke signals no decision has been reached; white smoke indicates a new pope has been chosen. When that happens, the bells of St Peter’s Basilica will ring to confirm the result.
The upcoming conclave includes several potential successors to Pope Francis. Candidates include Cardinal Pietro Parolin of Italy, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines, Cardinal Peter Erdo of Hungary, and Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Italy. These individuals represent a range of theological perspectives and geographical backgrounds.
New Zealand’s Catholic community, numbering over 400,000, is closely watching the proceedings. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will also attend Pope Francis’ funeral, underscoring the significance of the event for the nation.
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