Why a woman can’t replace

The Vatican confirmed Pope Francis’ death at age 88 early this morning, April 21. Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced the Pope passed away at 7:35 a.m., describing his life as one of dedication to the Church and the values of the Gospel, especially in support of the poor and marginalized. Tributes from global figures like King Charles III and JD Vance have poured in. The Catholic Church will now observe nine days of mourning, followed by the papal conclave, where the College of Cardinals will meet to elect a new Pope. This secretive process, which could last 15 to 20 days, involves cardinals voting up to four times a day until someone receives a two-thirds majority.

While anyone theoretically could be chosen as Pope, only ordained priests are eligible—and since women cannot become priests, they are excluded from consideration. The Catholic Church maintains this tradition based on the belief that Jesus chose only male apostles, and thus only men can carry on that ministry. Sociologist Michele Dillon notes that even progressive Popes stay aligned with this interpretation, including in matters of mass, where the physical presence of a male priest is seen as essential to represent Jesus during key rituals like the Eucharist.