What could decide the election of the next pope? | Religion

Cardinals of the Catholic Church are gathering in Rome to elect the next pope.

Whether a moderniser or conservative wins, big challenges await – both within the church and on the global political stage.

So what are they?

And what could be the future direction of the church?

Presenter:

Folly Bah Thibault

Guests:

Gerard O’Connell – Vatican correspondent for America magazine and author of The Election of Pope Francis: An Inside Account of the Conclave that Changed History

Michel Mondengele – Country director for Sierra Leone and Liberia for the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development

Stan Chu Ilo – Research professor of world Catholicism at DePaul University and president of the Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network