Tom Zawistowski, president of the Ohio-based We the People Convention, said he is hoping for a deliberative, thoughtful process within the Catholic Church that results in bold leadership moving forward following the death of Pope Francis.
Francis, who was elected pope in March 2013 after Pope Benedict XVI made the decision to step down from the chair of Saint Peter, died on Monday at 88 years old.
Noting how Francis’ papacy often adopted a progressive tone, Zawistowski said he believes the next pope should be an unapologetic defender of Christian values, not a moderate or political figure.
“I do think they will tact back towards the center and bring someone who’s more moderate. But they don’t need someone more moderate. They need a leader. We are fighting Satan. I don’t care what your religious beliefs are, the evil we are fighting in this world is literally Satan. We need a pope who is a warrior to defeat Satan. So I don’t want some politician pope who is going to tack back to the middle and say the right things,” Zawistowski said on Monday’s edition of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show.
Zawistowski said he would prefer to see a figure comparable to John Paul II, whom he admired for his stance against communism and leadership.
“I want a firebrand like John Paul, who worked with Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher to bring down the Soviet Union and make Poland free again…That’s what I would like to see. I don’t know if the Catholic Church is up to that,” Zawistowski said.
While expressing concern that the Catholic Church may opt for a quick or politically expedient choice to succeed Francis’ papacy, Zawistowski said he would rather the process of electing the next pope be a “long debate.”
“I would rather have it be a long debate and not something fast, because then the fix to me would be in. I would like to see other people considered. I would like those voices to speak up about what the church should be doing, what the responsibility is. We’re never going to be free again if we don’t get back to our faith across the board,” Zawistowski said.
“We need leaders to take us there, and particularly in the Catholic Church. So I hope they work hard at it and long at it and pick a great pope,” he added.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
You mean to elect a Catholic Pope? Not some leftwing, affirmative action Jesuit apostate who kowtows to China and saves all of his bottomless reservoir of venom for Western civilization.
ARCHBISHOP CARLOS MARIA VIGARO IS THE KIND OF LEADER THE CATHOLIC CHURCH NEEDS.
HE IS NOT A CARDINAL ( but should be).
He would be a John Paul II type of Pope.
The Church ( in my opinion) still has the stain of pedophile & cover up to overcome. Pope Francis did not help with that. He blurred lines of faith traditions when he did not publicly excommunicated Joe Biden & Nancy Pelosi. Both promoted abortion & transing of children. He “gave blessing” on same sex marriage.
He shamed countries who would not open their borders & ” take care” of poor immigrants.
Even though no one can just walk in to Vatican City, without going to jail for 5 years.
He was not supportive of the Latin Mass. Very disappointing.
I just want the Catholic Church to select a Pope that follow God’s Word in all things spiritual and social. It would be great to get back to God’s principles.