You, overseeing priests from Vatican, is only Korean who can vote in conclave without front-runner
In the coming days, cardinals under the age of 80 will assemble at the Vatican in Rome to elect a new leader of the Catholic Church to follow the late Pope Francis. Some say a South Korean cardinal has a shot, though much slimmer than other contenders.
Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, the former bishop of Daejeon who was appointed the Vatican’s prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy in 2021, is one of the 135 cardinals who can vote in the papal election, set to take place between 15 and 20 days after Francis’ passing Monday.
The 74-year-old You, the only Korean with a ballot, has built a reputation as an insider since taking charge at the Vatican office responsible for the world’s 400,000 Catholic priests.
You accompanied Francis on his five-day visit to South Korea in August 2014, the first of several visits to Asia, which elevated his standing within the Catholic Church. You also speaks fluent Italian.
That You hails from Asia is seen as a plus. The region is increasingly seen as the future of the Catholic Church, alongside Africa. The two regions lead the world in the number of priests and are showing sustained growth, compared to declines in Europe and the Americas.
A local group of Catholic bishops reported in 2023 that South Korea had some 6 million Catholics, representing 11.3 percent of the total population, or the third largest after Protestants at 20 percent and Buddhists at 16 percent. About 50 percent of the people claimed to be nonreligious.
And that year alone saw some 51,300 new Catholics, a 24 percent on-year increase.
One Catholic official opined that the Church leadership under Francis, which saw a more diverse array of bishops following the pope’s welcoming pastoral approach, could have played a role in the rising number of new Catholics.
The official, speaking anonymously citing protocol, said of You’s chances at the papacy, “The conclave is an open contest and more so this year, which means nothing is really fixed.”
You also shares Francis’ long-standing commitment to advancing causes of the marginalized, from time to time speaking out on issues some deem politically sensitive.
On March 21, You made a rare public statement asking the South Korean Constitutional Court for a speedy decision on the removal or reinstatement of then-President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached by parliament for his martial law declaration on Dec. 3.
“Out of utmost urgency, I implore the court,” You said. “There is no reason to prolong making a ruling if we heed our innermost voices of justice and conscience.”
“Pope Francis said there is no neutrality in pain. Likewise, there is no neutrality in justice. Let the Constitution speak for itself,” You added.
The statement was made in response to calls from many in and outside South Korea concerned about the turmoil facing the country, according to You.
siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com
