Cuban Cardinal Juan García Rodríguez, Archbishop of Havana, is one of the 133 members of the College of Cardinals who, starting tomorrow, May 7, will vote to elect the next pope.
In an interview with National Catholic Reporter (NCR), the cardinal, already in the Vatican, stated that the mood in the pre-conclave congregations is shaped by Pope Francis’s legacy and a shared desire for unity.
The outlet reported that García Rodríguez emphasized that these congregations are not marked by political or regional maneuvering but by a spiritual current.
There is a desire to grow what Pope Francis left as his legacy—with his life, his words, his example,” García told *NCR*, underscoring the cardinals’ commitment to following the synodal path championed by the pontiff.
According to the report, 12 years after the conclave that elected Francis, Latin American voices continue to resonate in the Catholic Church’s deliberations at the Vatican.
Cuban Cardinal Juan García on the upcoming conclave
For the Archbishop of Havana, who was named a cardinal by Pope Francis, there are no planned strategies or names whispered in corners during the pre-conclave meetings.
“The conclave and the general congregations are acts of faith,” he said, adding, “We believe the Holy Spirit is there.”
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In his remarks to NCR, the Cuban cardinal spoke about the present and future of the Church, rooted in synodality—a concept introduced by Francis that, for García, is nothing more than a return to the origins of the Gospel.
According to NCR, synodality is defined as “the Church’s new inclusive way of walking together and sharing ecclesiastical power between lay Catholics and the clergy.”
The Cuban cardinal stressed that, for him, “there is a general desire for unity, a desire to preserve Pope Francis’s legacy, to maintain synodality.”
Along those lines, he added that he sensed a collective desire among the cardinals to continue what Pope Francis sowed during his pontificate.
“A desire to go to our neighbor, who is ultimately Christ, a desire for peace—so needed in the world,” he said.
The Archbishop of Havana noted that, for him, faith means trusting that the Spirit will speak in the upcoming conclave, despite differences in language, experiences, or pastoral priorities.
“There may be many bets”
García is staying with the Jesuits of St. Ignatius of Loyola in Rome, a community that over the past 30 years has sent numerous lay volunteers and missionaries to support impoverished Catholic communities in Cuba, NCR highlighted.
Outside the morning sessions of the pre-conclave general congregations, held daily from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., García remains at St. Ignatius. There, the Cuban cardinal celebrates Mass in the afternoons and hears confessions.
“Among those cardinals, there are holy men, missionary men, charitable men, men who have lived or are living their faith fully,” García said.
“There may be many bets, there may be many opinions, but it is an act of faith in which the Holy Spirit manifests Himself,” he added.
Are there pacts to elect the pope?
When asked whether Latin American cardinals would vote as a bloc, he denied the existence of pacts or alliances. According to him, their conversations have not revolved around specific names or regional interests.
For him, the essential thing is the process, guided by prayer, dialogue, and an open attitude.
“There in the conclave, with prayer and conversation—well, with the light of the Holy Spirit—it will come. The one already chosen by God,” García said.
What the next pope should be like, according to the Cuban cardinal
When asked what the next pope should be like, García responded candidly:
“A mystical man, a missionary, a man of charity, a synodal man, a synodal successor, with affection for people—because all over the world, we all need affection.”
That affection, he explained, goes beyond mere gestures; it represents the core of Christian witness.
“When the pope shakes a hand, lifts children onto the popemobile, writes to those who suffer, or washes the feet of prisoners, he is expressing affection. That is what Jesus Christ did,” he said.
“I have candidates in mind”
Though he acknowledged that the world today is wounded and divided, García remains hopeful.
He believes that despite differences, there is a deep longing for unity among the cardinals.
“There is a common current, a common path. It’s not exact, it’s not uniform, but what is common—and the desire is—that we all move forward,” he said.
Even as analysts and observers circulate names of possible papal candidates, García stressed that he, like many of his Latin American peers, focuses less on individual figures and more on spiritual preparation.
“I have candidates in mind,” he admitted. “But in the conclave, through prayer and dialogue, with the illumination of the Holy Spirit, God’s chosen one will be revealed,” he concluded.
A Cuban cardinal in the election of the next pope
Tomorrow, Cuban Cardinal Juan de la Caridad García Rodríguez (76) will enter the Sistine Chapel as one of the 133 members of the College of Cardinals who will vote to elect the next pope.
García is the only Cuban in the conclave and will participate after being proclaimed a cardinal on October 5, 2019, by Pope Francis himself.
Currently, he is a member of the Permanent Committee of the Cuban Bishops’ Conference and president of the National Commission for Mission and Family.
His pastoral vision aligns with the principles that defined Francis’s pontificate, which left as its legacy a more human, inclusive Church committed to the social reality of its followers.
