[The following post by Ivette Romero is based on information gathered from The Haitian Times, CiberCuba, The Catholic World Report, El Grand Continent, and People.]
On Wednesday, May 7, 2025, the College of Cardinals will gather to elect Pope Francis’ successor in the private election known as the Conclave. Two Caribbean-based cardinals will enter the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, Rome, to participate in the sacred ritual of selecting the next pope. One is Cardinal Chibly Langlois, bishop of Les Cayes, and Haiti’s first and only cardinal. The second is the archbishop of Havana, Juan de la Caridad García Rodríguez, who represents the Church in Cuba at this historic moment for the Vatican.
As Juhakenson Blaise (The Haitian Times) reports, “Langlois, now 66, was appointed a cardinal by Pope Francis in February 2014. At the time, the announcement surprised many, as he was not an archbishop nor part of the Vatican’s Curia—two common prerequisites for the role. But Francis, known for reshaping the College of Cardinals to better reflect the global South, saw in Langlois a humble pastor grounded in a Church that ‘walks with the poor.’”
García Rodríguez, born on July 11, 1948, in Camagüey, is a prominent figure in the Catholic Church in Cuba. CiberCuba writes that “He was ordained a priest in 1972 and has held various roles, including archbishop of Camagüey and president of the Episcopal Conference of Cuba. In 2016, he was appointed archbishop of Havana by Pope Francis, and in 2019, he was made cardinal. His episcopal motto is ‘Go and proclaim the Gospel.’”
CiberCuba underlines that, although his election as Pope is unlikely, García Rodríguez is also listed among the “eligible cardinals [. . .] who could be considered to occupy the Throne of St. Peter.”
For full articles, see “After Pope Francis’ death, Haiti’s first cardinal helps choose his successor” (https://haitiantimes.com/2025/04/24/first-haitian-cardinal-joins-vatican-papal-conclave-chibly-langlois/) and “Cuban cardinal is in Rome as a member of the conclave to elect the new Pope” (https://en.cibercuba.com/noticias/2025-04-26-u1-e208933-s27061-nid301637-cardenal-cubano-encuentra-roma-miembro-conclave)
Also see https://people.com/conclave-pick-new-pope-will-be-short-predicts-cardinal-11727629 and https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2025/04/29/haitis-first-and-only-cardinal-set-to-vote-in-upcoming-conclave-to-elect-new-pope/#
Photo of Haitian Cardinal Chibly Langlois by Franco Origlia/Getty Images. Photo of Juan de la Caridad García Rodríguez by Grzegorz Galazka/SIPA; see https://legrandcontinent.eu/es/p/cardenal-juan-de-la-caridad-garcia-rodriguez/.]
[The following post by Ivette Romero is based on information gathered from The Haitian Times, CiberCuba, The Catholic World Report, El Grand Continent, and People.] On Wednesday, May 7, 2025, the College of Cardinals will gather to elect Pope Francis’ successor in the private election known as the Conclave. Two Caribbean-based cardinals will enter the
