George Weigel and "Issues" for the next papal conclave

Weigel opines that the issues will not be about abortion, homosexuality and ordination of women to the priesthood as the secularists and dissenters would have us believe. He states that there are at least three matters of global consequence are shaping the pre-conclave discussions among key cardinal-electors.

These are:
Collapsing Catholicism in Europe
Radical Islam
Biotechnology

In addition to these weighty questions, the next conclave will be shaped by dramatically altered expectations of the papacy. The world and the church no longer think of the pope as the CEO of Catholic Church Inc. Thanks to John Paul II, the world and the church now expect the pope to exercise a global ministry of religious presence and moral witness. At the same time, influential cardinal-electors believe that John Paul II has been more successful in articulating a robust, compassionate Catholic orthodoxy than in embedding that vision in the church's practice. Finding a man who can do both -- bring the church to the world in a compelling way, and reform the church's discipline -- is the great "personality" issue the cardinals must resolve.

Let us pray that our Lord grants our Holy Father many more years before we must see another conclave.