This article was originally posted on The Washington Times by Emma Ayers.
Many conservative U.S. Catholics hope the papal conclave convening Wednesday will elect a successor to Pope Francis who is more focused on tradition and doctrine, church observers say.
As the successor to traditionalist Pope Benedict XVI in 2013, Francis embarked on a papacy that many characterized as reformist, with much attention given to social justice, inclusivity and ecumenism. Conservative Catholics, particularly those in the U.S., see the conclave as an opportunity to return the church to its roots and clarity, observers say.
“There was a deep sense that in Pope Benedict, they had an ally, particularly for the old Latin Mass,” Sarah Riccardi-Swartz, assistant professor of religion and anthropology at Northeastern University, told The Washington Times. “And with Pope Francis, that seemed to go away. That was a point of not just contention but real sorrow for a lot of traditionalists.”
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