Pope Francis may try to influence the electorate in the conclave, but no one can predict who will succeed him
It is a paradox of papal history that each pope can create as many cardinals as he likes, and yet no pope has ever been able to use that power to choose his own successor. As Pope Francis enters the autumn of his pontificate – and as he prepares to create 21 new cardinals in August – it may be worth reflecting on the reasons for this historical quirk and on whether or not it still applies.
