Former Sen. Rick Santorum, in Italy this week as the College of Cardinals prepares to enter its conclave to pick Pope Francis' successor, tells Newsmax that he is not sure if someone more conservative will be picked, or at least someone who will "calm things down a little bit."
"That doesn't necessarily mean conservative," the Pennsylvania Republican, speaking to Newsmax's Rob Astorino in Rome, commented. "It could mean someone who's sort of philosophically where Francis was, but not as off the cuff."
Santorum, in an interview shown on Newsmax's "Sunday Agenda," said he wants to see a Pope who is more orthodox, and potentially an older Pope who would have a shorter pontificate and remain more stable and, in his mind, that would be African Cardinal Robert Sarah.
Pope Francis, he added, had been seen as a pontiff who brought confusion to the church, which should not happen.
"Confusion is bad," said Santorum. "A Pope should not be creating confusion, and he shouldn't be creating conflict within the church."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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