YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon – As cardinals prepare to meet in a conclave at the Vatican to elect a new pope, Catholic bishops in Cameroon and around Africa have been voicing their opinions about the kind of leader they would love to see elected to replace Pope Francis.

“Following the death of a pope, the process unfolds in three key stages. First, after the funeral, the cardinals gather to assess the current challenges facing the Church. This initial discussion helps them define the qualities necessary for the next pope — someone who can effectively address these challenges,” said Bishop Philipe Allain Mbarga of Ebolowa.

“Next comes the discernment phase, where they reflect on potential candidates who embody these qualities. Finally, the election takes place, marking the transition to new leadership. Throughout this journey, deep reflection and prayer guide their decisions, ensuring a choice rooted in faith and wisdom,” he explained.

While Francis’s legacy as a promoter of peace and justice, a warrior for environmental stewardship, and a crusader for an inclusive Church certainly resonates with clerics across Africa, many balk at defining the kind of pontiff who should be elected when the conclave begins meeting on May 7, except by noting that the new Pope should be like Christ himself.

“I don’t want a Pope like Francis,” Mbarga told Crux.

“I want a Pope who thinks and acts like Christ, and we pray that God gives us a good pope – a pope who can help us to go in heaven,” he said.

Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya of Bamenda said the bishops of Cameroon were “united in prayer” for the cardinal electors who are in conclave to elect a new pope.

“It is always the Holy Spirit who guides the Cardinals in choosing a Pope. We pray that they will choose a Pope who will lead the Church according to the heart of Christ,” he told Crux.

In an interview with Catholic news organization, EWTN, Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria, 92, said the Church needs “a pope who is full of fire for the kingdom of Christ.”

“We want a pope who is full of fire for the kingdom of Christ,” Arinze said.

“A pope who is there spreading the Gospel. … A pope through whom people will believe,” he added.

The cardinal said the biggest challenge for the Church is to convince people to accept Christ and live according to his teaching and example, and therefore any pope should be capable of fulfilling that mission.

The Church leaders on the continent are also downplaying the rising calls for an African pope, with journalists citing names like Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson of Ghana as potential successors to Pope Francis.

“In the Church we don’t function in terms of prognostics,” Mbarga told Crux. To drill home that point, he recalled the case of Pope John II, who had been Archbishop of Kraków, Poland, when he was elected.

“When he left for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he said, ‘I’ll be back next week… I’ll be back in a month.’ But he never returned,” he said.

“A similar story unfolded with Pope Francis, who was the Archbishop of Buenos Aires before leaving his post. While many predictions favored other candidates, the Holy Spirit often leads us in unexpected directions. And I firmly believe in the guidance of the Holy Spirit,” Mbarga told Crux.

Human predictions, he said, do not always align with God’s vision.

“What we seek is a Pope after God’s own heart—one who lives by the Gospel and inspires others to do the same. We long for a Pope who embodies the teachings of Jesus, not merely the legacy of Francis,” the bishop said.

Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of the Diocese of Tombura-Yambio in  South Sudan voiced similar sentiments, telling Crux that he hopes for a pope “who continues the path of inclusiveness, humility, and missionary zeal.”

“The Church needs a shepherd who can listen deeply, unite the faithful globally, and continue to bring the Church to the margins, as Francis did. Each Pope brings his unique gifts, and that diversity is a blessing,” he said.

Asked if he thought it was time for an African to be elected pope, the South Sudanese bishop said the will of God should prevail.

“If it is God’s will, then yes,” he said.

“Africa is vibrant in faith and youthful in spirit. A Pope from Africa could bring fresh perspectives rooted in the realities of the Global South. But ultimately, we trust the Holy Spirit to guide the Church in choosing the shepherd we need now,” Kussala said.