Cardinal Robert Sarah – championed by conservatives as reflecting the doctrinaire and liturgically minded papacies of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI – is among those being considered to replace Pope Francis.

An African cardinal from Guinea, Sarah, 79, is viewed as a spiritual and theological standard-bearer for conservative Catholics, as critics of Francis have argued the late pope was too heavily influenced by modern secularism. 

Sarah previously headed the Vatican’s charity office Cor Unum and clashed with Francis on many occasions. 

Their ideological divide most seriously came to a head when Sarah and Benedict – who retired as acting pope in 2013 – co-authored a book titled “From the Depths of Our Hearts: Priesthood, Celibacy and the Crisis of the Catholic Church.” The 2020 book advocated the “necessity” of continued celibacy for Latin Rite priests and came out as Francis was weighing whether to allow married priests in the Amazon to address a priest shortage there. 

2. Gender ideology is ‘Luciferian’

Sarah argued that gender ideology is an affront to God’s creation and cannot fundamentally change whether a person is male or female in “The Day is Now Far Spent.” 

“Gender ideology is a Luciferian refusal to receive a sexual nature from God.”

3. Called mass migration a ‘new form of slavery’

In a March 2019 interview with the French publication “Valeurs Actuelles,” Sarah reportedly criticized the role of the Catholic Church in supporting mass migration policies in Europe, noting the harm caused to the migrants themselves. 

“All migrants who arrive in Europe are penniless, without work, without dignity,” Sarah reportedly said. “This is what the Church wants? The Church cannot cooperate with this new form of slavery that has become mass migration.”​

Newly appointed cardinal, Guinean Robert Sarah greets visitors during the traditionnal courtesy visit after the consistory on Nov. 20, 2010 at the Vatican. (ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

4. Calls modern distractions ‘the devil’s tool’

In “The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise,” Sarah argues that modern distractions separate humankind from God.

“Distraction is the devil’s tool for cutting man off from God.”

5. Calls Christians to refuse loyalty to ‘popularity or politics’

In “God or Nothing: A Conversation on Faith,” Sarah asserts that one’s loyalty must be to Christ – rather than to popularity or politics – and repeatedly argues against moral relativism in family and societal norms. 

“The Church is not a human organization. She is not subject to the fashions of the day or the winds of doctrine. She must be faithful to Christ.”

“God or nothing: there is no other choice. Those who choose God have everything. Those who choose nothing are lost.”

“If truth no longer exists, if everything is relative, then man becomes a slave to his passions.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.