Why Western Civilization Needs Jean-Claude Hollerich to Be the Next Pope

In an age when Western civilization stands at a crossroads, the Catholic Church must decide whether it will retreat into irrelevance or reclaim its place as a moral and cultural compass. The next papal conclave is not just a moment of internal spiritual discernment — it is a geopolitical turning point. And if the Church is to rise to meet the challenge of our time, there is no better candidate to lead it than Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg.

The Crisis of the West

Europe is under pressure like never before. Russia has launched a brutal war against Ukraine, attempting to reassert its imperial influence through fear and violence. The United States, once the bedrock of transatlantic unity, now flirts with isolationism and illiberalism, with figures like Donald Trump threatening to pull the plug on NATO and abandon Europe to its fate. China grows bolder in exporting its authoritarian model. Meanwhile, Europe itself — fragile, bureaucratic, fragmented — struggles to find its soul.

And amid this rising tide of uncertainty, the Catholic Church remains one of the few institutions with the moral weight, historical continuity, and cultural reach to help unify Europe under a shared vision. But under Pope Francis, the Church has too often looked away from Europe — and in moments like the war in Ukraine, even stumbled morally by failing to clearly denounce aggression.

The Church must return to Rome — not only geographically, but civilizationally. It must reforge its alliance with democratic Europe. It must once again stand as the conscience of the West.

A Liberal's Perspective: Finding Common Ground

As a liberal, I’ve often found myself at odds with institutional religion — especially when it has been used to justify exclusion or resist progress. But I’ve also come to recognize that the Church is not just a relic of the past; it’s a living moral tradition with deep cultural roots and global influence. In an era where liberal values like human rights, solidarity, and peace are under threat, we cannot afford to ignore allies simply because we don't agree on everything. The Catholic Church, with its unparalleled reach and spiritual authority, could be a powerful partner in defending the very values liberals cherish. That’s why I believe it’s time for a new kind of dialogue — one that doesn’t demand full agreement, but seeks shared ground. And for that, we need a pope who understands both worlds.

A History of Cooperation: Crown and Church

Throughout much of European history, the Catholic Church did not operate in a vacuum. It walked hand-in-hand with kings, emperors, and republics. From the moment Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor in 800 AD, there existed an implicit agreement: the spiritual authority of the Church and the temporal power of the crown would work together to stabilize and shape civilization.

In the medieval period, this partnership meant the spread of Christian values, literacy, and legal systems across Europe. During the Renaissance, the Church was a patron of science and art. Even during conflicts like the Investiture Controversy, the tension was not about whether Church and state should cooperate, but how.

In the modern era, particularly after the trauma of World War II, the Church helped support the emergence of Christian Democracy in Western Europe — a movement that embraced the dignity of the human person, social welfare, and European integration. Catholic thought was instrumental in shaping early European institutions, and many of the EU's founding fathers were devout Catholics.

This cooperation wasn’t always perfect, and at times it lapsed into opportunism or authoritarianism. But at its best, the Church was a guardian of conscience, helping states remember their moral purpose.

Why Hollerich?

Cardinal Hollerich is uniquely suited for this moment.

As a Jesuit, he shares Pope Francis’s pastoral sensitivity and global perspective. But as a European, he understands the cultural and political dynamics of the West — not as an outsider, but as someone deeply embedded in them. He currently serves as President of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), effectively acting as the Church’s voice in Brussels.

He is not just a theologian. He is a diplomat. A bridge-builder. A man who has spent years navigating the tension between Catholic doctrine and European democracy, and has emerged as someone who believes both can — and must — coexist.

The Strategic Case for a Pro-European Pope

The Catholic Church once helped unify Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. Today, it can do so again — not by imposing doctrine, but by offering moral clarity, cultural continuity, and spiritual depth in a world that feels increasingly fragmented.

If the Church re-aligns with the European project, it could:

• Re-engage millions of lapsed or indifferent Catholics who still share Catholic values.

• Offer a moral counterweight to authoritarian ideologies creeping into European politics.

• Strengthen Europe’s identity as not just a marketplace, but a civilization with a soul.

And in turn, Europe could give the Church a renewed home, a platform from which to influence global affairs — not as a relic of the past, but as a partner in building the future.

The Legacy of the Papacy Demands It

When the Church faced the Reformation, it chose strategic alliances with monarchies and empires to preserve its influence. Now, as the modern liberal order shakes, the Church must again choose its allies.

There is no realistic scenario in which the Church maintains relevance without standing by democratic Europe. And there is no better pope to lead that charge than Jean-Claude Hollerich — a man who speaks both the language of faith and the language of liberal civilization.

He is not the candidate of nostalgia. He is the candidate of integration — of Rome and Brussels, faith and reason, history and future.

Conclusion: The Time Is Now

The next conclave must not be blind to the world around it. The question is not simply who can lead the Church spiritually, but who can lead it strategically, morally, and civilizationally.

We don’t just need another pope.We need a Catholic statesman, a European visionary, a moral anchor in turbulent times.

We need Jean-Claude Hollerich.