Pope Francis’ death leaves the College of Cardinals with a momentous decision. The international landscape has grown increasingly unstable in the last decade, with the era of post-Cold War peace rapidly unraveling amid resurgent authoritarianism. Chief among the threats is Communist China, whose global ambitions, systemic human rights abuses, and ideological hostility to individual rights and democracy demand a bold response from the Catholic Church for the sake of human dignity everywhere. The Supreme Pontiff, as a moral and spiritual force, cannot remain silent. The papacy must reclaim its role as a defender of justice by rallying the faithful and the world against the encroachments of totalitarian ideologies. 

Pope John Paul II provides the blueprint for such leadership. Elected in 1978, he confronted Soviet communism with unrelenting resolve, wielding his moral authority to help break down the Iron Curtain. His 1979 pilgrimage to Poland, where he celebrated Mass before millions, ignited the Solidarity movement, inspiring a generation to resist communist oppression. JPII’s message was unequivocal: communism was not merely a political system, but a moral evil that denied the God-given dignity of the human person. He forged alliances with leaders like Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, amplifying his impact and contributing to the Soviet Union’s eventual collapse. His courage stemmed from a deep conviction that the Church must speak truth to power, no matter the cost, and his legacy is a testament to the papacy’s potential to shape history when guided by moral clarity. 

Contrast this with Pope Francis’ approach to Communist China. In 2018, the Vatican signed a secretive agreement with Beijing, ostensibly to unify the state-controlled Chinese Catholic Church with the underground Catholic Church. Recently renewed, the deal granted the Chinese Communist Party significant control over bishop appointments, effectively compromising the Church’s autonomy. Underground Catholics, who risk imprisonment for their faith, feel abandoned. Far from easing persecution, the agreement has emboldened the CCP to intensify its crackdown on religious communities, with crosses torn down, churches demolished, and priests detained. The Vatican’s reticence to publicly challenge China’s actions undermines its credibility as a defender of the oppressed. 

Nowhere is this silence more glaring than on the genocide of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. Over a million Uyghurs have been detained in concentration camps, subjected to forced labor, mass surveillance, sterilization, and cultural erasure, all acts that meet the United Nations’ definition of genocide. Pope Francis made only fleeting, vague references to the Uyghurs’ plight, avoiding any public condemnation of Beijing. This reluctance stands in stark contrast to the Church’s historical role as a voice for the voiceless. The Vatican’s muted response risks signaling complicity, alienating not only Catholics, but also global advocates for human rights who look to the Church for moral leadership. The Church should denounce these atrocities unequivocally, calling for international action and galvanizing pressure on the CCP. 

Pope Francis’ ambiguity extended to other global crises. His statements on Ukraine have often been frustratingly equivocal, stopping short of naming Vladimir Putin as the aggressor. In a 2022 interview, he suggested that NATO’s eastward expansion “perhaps provoked” Russia, echoing Kremlin propaganda and obscuring the moral reality of an unprovoked invasion. When discussing the war in Gaza, he questioned whether Israel’s self-defensive operation constituted a genocide, a harmful and inaccurate accusation. This hesitancy clashes with Catholic Just War Doctrine, which permits defensive wars to protect innocent lives and restore justice. His repeated calls for peace, while well-meaning, lack the moral precision and clarity needed to confront aggressors, risking the perception that the Church is indifferent to the distinction between aggressors and victims.  

The next Pope must reject such ambiguity and instead follow the example of Pope John Paul II’s confrontational approach to the Soviet Union. Like the USSR, the CCP’s ideology, rooted in atheistic materialism, is fundamentally incompatible with the Gospel’s affirmation of human dignity and freedom. By speaking out against China’s abuses, like its genocide in Xinjiang and persecution of Christians and other believers, the next Pope must rally global opinion, just as JPII’s defiance inspired anti-communist movements. This is not a matter of political partisanship, but of defending universal truths that the Church is uniquely called to proclaim. The papacy’s global platform, amplified by its moral authority, can shine a light on the CCP’s crimes and mobilize civil society to demand accountability. 

Moreover, the next Pope must recognize the broader geopolitical stakes. If China succeeds at displacing the United States as the world’s hegemon, it will be colossal blow to religious liberty globally. Critics argue that a confrontational stance risks antagonizing China’s government or endangering Chinese Catholics, but the Vatican’s current approach has already failed to protect the faithful. Playing nice has not curbed persecution; it has emboldened the CCP to further erode religious liberty. From debt-trap diplomacy in Africa and Latin America to propaganda campaigns elsewhere, China has only taken advantage of the conciliatory attitude held by the West for much of the early 21^st century. 

A Pope who speaks truth to power would inspire courage among the oppressed, reminding them that the Church stands with them. Silence, conversely, breeds despair and emboldens tyrants. There is also a spiritual dimension to this struggle. Communism’s worldview denies the transcendent, reducing humanity to mere cogs in a machine. In an age of secularism and moral relativism, the Pope must reassert the Christian vision of the essential dignity of human persons as created in the image of God, a message that resonates with not only with Catholics but all who value freedom and dignity. 

The next Pope must be a Cold Warrior, not out of nostalgia, but necessity. The world is entering a dangerous new era, and the Church cannot afford to equivocate. It needs a leader who will confront the evils of our time with the same moral clarity that Pope John Paul II embodied. By denouncing China’s atrocities, supporting the oppressed, and rallying the world to defend freedom, the next Pope can ensure that the Church remains a beacon of hope in a darkening world. The long peace is fading, but the light of truth, wielded by a courageous pontiff, can still prevail over the darkness of tyranny.