‘I was relieved that I wasn’t chosen pope’ – Mario Grech

Maltese Cardinal Mario Grech has expressed relief at not being elected pope, saying he “returned home a free man” after this month’s conclave.

Grech dismissed the assumption that all cardinals aspire to the papacy, calling it a misunderstanding of the role’s immense burdens.

And it is not just him, he said. Priests all around the world are increasingly shying away from positions of authority in the Church, and that one in every four priests chosen by the pope to become bishops are refusing the appointment.

Grech sat for his first extensive interview since the conclave in an episode of Times Talk filmed at the Vatican, which will be released in the coming days.

“Several people would tell me they’re praying for me, and I would say, ‘continue praying, but according to my intention, not yours’,” he said, giggling.

Someone told me before the conclave: In order to want to be pope, you must either be a martyr or crazy- Cardinal Mario Grech

American Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected pope on May 8, assuming the title of Pope Leo XIV, following the death of Pope Francis.

When asked whether it was a sigh of relief or not that he was not chosen to be pope, despite being named as a potential favourite, Grech said: “Yes, definitely. On Thursday evening I returned home a free man. I only realised after the conclave why the new pope takes a new name – because his old life is not his anymore.

“He is not his own man anymore. He cannot even go out for a coffee, or for a short walk. And those are just the little things. Someone told me before the conclave: the man who’ll become pope is risking losing sleep at night. In order to want that, you must either be a martyr – and I don’t feel I’m one – or crazy.”

Priests are refusing to be bishops

The feeling is not only among cardinals, he said. Priests are increasingly declining elevated positions of responsibility and authority within the Church, a stark contrast to how these appointments are often perceived as promotions outside its walls.

“They don’t want it because the burdens of authority in the Church are truly immense,” the Gozitan cardinal said.

“I am a member of the Dicastery for Bishops, formerly led by Prevost before he was elected pope, and I witness this firsthand. Our group of approximately 25 meets every two weeks. When a bishopric becomes vacant anywhere around the world, we receive dossiers from the local nuncio detailing three nominees.

“We review these files, rank the candidates by preference, and submit them to the pope for his final selection.

“Yet, it’s increasingly common for the chosen candidate to decline – roughly 25% refuse the appointment. One in every four priests chosen by the pope to be bishops are refusing.

“This starkly contrasts with how the world often perceives such roles: as a trophy or a promotion.”

One in every four priests chosen by the pope to be bishops are refusing- Cardinal Mario Grech

He argued that the pomp and ceremony often associated with popes and bishops distort the true nature of their appointments.

“I felt most authentically a bishop, not amidst elaborate ceremonies, throngs of people, or when formally attired, but in a quiet, hospital room. Visiting a dying father, I heard his son tell him I was there, and the father responded: ‘Look, my bishop’.”

“It wasn’t a matter of not wanting to be chosen, but rather, I reflected on Jesus’s question to the mother of Zebedee’s children: ‘Are they willing to drink from the chalice I will drink from?’”

In the biblical context, “drinking the cup” often symbolises suffering, tribulation, or even death, particularly referring to Jesus’ impending passion and crucifixion.

Grech said he held that story close to his heart during the conclave.

“I embarked on this journey with that unwavering conviction, uncertain of what the future held,” he said.

The conclave and conversations with Prevost

During the podcast, Grech described the atmosphere and the emotions inside the conclave, compared it to the film Conclave, and recalls at which point it became clear Prevost was the man for the job. He also recounts his last conversation with the American cardinal before he was chosen to be pope.

Grech also addressed some of the most pressing issues facing the Church and explained how he believes the new pope should deal with inner turbulence within the institution and the broader, political and violent conflicts around the world.

Millions staring at a chimney

The centuries-old, mammoth institution of the Catholic Church managed to hook the entire world to TV screens this month, as millions of people stared at a chimney beneath which 133 cardinals, among them Grech, were voting to choose the man who would head the church after Francis, who died last month.

After just two days and four ballots, white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel on the evening of May 8, signalling the election of a new pontiff.