Is an American Pope in the Future? There Is One U.S.-Born Candidate

Millions around the world are mourning the death of Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday. While many await news of the plans for the Pope’s formal memorial service, others are wondering who will succeed him and if the successor could possibly be American.

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, became the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State in 2013, a position he held until his death at age 88 on April 21, 2025.

In short, no, there has never been an American Pope. Although, the late Pope Francis was the first South American to hold the position. There are a few reasons why a person from the United States has yet to be named.

According to Catholic.com, church history and demographics are the two major factors why an American Pope has never been selected. Church history and demographics are two key reasons.

The majority of Catholic Church history has been centered in Western Europe, specifically in Rome, per the outlet. Additionally, Archbishop John McCloskey from New York became the first American cardinal in 1875 — if you are not a cardinal, the likelihood of being elected Pope is slim to none, and cardinals have been the selectors of the Pope since 1059.

There is only one American who has been mentioned as a long shot to be the future Pope, and that is Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York, according to North Jersey.com.

Dolan was appointed archbishop in 2009, and in 2012, he was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI, per the outlet. Dolan is known for defending the Catholic Church’s stance on both moral and social issues. is often seen in national media defending the Catholic Church’s positions on moral and social issues.

Per Newsweek, there are five men in the running to be the next Pope, although none of the front-runners are American. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, 67, of the Philippines, is considered to have the best odds of succeeding Pope Francis and continuing his progressive agenda. He was also a trusted member of Pope Francis’s inner circle, per the outlet.

Vatican Secretary of State, Italy’s Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70, is a highly experienced Vatican official, cited as a possible candidate due to his role in diplomatic affairs, such as intense negotiations with China and Middle Eastern governments.

Then there is Cardinal Peter Turkson, 76, from Ghana, who is the previous head of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. He has publicly voiced his stance on multiple world issues, including climate change, poverty and economic justice.

On the conservative end, Cardinal Peter Erdő, 72, of Hungary, is also in the running. He was the former head of the Council of European Bishops' Conferences and has stressed theological orthodoxy, as well as traditional Catholic values and teachings.

Lastly, Cardinal Angelo Scola, 82, has been a contender for the positions dating back to the 2013 selection process that named Pope Francis as the head of the Catholic Church. He is also the current Archbishop of Milan, per Newsweek.