Cardinal John Njue Not Invited to Papal Conclave in Vatican City

As the Catholic Church prepares to elect a successor to the late Pope Francis in the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday, questions are emerging over the composition of the electoral body, particularly the exclusion of Kenya’s retired Cardinal John Njue.

Cardinal Njue, the sole surviving Kenyan cardinal, confirmed on Monday that he had not received the official invitation required to participate in the conclave, dispelling earlier speculation that health concerns were the reason for his absence. Speaking to local media, he stated explicitly, "Those who go there for the election are usually sent official invites, and that has not happened on my part. The fact is that I have not been invited." 

While Njue participated in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis, he retired from his position as Archbishop of Nairobi in January 2021, after Pope Francis accepted his resignation. He has refrained from providing a definitive explanation for his exclusion, noting the decision remained unclear. The election process begins with 133 cardinals confirmed to participate, exceeding the traditional limit of 120 electors established by Pope Paul VI in 1975. 

This deviation is not unprecedented; previous popes have occasionally expanded the College of Cardinals beyond the designated limit. In 1969, the College reached 134 electors, and similar adjustments have occurred in more recent years. The conclave, governed by strict rules of secrecy, mandates a two-thirds majority for the election of a new pope. The process is expected to last between two and four days, with the possibility of extension should consensus prove elusive.

Born in Embu, Kenya, in 1946, Cardinal Njue’s career within the Catholic Church has been extensive. Ordained in 1973, he pursued advanced studies, earning doctorates in theology and philosophy from the Pontifical Urbaniana University and the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. He later served as a philosophy professor and dean of students at St Augustine Senior Seminary in Bungoma. Njue also held leadership positions within Kenya’s Catholic hierarchy, chairing commissions focused on seminary education, justice, and peace. 

From 2006 to 2015, he served as president of the Kenya Episcopal Conference, an influential body overseeing Catholic affairs in the country. The Vatican’s criteria for conclave participation have raised questions about the role of retired cardinals in papal elections. While age and health have influenced participation in the past, Njue’s exclusion appears to be based on procedural decisions. 

Njue’s non-participation may mark a transition for Kenya’s Catholic community. Although he remains a respected figure, the country awaits future papal appointments to determine whether another Kenyan cardinal will attain a position of influence within the Vatican.

The conclave, a solemn and ritualized process steeped in centuries of tradition, will proceed within the confines of the Sistine Chapel. The eyes of the global Catholic community remain focused on Vatican City, where the election of the next pope will shape the future of the Church.