From the Herald.
The short answer is yes. Cardinal John Dew will be the only New Zealander involved in helping to choose the new pope.
Formerly the Archbishop of Wellington between 2005 and 2023, Dew has been a cardinal since 2015 when he was appointed to the position by Pope Francis.
Dew will be heading to the Vatican in the next few days where he will attend the funeral and take part in the conclave.
Only cardinals under the age of 80 are allowed to take part in the conclave. Dew is 76.
There are 252 cardinals, of whom 135 are eligible to vote to elect a new pope.
Herald article ends and I add this.
Cardinal John Dew is also eligible to be chosen by his Cardinal peers in the conclave as the next Pope.
How do I, a non Catholic, know this with such certainty?
John has been one of our best friends for over 60 years in my case and over 58 years in mrspdm’s case. In fact on my first date with mrspdm in December 1967 John was with us as partner to one of my work mates being the young lady who organised our date and later our Bridesmaid. Strange coincidence maybe with John Dew now a Cardinal and the other lady a spinster (an awful word for a good friend).
I can guarantee readers both Catholic and Non Catholic that Cardinal John Dew would be an excellent choice as Pope. In fact he would be a revelation given what I have seen of recent Popes – especially as far as physical fitness is concerned. We walked from Wellington Railway station to a restaurant on the Waterfront with him a couple of years ago and he set a cracking pace – to the extent I had to tell him to slow down.
Cardinal John Dew is also a man of the highest integrity and would be completely devoted to his elevated status just as he has always been from the time he joined the priesthood.
In February last year we spent a couple of hours with him at his sister and brother in law’s home in Havelock North and it was then he gave us a broad run down on what would happen if Pope Francis should die. Modesty probably stopped him from elaborating on his chances but we assured him we would be cheering him on.
It would perhaps be inappropriate to comment further at this stage and I guess our fairly loose contact with would almost come to a complete stop were he chosen, because of his immense workload but, we know he will never forget his friends.
When he was appointed as a Cardinal in 2015 I sent him an email saying we would be cheering him on as the next Pope should Pope Francis die. Not sure if it is appropriate to do so but, in our minds and hearts mrspdm and I will be doing so when the Conclave meets.
No Minister 
Needless to say, not were thrilled with the (now deceased) Pope stances.
An open borders and WEF enthusiast, climate alarmist and jab advocate.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/04/he-will-have-account-crimes-he-has-committed/
Popcorn is waiting…
righto he’ll be St Francis according to our media then
Does he speak Italian? Usually that is a basic prerequisite of the job. All three foreign Popes since 1978 have been fluent.
I have a strong hunch that the conclave will revert back to Italians after a fifty year break.
He would certainly have a grasp of basic Italian Exiled but, I am not sure how fluent he would be.
Last time we met I asked him if when he flew to Rome to visit etc at the Vatican if he wore the appropriate regalia and was met at the airport and Limo’ed (sp) in. Hell no he said I wear jeans and get the train then presumably a taxi or he may even walk from the main train station to the Vatican.
He is a very straightforward man.
I will do a post in the next couple of days on a couple of personal experiences with him including a story he told us that happened in either Spain or Portugal 3 or 4 years ago.
Well, I suppose he was just as human as the rest of us…
https://www.spiked-online.com/2025/04/21/the-tragedy-of-pope-francis/
Isn’t it Africa’s “turn”, another “Black Pope” one certainty DEI is not yet on the agenda, ???
Where do trans sheilas fit in, can a trans become a priest???
Funny you should mention that.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Joan
But my money is on a black pope one day as demographically the conclave is moving that way.
I’m not Roman Catholic, but if I had to pick any of the Cardinals to be Pope it would be Robert Sarah of Guinea (and not cos he iz black, neither). He’s a badarse.
I am tempted to forward this to Cardinal John Dew who is on a plane headed to the Funeral and Conclave as I type.
He would enjoy your reasoning.
I doubt he would. Good guy in person he may be, given your long friendship with him, but several Catholics I know in the Wellington area felt none too kindly towards him during the Chinese Lung Rot scare as he basically caved to every wish of the State, usually with a degree of smug certainty.
When those Catholics attempted to start up private events within the church he gave them no help whatsoever, even in small things like advertising.
No, he strikes me as a Francis boy and will likely vote for someone just as “progressive”.