Cardinal Parolin made a ‘strong and clear’ defense of orthodoxy at the Synod, and he seems to be falling out of favor with Francis. Could he become the next pope?

As the synod on synodality proceeds at the Vatican, bishops and lay participants have reportedly weighed in on a variety of ways by which the synod might propose changes to Catholic doctrine, or that elements of Catholic teaching be at least reexamined and deemphasized, in response to the pope’s call to see the Church become more “synodal” — and more welcoming to Catholics disaffected from the Church. But while reports pile up of participants with views at odds with Catholic teaching, sources have told The Pillar…