Over 12 years as pope, Francis tried to remake the U.S. Catholic hierarchy more in his image, elevating pastors who prioritized social justice and migration issues over culture warriors who were more favored by his more doctrinaire predecessors St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI. A new pope who is more conservative could reverse that effort.

The church is set to begin the papal conclave on May 7 to choose a new pope, following the death of Pope Francis, who was 88, on Easter Monday. Vance is a Catholic and was one of