Pope Francis is dead. The throne is vacant. The voting will soon begin. What does the death of Pope Francis mean for the Catholic church at home and abroad? What will be the big issues facing the cardinals, who will soon gather for the papal conclave?

Audrey Carville hears from the former Irish President Dr Mary McAleese about Pope Francis and the challenges for his successor. Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar reflects on Pope Francis’s visit to Ireland in 2018 and the reframing of the relationship between the State and the Church.

And, Dr Nicola Brady (general secretary of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland), Michael Kelly (director of public affairs at the charity Aid to the Church in Need) and leading human rights defender Baroness Nuala O’Loan join Audrey to discuss the issues that could decide who will succeed Pope Francis as leader of Catholicism.

Marie Collins survived the abuse inflicted on her by a Catholic priest in Dublin. Pope Francis appointed her to his Pontifical Commission on the Protection of Minors in 2014 but she resigned from it in 2017. How does she assess how he acted during his papacy? And three expert Vatican observers analyse the enduring legacy of Pope Francis