section_path: Reception/Religious response
section_name: Religious response
paragraph_text: Religious response
  
  The progressive National Catholic Reporter praised Conclave, calling it "a compelling and ecclesial call for a renewed spiritual stewardship characterized by humility, meekness, and, curiously, doubt". Kate Lucky of Christianity Today, an evangelical publication, called the film "gorgeous" and "riveting", and said that "though the film subtly advances progressive convictions, it gives cardinals of all ideological persuasions equal opportunity to fall short". Writing for the Catholic Herald, Miles Pattenden considered that the film "lacks the subtlety to explore inventively" despite some "exquisite moments", notably the performances of Sergio Castellitto and Rossellini. He also criticised its "lack of historical awareness", noting that questions concerning voting eligibility at conclaves and intersex clergy were "nothing new to the Church".
  
  John Mulderig of the Catholic OSV News said about Conclave that "rival viewpoints within the church are caricatured with a broad brush... and the deck is predictably stacked in favor of those who advocate change". He warned that "all moviegoers committed to the church's creeds will want to approach this earnest, visually engaging but manipulative—and sometimes sensationalist—production with caution". The Archdiocese of Los Angeles ' Angelus magazine praised several of the actors' performances but ultimately dismissed the film, writing: "The problem here is not that it is full of bias against the Catholic Church. The problem is that it is just plain bad.... At the crucial moment, gives a speech so full of platitudes it could have been written by ChatGPT."
  
  The Bishop of Winona–Rochester, Robert Barron, dismissed it as Oscar bait and termed it "a film about the Catholic Church that could have been written by the editorial board of The New York Times ". Sean Fitzpatrick of The Catholic World Report agreed with Barron's criticisms, while also criticizing the writing of Benítez's intersex status, opining that the statement "I am what God made me" is a "popular" yet "ridiculous" argument.
  
  Cardinal Mykola Bychok – Australia's only representative – called the film controversial, especially about prayer: "Have you seen in this movie any of the cardinals pray? Not one time, which is Hollywood style."
  
  The progressive National Catholic Reporter praised Conclave, calling it "a compelling and ecclesial call for a renewed spiritual stewardship characterized by humility, meekness, and, curiously, doubt". Kate Lucky of Christianity Today, an evangelical publication, called the film "gorgeous" and "riveting", and said that "though the film subtly advances progressive convictions, it gives cardinals of all ideological persuasions equal opportunity to fall short". Writing for the Catholic Herald, Miles Pattenden considered that the film "lacks the subtlety to explore inventively" despite some "exquisite moments", notably the performances of Sergio Castellitto and Rossellini. He also criticised its "lack of historical awareness", noting that questions concerning voting eligibility at conclaves and intersex clergy were "nothing new to the Church".
  
  John Mulderig of the Catholic OSV News said about Conclave that "rival viewpoints within the church are caricatured with a broad brush... and the deck is predictably stacked in favor of those who advocate change". He warned that "all moviegoers committed to the church's creeds will want to approach this earnest, visually engaging but manipulative—and sometimes sensationalist—production with caution". The Archdiocese of Los Angeles ' Angelus magazine praised several of the actors' performances but ultimately dismissed the film, writing: "The problem here is not that it is full of bias against the Catholic Church. The problem is that it is just plain bad.... At the crucial moment, gives a speech so full of platitudes it could have been written by ChatGPT."
  
  The Bishop of Winona–Rochester, Robert Barron, dismissed it as Oscar bait and termed it "a film about the Catholic Church that could have been written by the editorial board of The New York Times ". Sean Fitzpatrick of The Catholic World Report agreed with Barron's criticisms, while also criticizing the writing of Benítez's intersex status, opining that the statement "I am what God made me" is a "popular" yet "ridiculous" argument.
  
  Cardinal Mykola Bychok – Australia's only representative – called the film controversial, especially about prayer: "Have you seen in this movie any of the cardinals pray? Not one time, which is Hollywood style."