KING JESUS IS COMING FOR US ANY TIME NOW. THE RAPTURE. BE PREPARED TO GO.
NEXT POPE LEADERS IN THE RUNNING
http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/pope/pope-infographic
http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?binId=1.810401
http://www.religionnews.com/2013/02/25/march-madness-make-your-picks-in-the-vaticans-sweet-sistine-brackets/
THERE ARE 68 ELIGIBLE EUROPEANS IN THIS CONCLAVE THAT CAN BECOME POPE.WATCH FOR THE EUROPEANS FROM ROME-ITALY IS MY GUESS BY THE BIBLE.AND BY THE PROPHECY OF THE POPES.
Cardinal George Pell, 71, the Archbishop of Sydney, participated in the 2005 conclave which elected Benedict XVI and is now in Rome again to vote in the conclave to elect his successor.In this interview at Domus Australia he reflects on the resignation of Benedict XVI and speaks about the major challenges facing the Church today and tells me the qualities he is looking for in the candidate to be next pope.
Were you surprised, shocked by the resignation of Benedict XVI?
I was certainly surprised by the timing. I was aware that he was open to the possibility of retirement if he felt he wasn’t up to it. He had said as much in Seewald’s book. I was aware that he had visited the tomb of Celestine V, and I think he left his pallium there. So all those were signs that resignation was a live option for him, but I certainly didn’t expect it at that time.
When he announced it what was your reaction?
Mixed feelings I think like everybody else. There’s no doubt about it, the whole business is tinged with sadness. I understand that he has done it for the good of the Church. In some ways it’s a courageous decision, and I think he would be delighted that he would be able to announce it with almost nobody realizing that it was about to come. It was a genuine secret in the Vatican which is quite something. It does put a bit of question mark over the future, of course, but the Eastern Catholic Patriarchs are appointed for life and some of them stand down, as did the Superior General of the Jesuits, so it will depend a lot on the personality and health of the next popes.
Do you think he has changed the papacy by his decision?
To some extent, yes! Some people in Australia have said to me that he was bringing the Church into the 21st century. In the days when there was no intercontinental travel and no inter-continental media an incapacitated pope could limp along but the 24 hours news-cycle puts all these matters in a different perspective. And, of course, the Church is facing some very significant challenges and he might have felt that it needed a younger man to face up to these.
How much do you think his decision to resign has been influenced by the Vatileaks scandal, the betrayal by the butler, and all the problems linked to governance that have arisen in these years?
He said he has been grieved by those developments, but quite what impact they had on him in coming to this decision I really don’t know.
Do you think the age factor will play a significant role in the conclave when it comes to choosing the next pope?
Yes it’s always a significant factor. I think it’s unlikely that we will choose somebody who’s 77 or 78. I think it’s also unlikely that we will choose somebody who is too young, however you define that, because I think there’s virtue in the papacy changing every 10, 15 or 20 years.
So you don’t anticipate a long papacy coming out of this conclave?
Well they said that about Leo XIII and that papacy went on and on, so it’s foolish to anticipate anything.
You have been through the conclave process in 2005 – the congregations of cardinals, the ‘murmurings’, the discussions about candidates, and you have a broad understanding of the Church, what qualities will you be looking for in a candidate to be the next pope?
Let me start by telling you what I won’t be looking for. I won’t be looking for a candidate from a particular area. I think where the next pope comes from is quite secondary to his personal capacity to lead the Church. Some factors are rudimentary: a man of faith and prayer, a good track record, a man with languages. I don’t think we’re going to get a teacher of the caliber of Benedict or even of John Paul II. We might, but that would be a pleasant surprise. I think we need somebody who is a strategist, a decision-maker, a planner, somebody who has got strong pastoral capacities already demonstrated so that he can take a grip of the situation and take the Church forward.I mean when you compare the irreligion and the demographic decline in Europe, the violence against Christians in the Middle East, the need to try to open-up China, the problems of the (Roman) Curia are not in that league. But it would be very useful for the Church for the new Pope to be able to improve the morale of the Curia, to strengthen their sense of well-being.
So the ability to govern is important
The ability to govern is very important. It would appear that substantial problems have been identified through Vatileaks and such things, so I think these need to be addressed in a real way, and they need to be addressed in a way, you might even say symbolically, so that the world outside realizes that the new pope has grasped and is well aware of the opportunities that we have, but is also well aware of the particular challenges and is willing to try to do something about them.
Some cardinals tell me that both the progressives and the traditionalists in Rome agree on the need for the reform of the Curia. Is this something you see as an issue?
I think the personnel in the Curia, the leadership in the Curia, is very important. The reform of the Curia is another question and will depend on the will and the capacity of the pope. I think wider consultation is also a factor that needs to be addressed.
What do you say to the two schools of thought, one of which says that all that has happened has been an Italian problem and so the cardinals should not elect and Italian pope, while others say we need an Italian pope to sort out this mess because only he will understand it?
Once again I think that’s a secondary question. It’s like looking for somebody from South America or somebody from Europe or from Africa. The only thing I would say is the Pope is the Bishop of Rome and I don’t think it would be good for the Church in Italy to have hundreds of years without an Italian pope. I also feel that “good” Italian candidates all have a bit of a head start in the conclave.
Do you see some “good” Italian candidates this time?
Yes, I think there are a few. But I certainly wouldn’t exclude somebody coming from somewhere else, and I’d be very surprised if within the next 50 or 100 years we don’t have quite a number of popes from South America.
How important do you think it is that the candidate to be next pope should have some pastoral experience, and have worked in a diocese?
I think it is very important.
What are the main challenges that you see now facing the Church, besides the ones you mentioned earlier?
The secularization of Europe remains a challenge, as does the demographic decline in Europe and in the Catholic countries there. You might say very broadly that we have problems of decline in the Church in Europe, whereas in the Church in Africa and in Asia the problems we have are ones of growth. Even in South America, despite the progress of the sects, the secularization there is not nearly as far advanced or as strong.Europe is very important for the Church because most of the new movements and ideas have come from Europe. America is proving to be a great engine for the Church today, especially in the English-speaking world, but I can’t see any alternative to European vitality, so that remains a vital concern.Then again working with the Muslims in Europe to produce a tolerant and peaceful society is a major challenge, and a very difficult one given the violence that’s occurring in the Middle East, Pakistan and places like that. But it’s a struggle that’s very important. It’s important that we continue to dialogue and cooperate in every way we can.I think more than ever that this century will be an Asian century. We have got to remain faithful to those who are faithful to the Pope in China, to the Catholics there. But we have also to work constructively to try to open China up. It’s clear the Catholics there would be no threat at all to government, and I think they’d actually be a useful antidote to the corruption which allegedly is quite widespread there, by giving people meaning in their lives. That’s another important challenge.
Do you foresee a long conclave?
No, actually I don’t.
Relations between Benedict XVI and diplomats in cassocks have never been good; now, with the Conclave just around the corner, efforts are being focused on trying to give Vatican diplomats their lustre back. Nuncios – at least a good number of them, including their leaders who answer to his eminence Angelo Sodano, the Prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, Sandri and the Patron of the Order of Malta, Cardinal Paolo Sardi – have suffered a number of decisions taken during Benedict XVI’s pontificate.First of all, the now former Pope’s decision to no longer receive nuncios in audience, with some rare exceptions. Instead, Bertone was supposed to receive them, but apparently nuncios did not find this solution satisfactory. The second decision was perhaps key to the fate of Benedict XVI’s papacy. Sodano chose Tarcisio Bertone, who was not a diplomat, as Secretary of State. Many Vatican diplomats saw this choice as a slap in the face.Unfortunately, Cardinal Bertone was not lucky in some of his choices. One could say he had the inverse of King Midas’ charisma. He chose the current Prefect of Propaganda Fide, Nuncio Filoni, as Substitute. Nuncio Filoni proceeded to take actions that were in contrast to what his benefactor had done. A similar phenomenon was seen with the current Substitute (who has his eye on the Secretary of State’s job) Angelo Becciu, a member of the Focolare movement. To add insult to injury, apparently Bertone at one point mistakenly promised the cardinals’ biretta to the then Secretary of the Governorate, Carlo Maria Viganò (who also has a diplomatic background).But when his candidacy was presented to the Pope, Benedict XVI turned it down outright. Vatican Insider believes this was probably after Benedict XVI consulted with the President of the Governorate, Cardinal Lajolo and others. That is when the transparency “case” and the alleged shady dealings in the Governorate exploded. But an internal investigation did not lead to any nothing shocking revelations. Lajolo rightly said that it was not just Viganò who involved in reorganisation work but the whole leadership, including Lajolo.Meanwhile, however, this controversy only worsened relations between Vatican diplomats in general – not all of them of course – and the head of Benedict XVI’s kingdom. Maybe it is just a coincidence, but just a few weeks before Benedict XVI announced his resignation, two of the diplomats who conformed the least to the existing power logic - Nicolas Thevenina and Ettore Balestrero - were promoted (and it was definitely a promotion) but sent away from Rome and the papal apartment –a context they were familiar with. Some information filtered through in December about Benedict XVI’s reasons for moving them away from the Vatican and some snatched the chance to give their interpretations of certain signs and half-phrases.
But the post-Benedict XVI period had already been contemplated. Not surprisingly, about a month ago, a major American Catholic magazine referred to Leonardo Sandri, Angelo Sodano’s loyalist, as a possible papabile. Leonardo Sandri was Substitute of the Secretariat of State when Sodano was Secretariat of State. Both figures raised suspicions over their management of the Maciel case, the biggest scandal the Catholic Church has faced since time immemorial. Rome protected Fr. Maciel Degollado, founder of the Legion of Christ, a bigamist, a paedophile and who knows what else, from accusations being made against him in Mexico. This was until Benedict XVI finally punished him. In May 2005, however, an official statement - sent from the Secretariat of State led by Sodano and Sandri – claimed the situation was under control and that all rumours that had gone round were just hearsay. “The Holy See has recently informed the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ that there is currently no canonical lawsuit against the founder Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado, and no lawsuit is going to be launched.”The theory of Leonardo Sandri becoming Benedict XVI’s successor seems to fall apart. Meanwhile, the resolute Cardinal Sodano is trying to restore lost lustre to Vatican diplomacy by putting his own candidate forward for the position of Secretary of State, in exchange for his support for a plausible figure as Pope, Odilo Scherer for example. A delayed triumph over Bertone, who could it seems bolster support for Scherer with his packet of Salesian votes, having gained weak consensus over his first favourite, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi. As Secretary of State under the leadership of a new Pope, Sandri would ensure the continuation of the Sodano “spiritual school of thought” in Vatican diplomacy.
NEXT POPE LEADERS IN THE RUNNING
http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/pope/pope-infographic
http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?binId=1.810401
http://www.religionnews.com/2013/02/25/march-madness-make-your-picks-in-the-vaticans-sweet-sistine-brackets/
THERE ARE 68 ELIGIBLE EUROPEANS IN THIS CONCLAVE THAT CAN BECOME POPE.WATCH FOR THE EUROPEANS FROM ROME-ITALY IS MY GUESS BY THE BIBLE.AND BY THE PROPHECY OF THE POPES.
THE FRONTRUNNERS TO SUCCEED
Cardinal Marc Ouellet, 68, the Canadian head of the Vatican's office for bishops
Archbishop of Quebec between 2003 and 2010. He is known as a strong defender of orthodoxy and is said to come from the same school of theological thought as Benedict.
Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, 70, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture
A former academic theologian and Biblical scholar noted for his work encouraging dialogue between believers and non-believers and his 'outreach' to science. He was chosen this year by Benedict to lead the Vatican's Lenten spiritual retreat - a papal favour which could mark him out as a frontrunner.
Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 69, an Argentinian and prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches
A 'consummate' Vatican insider and viewed as a pair of 'safe hands', he announced Pope John Paul II's death to the world in April 2005. His experience is said to have given him a special understanding of the experience of Christians in the Middle East including the plight of the Christian population in Iraq following the war in 2003.
Cardinal Odilo Scherer, 63, Archbishop of Sao Paulo in Brazil
Head of the largest diocese in the world's largest Catholic country. He spent several years working at the congregation for bishops at the Vatican. The German-Brazilian is seen as the strongest Latin American candidate.
Cardinal Christoph Schonborn, 68, Archbishop of Vienna
An intellectual and a scholar who studied under Pope Benedict and is close to the outgoing pope. He is dealing with a rebellion in Austria by Catholics who are calling for reform of the Church in areas such as priestly celibacy and the role of women. The cardinals may not want to elect two German-speaking popes in a row.
Cardinal Angelo Scola, 71, Archbishop of Milan
Cardinal Scola was said to have been 'papabile' - a possible contender for pope - during the conclave to replace Pope John Paul II in 2005, and is an influential philosopher and theologian. He is a member of the powerful Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith responsible for ensuring Catholic orthodoxy.
Cardinal Luis Tagle, 55, Archbishop of Manila, Philippines
Described by Vatican commentator John Allen as a 'genuine intellectual with a common touch'. He is seen as an outside chance because he is considered too young. If elected he could be pope for more than 30 years.
Cardinal Peter Turkson, 64, from Ghana, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
Cardinal Turkson is a popular figure and would be the first pope from Africa since Gelasius I more than 1,500 years ago. But the department he heads is not powerful and he has raised eyebrows by his willingness to discuss his chances of becoming pope. He is also seen by some as being gaffe-prone.
Archbishop of Quebec between 2003 and 2010. He is known as a strong defender of orthodoxy and is said to come from the same school of theological thought as Benedict.
Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, 70, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture
A former academic theologian and Biblical scholar noted for his work encouraging dialogue between believers and non-believers and his 'outreach' to science. He was chosen this year by Benedict to lead the Vatican's Lenten spiritual retreat - a papal favour which could mark him out as a frontrunner.
Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 69, an Argentinian and prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches
A 'consummate' Vatican insider and viewed as a pair of 'safe hands', he announced Pope John Paul II's death to the world in April 2005. His experience is said to have given him a special understanding of the experience of Christians in the Middle East including the plight of the Christian population in Iraq following the war in 2003.
Cardinal Odilo Scherer, 63, Archbishop of Sao Paulo in Brazil
Head of the largest diocese in the world's largest Catholic country. He spent several years working at the congregation for bishops at the Vatican. The German-Brazilian is seen as the strongest Latin American candidate.
Cardinal Christoph Schonborn, 68, Archbishop of Vienna
An intellectual and a scholar who studied under Pope Benedict and is close to the outgoing pope. He is dealing with a rebellion in Austria by Catholics who are calling for reform of the Church in areas such as priestly celibacy and the role of women. The cardinals may not want to elect two German-speaking popes in a row.
Cardinal Angelo Scola, 71, Archbishop of Milan
Cardinal Scola was said to have been 'papabile' - a possible contender for pope - during the conclave to replace Pope John Paul II in 2005, and is an influential philosopher and theologian. He is a member of the powerful Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith responsible for ensuring Catholic orthodoxy.
Cardinal Luis Tagle, 55, Archbishop of Manila, Philippines
Described by Vatican commentator John Allen as a 'genuine intellectual with a common touch'. He is seen as an outside chance because he is considered too young. If elected he could be pope for more than 30 years.
Cardinal Peter Turkson, 64, from Ghana, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
Cardinal Turkson is a popular figure and would be the first pope from Africa since Gelasius I more than 1,500 years ago. But the department he heads is not powerful and he has raised eyebrows by his willingness to discuss his chances of becoming pope. He is also seen by some as being gaffe-prone.
Pope's new clothes? Check. Tailor rolls out robes
– 7 mins ago MAR 4,13- View PhotoAssociated Press/Andrew Medichini - Papal shoes and a white skull cap are seen beneath three sets of papal outfits - small, medium and large sizes - which will be sent to the Vatican for the new pope, are displayed
ROME (AP) — White cassock? Check. White skullcap? Check. Red shoes? Check.Cardinals haven't even begun meeting in the Sistine Chapel yet to elect the new pope but the family-owned Gammarelli tailor shop that has dressed popes for two centuries is ready.Gammarelli's on Monday displayed
three sets of white vestments — small, medium and large — to be shipped
to the Vatican for the new pope following Benedict XVI's resignation last week."We need to deliver these three
garments before the conclave starts because obviously we cannot enter
inside the conclave once it started," tailor Lorenzo Gammarelli said Monday.
A white silk "zucchetto," or skullcap, lay on a bed of red cloth in
the window, as did a white sash with golden fringes and a pair of red
leather shoes.Tucked behind the Pantheon in downtown Rome, the Gammarelli shop has served scores of cardinals and popes since 1798. Pope Pius XII was an exception: he used his family tailor.The display of the robes was one of the first tangible signs that a
new pope will soon be elected, given the unusual circumstances that have
surrounded the resignation of Benedict XVI."It's always like the first time for me," said tailor Teresa
Palombini. "It's a wonderful feeling and then I wonder who will wear
these clothes, who will be the next one?"
03/ 3/2013 VATICAN INSIDER
Conclave to start on 11 March
St. Peter's
In eight days cardinals will enter the Sistine Chapel for the start of the Conclave. This is the Church’s first Sunday without a Pope and there is no Angelus prayer today
giacomo galeazzi vatican city The window from which the Pope usually pronounces the Sunday Angelus prayer remained shut today. This is the Catholic Church’s first Sunday without a Pope. St. Peter’s Square is full of pilgrims but no one is looking up at the papal studio window because this Sunday no one will be appearing at it. The curtain has already come down on the great media circus surrounding the Conclave and the rosaries recited by faithful are the only thing that breaks the silence which fell after Benedict XVI’s departure. Now that the papacy is vacant, there is no longer any reference to Benedict XVI either as Pope or Bishop of Rome in the Eucharistic prayer during mass celebrations. Parish priests have prepared a new version of the prayer.As the Church strides towards the Conclave which is due to start on 11 March, the complete picture of Benedict XVI’s resignation is gradually forming. Ratzinger showed no less courage in resigning because “of the limits of old age and (…) the discernment on the exercise of responsibility that God had entrusted to him, than John Paul II who stuck it out until the end, despite his illness. Ratzinger’s decision is above all a reminder of one’s responsibilities, especially for cardinals who have the task of electing the Pope’s successor.On the Church’s second day without a Pope – day two of the sede vacante period – Fr. Federico Lombardi commented on the achievements of the outgoing pope, now Pope Emeritus, and their significance, also for those who will have to work with the choices that will shape the future of global Catholicism. To emphasise the spiritual nature of the papal election, the Vatican spokesman referred back to one of Wojtyla’s core texts with a preface signed by Joseph Ratzinger.“It is in right here, amidst this magnificent Sistine polychromy that cardinals meet – a community responsible for choosing the inheritor of the keys to the Kingdom. It meets in this very place. And Michaelangelo’s gaze still surrounds them.” It was 2003 when John Paul II wrote the “Roman Triptych”, a series of mediations on the Genesis and the threshold of the Sistine Chapel, in Polish. The poem is all the more meaningful now that cardinals are preparing to meet under Michaelangelo’s vault to elect St. Peter’s new successor. The Sistine Chapel is not just an artistic backdrop but also a kind of “theatre” set that has the power to influence the spirituality and conduct of the cardinal electors. This has been confirmed by those who have actually lived the experience. In his introduction to the apostolic constitution Universi dominici gregis (1996), Wojtyla laid down the rules for the sede vacante period and the election of a Pope, including this important passage: “I decree that the election will continue to take place in the Sistine Chapel, where everything is conducive to an awareness of the presence of God, in whose sight each person will one day be judged.” The general congregations will begin tomorrow morning with two sessions being held each day, in the lead up to the Conclave. Out of the 51 nations that will be represented in the next Conlave, Italy in theory has the most chances of one of its cardinals being elected (it has 29 cardinal Even if an Italian were to obtain all European cardinal electors’ votes (61 in total), he would still not have the necessary 78 votes - equivalent to two thirds of the 116 cardinal electors – to become Pope.The same applies to the Roman Curia which is represented by 38 electors, including current dicastery leaders and emeritus dicastery leaders who are not yet over 80. Re, for example, who will be presiding over the Conclave as he is the eldest of the cardinal bishops. The Curia bloc does therefore have the capacity to ensure cardinals do not elect a Pope it is not keen on but its influence does not extend to imposing one of its own candidates, unless it joins forces with another slightly larger group of cardinals (the Curia group makes up 40 votes). Even if a potential agreement were to be reached between Curia electors and Italian electors, this would not be enough to ensure the victory of one of their own because the advantage in terms of numbers would be negligible: out of the 28 Italian cardinal electors, as many as 20 are Curia members.
Cardinals in Vatican discuss next Pope
Pope Benedict XVI
Mon Mar 4, 2013 11:22AM GMT
1
2
1
A report by the Italian newspaper La Repubblica
said Benedict XVI had decided to resign after an internal church
investigation informed him about a series of blackmails, grafts and
underground gay sex in the Vatican.Cardinals
from all around the world have gathered in the Vatican to discuss ‘what
sort of Pope the Church needs now’, following the resignation of
Benedict XVI.More than 100 Catholic cardinals began talks in Vatican City on Monday to help identify candidates for the papal position.
French cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois told reporters, “We’re going to
take as much time as we need to think about what sort of Pope the Church
needs now.”
“I’d be keen to have a polyglot, a man of faith, a man
of dialogue… The new Pope will certainly have to confront problems
within the Curia,” Vingt-Trois said.
On February 11, Benedict XVI announced his decision to step down
since he was no longer able to carry out his duties because of his age.
He resigned after nearly eight years in office on February 28.
However, a recent report by the Italian newspaper La Repubblica
said Benedict XVI had decided to resign after an internal church
investigation informed him about a series of blackmails, grafts and
underground gay sex in the Vatican.
The report stated that three cardinals, including the former chief
of the Vatican’s secret services, were asked to verify the allegations
of financial impropriety, cronyism and corruption brought up by the
publication of confidential papal papers in the scandal dubbed
“Vatileaks.”
The three cardinals reported their findings to the Pope on December
17, 2012, in an almost 300-page document, which revealed the existence
of a “network” of gay prelates in the Vatican and contained “an exact
map of the mischief and the bad fish” inside the Holy See, the Italian
paper said.
“It was on that day, with those papers on his desk, that Benedict XVI took the decision he had mulled over for so long,” La Repubblica stated.
The Vatican has refused to deny or confirm the report.
In January 2012, a series of the Holy See’s internal documents were leaked to Italian media.
In May 2012, Vatican authorities arrested Paolo Gabriele, Benedict
XVI’s butler, on suspicion of being behind the leaks and charged him
with 18 months in jail. Gabriele was later pardoned.
YH/HSN
Papal vote preparations begin in earnest at Vatican
By Philip Pullella | Reuters – 1 hr 53 mins ago MAR 4,13
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Roman Catholic cardinals filed into the Vatican
on Monday for preliminary meetings to sketch an identikit for the next
pope and ponder who among them might be best to lead a church beset by
crises.They arrived by private car, taxi and minibus at the
gates of the Vatican for gatherings known as general congregations,
closed-door meetings in which they will get to know each other and
decide when to start a conclave to choose a man to lead the 1.2 billion
member Church.The Vatican appears to be aiming to have a new pope
elected next week and officially installed several days later so he can
preside over the Holy Week ceremonies starting with Palm Sunday on March
24 and culminating in Easter the following Sunday.Pope Benedict left the Church
in a state of shock when he announced last month that he would be the
first pontiff in 600 years to resign instead of ruling for life. He
formally stepped down on Thursday, leaving the papacy vacant.High on the agenda at the general congregations will be
the daunting challenges that will face the next pontiff, including the
sexual abuse crisis that has rocked the Church and last year's
"Vatileaks" scandal which exposed corruption and rivalries in the
Vatican's bureaucracy."We need a man of governance, by that I mean a man who
is able with the people he chooses to help him in an intimate way to
govern the Church," Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the former
Archbishop of Westminster in London, told BBC radio."Among the things we will be talking about out here are
precisely the need in looking for a new pope for these failings that
have happened again to be treated, to be faced strongly."The cardinals, numbering about 150, are expected to
hold one or two meetings a day. The Vatican seems keen to have only a
week of preliminary talks so the 115 "cardinal electors" aged under 80
can enter the Sistine Chapel for the conclave next week. The exact date
for its start has not been decided."We have meetings all this week to get to know each
other better and consider the situations that we face," said Cardinal
Andre Vingt-Trois of Paris as he entered. He said he could not say at
this stage "who will be the best one to respond to them".
Cardinals expect to be briefed on a secret report to the pope on the problems highlighted by the Vatileaks scandal, when documents which alleged corruption in the Vatican and infighting over the running of its bank were leaked to the media.
SHADOW OF ABUSE CRISIS
The crisis involving sexual abuse of children by priests and inappropriate behavior among adult clerics continues to haunt the Church and has rarely been out of the headlines.One elector - Cardinal Keith O'Brien - quit as Edinburgh archbishop last week and pulled out of attending the conclave because of accusations that he behaved inappropriately with priests and seminarians in the past.O'Brien initially denied the allegations but issued a statement late on Sunday apologizing because "my sexual conduct has fallen below the standards expected of me as a priest, archbishop and cardinal"."The church has a particular responsibility to set a moral standard and that's what it tries to do and if sometimes it doesn't, if it fails with certain individuals occasionally it's going to repent and carry on," said Murphy-O'Connor, who will not take part in the conclave as he is aged over 80He said about O'Brien: "I think that's clearly very sad and the person involved has in fact apologized and is now going to leave, as it were, public life as a priest, as a bishop."The preliminary meetings also give cardinals the chance to size up potential candidates by watching them closely in the debates and checking discreetly with other cardinals about their qualifications or any skeletons in their closets.
Cardinals never reveal publicly who they prefer but drop hints in interviews by discussing the identikit for their ideal candidate. The most frequently mentioned quality here is an ability to communicate the Catholic faith convincingly.Most cardinals say the new pope could come from outside Europe, but it is not clear if the conclave, which has a slight majority of European cardinals, will break the long-standing tradition of choosing men only from the continent.No front-runner stands out but leading candidates include Peter Turkson of Ghana, Leonardo Sandri of Argentina, Austrian Christoph Schoenborn, Brazil's Odilo Scherer, Canadian Marc Ouellet and Angelo Scola, from Italy.In an interview with Reuters, Cardinal Sandri, 69, said the next pope should not be chosen according to a geographic area but must be a "saintly man" who was "best qualified".Sandri said one of the greatest problems facing the Church was "the loss of faith" among many who had "turned their back on God" and need to be brought back into the life of the church.He also said the Church must open itself up to women in the next pontificate, giving them more decision-making positions in the Vatican and beyond.(Additional reporting by Tom Heneghan and Cristiano Corvino in Rome, and Michael Holden in London; Editing by Pravin Char)
Cardinals expect to be briefed on a secret report to the pope on the problems highlighted by the Vatileaks scandal, when documents which alleged corruption in the Vatican and infighting over the running of its bank were leaked to the media.
SHADOW OF ABUSE CRISIS
The crisis involving sexual abuse of children by priests and inappropriate behavior among adult clerics continues to haunt the Church and has rarely been out of the headlines.One elector - Cardinal Keith O'Brien - quit as Edinburgh archbishop last week and pulled out of attending the conclave because of accusations that he behaved inappropriately with priests and seminarians in the past.O'Brien initially denied the allegations but issued a statement late on Sunday apologizing because "my sexual conduct has fallen below the standards expected of me as a priest, archbishop and cardinal"."The church has a particular responsibility to set a moral standard and that's what it tries to do and if sometimes it doesn't, if it fails with certain individuals occasionally it's going to repent and carry on," said Murphy-O'Connor, who will not take part in the conclave as he is aged over 80He said about O'Brien: "I think that's clearly very sad and the person involved has in fact apologized and is now going to leave, as it were, public life as a priest, as a bishop."The preliminary meetings also give cardinals the chance to size up potential candidates by watching them closely in the debates and checking discreetly with other cardinals about their qualifications or any skeletons in their closets.
Cardinals never reveal publicly who they prefer but drop hints in interviews by discussing the identikit for their ideal candidate. The most frequently mentioned quality here is an ability to communicate the Catholic faith convincingly.Most cardinals say the new pope could come from outside Europe, but it is not clear if the conclave, which has a slight majority of European cardinals, will break the long-standing tradition of choosing men only from the continent.No front-runner stands out but leading candidates include Peter Turkson of Ghana, Leonardo Sandri of Argentina, Austrian Christoph Schoenborn, Brazil's Odilo Scherer, Canadian Marc Ouellet and Angelo Scola, from Italy.In an interview with Reuters, Cardinal Sandri, 69, said the next pope should not be chosen according to a geographic area but must be a "saintly man" who was "best qualified".Sandri said one of the greatest problems facing the Church was "the loss of faith" among many who had "turned their back on God" and need to be brought back into the life of the church.He also said the Church must open itself up to women in the next pontificate, giving them more decision-making positions in the Vatican and beyond.(Additional reporting by Tom Heneghan and Cristiano Corvino in Rome, and Michael Holden in London; Editing by Pravin Char)
03/ 4/2013 VATICAN INSIDER
Cardinal Pell hopes for a Pope with: "The ability to govern"
The Cardinal Pell
When Australia’s Cardinal George Pell goes into the conclave to elect the new Pope he will be looking for a candidate that is a strategist, a decision maker, has good and proven pastoral qualities, and the ability to govern
Gerard O'Connell RomeCardinal George Pell, 71, the Archbishop of Sydney, participated in the 2005 conclave which elected Benedict XVI and is now in Rome again to vote in the conclave to elect his successor.In this interview at Domus Australia he reflects on the resignation of Benedict XVI and speaks about the major challenges facing the Church today and tells me the qualities he is looking for in the candidate to be next pope.
Were you surprised, shocked by the resignation of Benedict XVI?
I was certainly surprised by the timing. I was aware that he was open to the possibility of retirement if he felt he wasn’t up to it. He had said as much in Seewald’s book. I was aware that he had visited the tomb of Celestine V, and I think he left his pallium there. So all those were signs that resignation was a live option for him, but I certainly didn’t expect it at that time.
When he announced it what was your reaction?
Mixed feelings I think like everybody else. There’s no doubt about it, the whole business is tinged with sadness. I understand that he has done it for the good of the Church. In some ways it’s a courageous decision, and I think he would be delighted that he would be able to announce it with almost nobody realizing that it was about to come. It was a genuine secret in the Vatican which is quite something. It does put a bit of question mark over the future, of course, but the Eastern Catholic Patriarchs are appointed for life and some of them stand down, as did the Superior General of the Jesuits, so it will depend a lot on the personality and health of the next popes.
Do you think he has changed the papacy by his decision?
To some extent, yes! Some people in Australia have said to me that he was bringing the Church into the 21st century. In the days when there was no intercontinental travel and no inter-continental media an incapacitated pope could limp along but the 24 hours news-cycle puts all these matters in a different perspective. And, of course, the Church is facing some very significant challenges and he might have felt that it needed a younger man to face up to these.
How much do you think his decision to resign has been influenced by the Vatileaks scandal, the betrayal by the butler, and all the problems linked to governance that have arisen in these years?
He said he has been grieved by those developments, but quite what impact they had on him in coming to this decision I really don’t know.
Do you think the age factor will play a significant role in the conclave when it comes to choosing the next pope?
Yes it’s always a significant factor. I think it’s unlikely that we will choose somebody who’s 77 or 78. I think it’s also unlikely that we will choose somebody who is too young, however you define that, because I think there’s virtue in the papacy changing every 10, 15 or 20 years.
So you don’t anticipate a long papacy coming out of this conclave?
Well they said that about Leo XIII and that papacy went on and on, so it’s foolish to anticipate anything.
You have been through the conclave process in 2005 – the congregations of cardinals, the ‘murmurings’, the discussions about candidates, and you have a broad understanding of the Church, what qualities will you be looking for in a candidate to be the next pope?
Let me start by telling you what I won’t be looking for. I won’t be looking for a candidate from a particular area. I think where the next pope comes from is quite secondary to his personal capacity to lead the Church. Some factors are rudimentary: a man of faith and prayer, a good track record, a man with languages. I don’t think we’re going to get a teacher of the caliber of Benedict or even of John Paul II. We might, but that would be a pleasant surprise. I think we need somebody who is a strategist, a decision-maker, a planner, somebody who has got strong pastoral capacities already demonstrated so that he can take a grip of the situation and take the Church forward.I mean when you compare the irreligion and the demographic decline in Europe, the violence against Christians in the Middle East, the need to try to open-up China, the problems of the (Roman) Curia are not in that league. But it would be very useful for the Church for the new Pope to be able to improve the morale of the Curia, to strengthen their sense of well-being.
So the ability to govern is important
The ability to govern is very important. It would appear that substantial problems have been identified through Vatileaks and such things, so I think these need to be addressed in a real way, and they need to be addressed in a way, you might even say symbolically, so that the world outside realizes that the new pope has grasped and is well aware of the opportunities that we have, but is also well aware of the particular challenges and is willing to try to do something about them.
Some cardinals tell me that both the progressives and the traditionalists in Rome agree on the need for the reform of the Curia. Is this something you see as an issue?
I think the personnel in the Curia, the leadership in the Curia, is very important. The reform of the Curia is another question and will depend on the will and the capacity of the pope. I think wider consultation is also a factor that needs to be addressed.
What do you say to the two schools of thought, one of which says that all that has happened has been an Italian problem and so the cardinals should not elect and Italian pope, while others say we need an Italian pope to sort out this mess because only he will understand it?
Once again I think that’s a secondary question. It’s like looking for somebody from South America or somebody from Europe or from Africa. The only thing I would say is the Pope is the Bishop of Rome and I don’t think it would be good for the Church in Italy to have hundreds of years without an Italian pope. I also feel that “good” Italian candidates all have a bit of a head start in the conclave.
Do you see some “good” Italian candidates this time?
Yes, I think there are a few. But I certainly wouldn’t exclude somebody coming from somewhere else, and I’d be very surprised if within the next 50 or 100 years we don’t have quite a number of popes from South America.
How important do you think it is that the candidate to be next pope should have some pastoral experience, and have worked in a diocese?
I think it is very important.
What are the main challenges that you see now facing the Church, besides the ones you mentioned earlier?
The secularization of Europe remains a challenge, as does the demographic decline in Europe and in the Catholic countries there. You might say very broadly that we have problems of decline in the Church in Europe, whereas in the Church in Africa and in Asia the problems we have are ones of growth. Even in South America, despite the progress of the sects, the secularization there is not nearly as far advanced or as strong.Europe is very important for the Church because most of the new movements and ideas have come from Europe. America is proving to be a great engine for the Church today, especially in the English-speaking world, but I can’t see any alternative to European vitality, so that remains a vital concern.Then again working with the Muslims in Europe to produce a tolerant and peaceful society is a major challenge, and a very difficult one given the violence that’s occurring in the Middle East, Pakistan and places like that. But it’s a struggle that’s very important. It’s important that we continue to dialogue and cooperate in every way we can.I think more than ever that this century will be an Asian century. We have got to remain faithful to those who are faithful to the Pope in China, to the Catholics there. But we have also to work constructively to try to open China up. It’s clear the Catholics there would be no threat at all to government, and I think they’d actually be a useful antidote to the corruption which allegedly is quite widespread there, by giving people meaning in their lives. That’s another important challenge.
Do you foresee a long conclave?
No, actually I don’t.
03/ 3/2013 VATICAN INSIDER
Diplomacy's revenge?
Leonardo Sandri
The Holy See’s nuncios have suffered as a result of some of Benedict XVI’s decisions. Nw Sodano is pushing for Sandri to be made Vatican Secretary of State
Marco Tosatti RomeRelations between Benedict XVI and diplomats in cassocks have never been good; now, with the Conclave just around the corner, efforts are being focused on trying to give Vatican diplomats their lustre back. Nuncios – at least a good number of them, including their leaders who answer to his eminence Angelo Sodano, the Prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, Sandri and the Patron of the Order of Malta, Cardinal Paolo Sardi – have suffered a number of decisions taken during Benedict XVI’s pontificate.First of all, the now former Pope’s decision to no longer receive nuncios in audience, with some rare exceptions. Instead, Bertone was supposed to receive them, but apparently nuncios did not find this solution satisfactory. The second decision was perhaps key to the fate of Benedict XVI’s papacy. Sodano chose Tarcisio Bertone, who was not a diplomat, as Secretary of State. Many Vatican diplomats saw this choice as a slap in the face.Unfortunately, Cardinal Bertone was not lucky in some of his choices. One could say he had the inverse of King Midas’ charisma. He chose the current Prefect of Propaganda Fide, Nuncio Filoni, as Substitute. Nuncio Filoni proceeded to take actions that were in contrast to what his benefactor had done. A similar phenomenon was seen with the current Substitute (who has his eye on the Secretary of State’s job) Angelo Becciu, a member of the Focolare movement. To add insult to injury, apparently Bertone at one point mistakenly promised the cardinals’ biretta to the then Secretary of the Governorate, Carlo Maria Viganò (who also has a diplomatic background).But when his candidacy was presented to the Pope, Benedict XVI turned it down outright. Vatican Insider believes this was probably after Benedict XVI consulted with the President of the Governorate, Cardinal Lajolo and others. That is when the transparency “case” and the alleged shady dealings in the Governorate exploded. But an internal investigation did not lead to any nothing shocking revelations. Lajolo rightly said that it was not just Viganò who involved in reorganisation work but the whole leadership, including Lajolo.Meanwhile, however, this controversy only worsened relations between Vatican diplomats in general – not all of them of course – and the head of Benedict XVI’s kingdom. Maybe it is just a coincidence, but just a few weeks before Benedict XVI announced his resignation, two of the diplomats who conformed the least to the existing power logic - Nicolas Thevenina and Ettore Balestrero - were promoted (and it was definitely a promotion) but sent away from Rome and the papal apartment –a context they were familiar with. Some information filtered through in December about Benedict XVI’s reasons for moving them away from the Vatican and some snatched the chance to give their interpretations of certain signs and half-phrases.
But the post-Benedict XVI period had already been contemplated. Not surprisingly, about a month ago, a major American Catholic magazine referred to Leonardo Sandri, Angelo Sodano’s loyalist, as a possible papabile. Leonardo Sandri was Substitute of the Secretariat of State when Sodano was Secretariat of State. Both figures raised suspicions over their management of the Maciel case, the biggest scandal the Catholic Church has faced since time immemorial. Rome protected Fr. Maciel Degollado, founder of the Legion of Christ, a bigamist, a paedophile and who knows what else, from accusations being made against him in Mexico. This was until Benedict XVI finally punished him. In May 2005, however, an official statement - sent from the Secretariat of State led by Sodano and Sandri – claimed the situation was under control and that all rumours that had gone round were just hearsay. “The Holy See has recently informed the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ that there is currently no canonical lawsuit against the founder Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado, and no lawsuit is going to be launched.”The theory of Leonardo Sandri becoming Benedict XVI’s successor seems to fall apart. Meanwhile, the resolute Cardinal Sodano is trying to restore lost lustre to Vatican diplomacy by putting his own candidate forward for the position of Secretary of State, in exchange for his support for a plausible figure as Pope, Odilo Scherer for example. A delayed triumph over Bertone, who could it seems bolster support for Scherer with his packet of Salesian votes, having gained weak consensus over his first favourite, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi. As Secretary of State under the leadership of a new Pope, Sandri would ensure the continuation of the Sodano “spiritual school of thought” in Vatican diplomacy.
