Month: March 2013

Four Papabili from Africa

For the first time in recent memory, Africa offers four papabili to the Concalve: The Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson, the Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, the South African Napier, and the Congolese Monsengwo Pasinya. The last African Pope was Gelasius I, from 492-496. 

Cardinal Robert Sarah is the most experienced of the group in dealing with Rome and the Vatican. Prefect of Cor Unum, the Vatican’s charitable agency, Cardinal Sarah is comfortable in both Africa and Rome. 

Culture Wars: Cardinal Sarah follows Benedict’s lead in “the culture wars” (theologically and liturgically conservative) while remaining socially progressive. This may make him something of a compromise candidate for conservatives and moderates while at the same time representing a change of Church focus from Europe to Africa. 
Governance (The Curia): Cardinal Sarah knows the Vatican and its politics well and offers hope of someone with both the desire and the know how for meaningful Curial reform. It is so far unclear his relationship to the current “poles” of the Curia: Cardinals Bertone and . 
Conclusion: Cardinal Sarah does not offer the charisma, media savy or moxy of a John Paul II, and while known among the College of Cardinals, has not emerged as a dynamic leader up until this point. Last year’s handling of Caritas suggests that he may not provide the thorough overhaul of the Curia many seek. 

 

 

The Curia’s Candidate: a Brazilian??

Today’s Il Stampa carries a fasciating article on a “papal ticket” (click here to read) consisting of Cardinal Odilo Scherer (São Paulo) for Pope with either Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, the Prefect of the Congregation for Clergy or Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, for Secretary of State. 

Cardinal Odilo Scherer – São PauloThe ticket is floated by two Curia heavyweights: Cardinals Angelo Sodano, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, and Giovanni Battista Re, Prefect Emeritus of the Congreation of Bishops). There are some indications that other Italian curial Cardinals are supporting this initiative. 

The article notes that this idea of “a ticket” has historical precedent. Apparently when John XXIII was elected a similar understanding developed. Regardless, the political calculus goes something like this: Scherer is a Latin American in the largest Catholic country in the world. This plays well on the world stage. Scherer worked at the Curia’s Congregation for Bishops from 1994-2001 for Cardinal Re. This suggests he is trusted by at least one fraction of the Curia. 

The critical question: if this ticket is floated by Sodano and Re, is there any chance at all that Scherer clean out the Curia? Is this a leader to move the Church (finally) from its fedual, monarachical structure to a vibrant institution capable of offering religious and moral value to members in the 21st century? To separate sacred tradition from institutional interests and power bases? 

Clericalism: can the tumor be excised?

Robert Mickens, a journalist for the UK Catholic rag The Tablet, gave a speech (click here to hear it on YouTube) on the coming implosion of the Curia and the implications for the Church. He is part of a growing body of criticism of the medieval structure, expressed today as clericalism, that lies at the root of problems presenting themselves as child abuse, bank scandals, etc. 

The problem with clericalism is that, like a tumor, it is difficult to excise without destorying its neighbors. There are many priests and religious, bishops and Cardinals, that work hard to serve the people of God. That does not change clericalism’s cancerous effects, and nowhere is this seen clearer than in the viscious, destructive and just plain evil machinations of the Curia. 

This is currently expressed in the undeclared war between Cardinals Angelo Sodano and Tarcisio Bertone

The Grumpy Gringo Top 5 List

OK, Monday starts the General Congretation (pre-Conclave) meetings, so it is time to talk about the Papabili. What follows is my own top 5 followed by some comments. It also includes some links on public profiles of each of them. Enjoy – and please, add your lists!

1. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle – Manila
2. Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz – Prefect: Congregatio pro Institutis Vitae Consecratae et Societatibus Vitae Apostolicae
3. Cardinal Robert Sarah – Prefect of Cor Unum
4. Cardinal Peter Turkson – Ghana
5. Cardinal Gianfranco Ravisi – Pontifical Council for Culture

 

 

Three Shaky Pillars of Conclave Wisdom

John Allen pointed out in today’s NCR three truisms surrounding papal conclaves: 

* He who enters as a pope exits as a cardinal.
* You follow a fat pope with a thin one. 
* This is the most secretive process in the world.  

Actually, recent conclaves actually suggest favorites tend to be elected (4 out of the last 6) 

  • 1939: favorite Eugenio Pacelli (Pius XII)
  • 1958: surprise Angelo Roncalli, (John XXIII)
  • 1963: favorite Giovanni Battista Montini (Paul VI)
  • 1978 (I) favorite Albino Luciani (John Paul I)
  • 1978 (II) surprise: Karol Wojtyla (John Paul II)
  • 2005: favorite Joseph Ratzinger (Benedict XVI)

You follow a fat pope with a thin one

  • Pius XII (thin) –> John XXIII (fat) –> Paul VI (thin) –> John Paul I (thin), –> John Paul II (fat) –> Benedict XVI (thin)
  • If this is an analogy for a successor pope who will break with policies of predecessor, the contrary is more often suggested.

This is the most secretive process in the world

  • Allen notes: “perhaps this is more honored in the breach than in the observance.” Enough said!

 

 

The General Congregations

The General Congregations start shortly after the papacy becomes vacant (officially yesterday) and end when the Conclave is “locked.” This period is known either as the sede vacante or the interregnum. The Congregations are open to all Cardinals (those over as well as those under 80). The Congregations offer both time for reviewing conclave rules and a time for each Cardinal to speak to the other members of the College.

Cardinal Angelo SodanoThe Congregations will be moderated by the Dean of the College, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who is over 80 and not eligible to vote in the Conclave.Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was the Dean of the College during the last Conclave and ended up being chosen as Pope. 

Today Cardinal Sodano announced the first one is scheduled for 9:30 in the Synod of Bishops Hall on Monday, March 4th. A second session (a slight departure from tadition) will be held on Monday afternoon. One of the first items for the Congregations’ review is the timetable for the actual Conclave. Part of the challenge of setting the actual start date for the Conclave is coordinating the arrival of all of the “voting” cardinals. 

Speculation continues on both the starting date (consensus favors an early date) and the length of time the Conclave will need to chose the next pope. The last time Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was chosen as Pope Benedict the Conclave lasted one day and a half. Speculation is that it will last longer this time but not too long, perhaps ending before Holy Week.