skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Even before the interregum began, Vatican watchers could not help but speculate who would become the sole Cardinal survivor who would become the Supreme Pontiff.
Choosing the next vicar is not decided by playing musical chairs in the Sistine Chapel or at a chatty Church “Tribal Council” but by prayerful discernment with the guidance of the Holy Spirit after interacting with their Cardinal colleagues.
Part of the reason for the General Congregations of the Cardinals in the Sede Vacante interregnum is so that fellow cardinals can informally acquaint themselves before going into the Conclave.
These informal judgments about character and virtue gleaned from coffee breaks and schmoozing can inform Cardinal-electors to their choice . Consider that as they cast each vote, they must swear an oath to vote for the vest man to lead the church as they as they stand before Michelangelo’s Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel.
Now that the start of the Conclave has been set for Tuesday March 12, we ought to educate ourselves of potential pontiffs. While the faithful outside the College of Cardinals are neither privy to a Papabili’s piety nor their force of personality amongst equals, we can get a glimpse of their persona through quotes attributed to these Princes of the Church.
In furtherance of this understanding, here are a passel of Papabili. For those who appreciate hemaneutics, studying their heraldry along with their chosen mottoes might be revealing.
Note the San Marco lion and the ship on Archbishop Scola's crest--those are remnants from when the nine years when Scola was the Patriarch of Venice before he was transferred to the influential Ambrosian diocese of Milan.
Ravasi was appointed as Prefect of the Pontifical Council for Culture in 2007. Ravasi was also appointed for a five year term on the Congregation for Catholic Education, the Pontifical Council for Interreligous Dialogue and he was the first member of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization.
Pope Benedict XVI appointed Cardinal Turkson to the the President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace in 2009.
Ouette has been the prefect of the Congregation for Bishops (having the responsibility for "recruiting" and vetting bishops) as well as also serving as the President of Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
Aside from his tony lineage and close connections with Pope-emeritus Benedict XVI, Schoenborn was a key editor for the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Scherer does has some experience with the Roman Curia, as he washe was an official of the Congregation for Bishops from 1994 to 2001.
Braz de Aviz was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as the Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life in 2011.
Tagle only received his scarlet zucchetto in November 2012. But the 55 year old Tagle had been named for a five year term to serve on the Congregation for Catholic Education. Moreover, Pope Benedict XVI named Tagle as one of the Synod fathers for the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization on September 18, 2012.
Cardinal O'Malley is a Capuchin who is renowned for his holiness. O'Malley serves on the Pontifical Council for the Family which befits his longstanding commitment to pro-life issues as well as his association with March for Life founder Nellie Gray.
Dolan has been a Cardinal for just over a year but he transferred from a seven year stint being Archbishop of Milwaukee to the Archbishop of New York in 2009. Currently, Dolan is the President of the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops. Last year, Dolan was a leading voice in the Fortnight for Freedom project to educate Americans about the HHS Mandate and how it encroached on First Amendment liberties.
Prior to the Conclave's commencement, Cardinals have urged for prayer in their discerning. To that end, Adoptacardinal.org will designate a Cardinal-elector for you to pray for during this period.
Elements in the secular media have been interested in the upcoming Papal Conclave, jocularly calling the election for the Supreme Pontiff as Vatican Idol. But since the Holy See’s ways have two millenia of history behind it, it is prudent to consult with experienced Vaticanologists to understand the process.
Recently, TheBlaze Radio’s Jay Severin sought out the opinions of Father Tom Reese S.J., a Georgetown University Scholar from the Woodstock Theology Center and the author of
Inside the Vatican: The Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church. While Severin as a conservative commentator may not share the Jesuit’s political and liturgical orientation, he could not help but respect Rev. Reese’s knowledge of the byzantine bureaucracy of Vatican City, which he acquired by interviewing more than a hundred Vatican officials for his book.
Severin, who is not a Catholic, believes that this Papal succession could be globally game changing, especially if the new Vicar of Christ “went big” and took an active role on the world stage. Father Reese chose to illustrate the qualities of the immediate predecessors to the prospective new Pope. Pope Benedict XVI was expected to be scholarly and concentrating on theology. As for Pope John Paul II, his pastoral and theological qualities were eclipsed by his formidable presence on the public stage and his numerous foreign pilgrimages.
It was observed that some of Pope Benedict’s views on secular politics could seem quite radical. In fact, Reese astutely analyzed that the religious right would embrace B-XVI’s social pronouncements (perhaps on traditional marriage or being pro-life) but his fiscal philosophies and drive for world government would alienate the Tea Party. So American political shorthand does not always translate when evaluating the Holy See.
 |
| Peter Cardinal Turkson |
Many prognosticators in the Lamestream Media have been broadcasting a drumbeat for an African Pope, such as Cardinal Peter Turkson (Archdiocese of Cape Verde, currently Curia President of the Pontifical Council of Peace and Justice), the gregarious Ghanan who is the talk amongst papabili Reese’s answer concentrated on the process of discerning, especially the informal encounters up to and during the Conclave.
While illustrative of the decision making process, punters will not be added in placing their bets at Paddy Power with Reese’s answer.
Severin persiverates on the tenant that new Pope could be in an unique position to denounce Islamofascism as an abomination to all people of faith around the world. Reese is quick to diffuse any notions that the Pope would call for a new Crusade.
Rev. Reese pointed to the persecution that the Chaldean Catholic Church has faced in a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq which is causing many Chaldeans to flee. In this short interview, Fr. Reese also failed to mention how Palestinians have driven away most of the Arab Catholics from the Holy Land and how the Palestinians have been arrogating holy sites of Jews and Christians in Israel but not respecting freedom of worship and religious pluralism.
This Blaze colloquy was playful in tone, yet it deftly alluded to the inside observations on how Popes are chosen, without resorting to favorite son speculations or trotting out grievances of alienated ex-Catholics or frustrated Church progressives.
Posts
