CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- \u201cWe are not ready to enter the conclave,\u201d Cardinal Francis George of Chicago plainly told the Italian newspaper La Stampa today, adding, \u201cI never felt that we would begin the conclave on March 11th.\u201d<\/p>\n\tThe American cardinals are first in line among those who do not want to hurry the conclave, and they are not alone.<\/p>\n
\tIn the general congregations, the schedule of meetings and all other matters are decided by a majority vote, and the dean of the cardinals is just a \u201cprimus inter pares,\u201d i.e. the first among equals.<\/p>\n
\tCardinal Angelo Sodano, the man who fulfills that role, initially sketched out a tight schedule for the cardinals pre-conclave meetings. On Monday, two pre-conclave meetings were scheduled in the New Synod Hall: one in the morning and one in the afternoon.<\/p>\n
\tBut that schedule was not kept for the following days, since the majority of the cardinals asked to hold only morning meetings, leaving the afternoon free for informal meetings and chats.<\/p>\n
\tIt is a subtle battle, as all Vatican battles are.<\/p>\n
\tGianfranco Svidercoschi, one of the most prominent Vatican observers, asserted in a March 4 discussion that there is \u201ca certain risk that the conclave will be split between two contenders.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tHe thinks that an Italian would then emerge as a compromise candidate.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cIt is the same situation that occurred in the 1978 conclave, where two candidates struck the conclave and Wojtyla\u2019s star rose. At this time, the candidates are foreigners and the new star would be Italian.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tIn the October 1978 conclave, the two main contenders for the papacy were Cardinal Giuseppe Siri and Cardinal Giovanni Benelli. The first was supported by those who thought the Second Vatican Council was being interpreted in a way that strayed from the Church\u2019s tradition, while those who agreed with the way the council was being implemented backed the second candidate and wanted to continue along the same course. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\tBoth groups were strong enough that neither of them was able to surpass the two-thirds threshold required for electing a Pope.\u00a0 So, to break the stalemate, Cardinal Franz Koenig put forward the name of Cardinal Karol Wojtyla.<\/p>\n
\tWhat remains to be seen is whether the story will repeat itself at the 2013 Conclave.<\/p>\n
\tMichele Zanzucchi, the editor of Citt\u00e0 Nuova magazine published by the Focolari movement, maintained in a March 5 conversation that the \u201cAmerican, Latin American and Asian groups of cardinal seem to be solid. Europeans, on the other hand, still seem to be bewildered.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tIn fact, there are two schools of thought among the cardinals about what type of Pope is needed for the Church\u2019s current problems, particularly those related to the administration \u2013 called the Roman Curia \u2013 that assists him in his ministry.
\n\t\u00a0
\n\tCardinal S\u00e9an O\u2019Malley of Boston summed up those positions at a March 5 press conference in Rome.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cThere are two general views. The first one maintains that, since the current Church\u2019s problem comes from the Curia, we should elect someone outside the Curia; the second contests that there is a need for an internal leader, since the first commitment of the new Pope should be the Curia reform.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tTo be clear, the main point of divergence is not tied to doctrinal differences but is more about who is better qualified to carry out reform and push ahead with some of Benedict XVI\u2019s initiatives.<\/p>\n
\tMeanwhile, those cardinals who work in the Curia or are connected to it were able to tie up some of the schedule of the cardinals who want an outsider to reform the Curia. They did this by announcing a Eucharistic adoration and Vespers ceremony for the afternoon of March 6 in St. Peter\u2019s Basilica.<\/p>\n
\tA commission of three cardinals that was chosen at random to assist the dean with his duties, for three days, advanced the idea for the ceremony. The group consists of Cardinals Re, Sepe and Rod\u00e9 \u2013 all proponents of a candidate from the Curia \u2013 along with the Colleges of Cardinals\u2019 chamberlain, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.<\/p>\n
\tThe prayer meeting will be held in St. Peter\u2019s Basilica tonight at 5:00 p.m. The cardinals are not required to attend, and it might be possible to draw a rough sketch of the groups that will operate inside the conclave based on who is present or not.<\/p>\n
\tAs for the names being floated right now as potential candidates for the next Pope, the general feeling among Vatican analysts is that these are just \u201ctrial balloons\u201d and that the curiali and shepherds from outside the Curia will go with someone not yet in the limelight.<\/p>\n
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Rome, Italy, Mar 6, 2013 \/ 03:57 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- “We are not ready to enter the conclave,” Cardinal Francis George of Chicago plainly told the Italian newspaper La Stampa today, adding, “I never felt that we would begin the concl…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2508","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-vatican"],"yoast_head":"\n
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