VATICAN CITY
Vatican Insider
Things turned sour towards yesterday’s General Congregation, the third in the series of pre-Conclave meetings: “Discussions are still too general”
Andrea Tornielli
Vatican City
In a speech given during yesterday’s General Congregation, a foreign cardinal asked for some information on two individuals who are allegedly mentioned in the Vatileaks scandal dossier prepared by the three-man investigation commission . But the Camerlengo, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone and the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Angelo Sodano, sent an internal communiqué urging those present not to “name names” if they are not “certain”, as they could risk fomenting a climate of suspicion and resentment.
Italian newspaper La Stampa has learnt that the two individuals referred to yesterday were not members of the clergy but laymen. One of them does not work in the Holy See but has had frequent contact and collaborated to a high level with Holy See institutions. The other is a Vatican employee. The foreign cardinal’s frank request indicated that although the Vatileaks case is not the focal point of discussions ahead of the Conclave, many are keen to learn more about the contents of the dossier that will end up in the hands of the new Pope.
“The Church in today’s world and the requirements of the new Evangelisation,” the reform of the Curia and “relations between the Holy See, the dicasteries and the Episcopates” and the profile of the new Pope are the big topics discussed during the fourth General Congregation yesterday. The meeting was attended by 153 cardinals, 113 of whom will be entering the Sistine Chapel to elect Ratzinger’s successor. The Prefect of Propaganda Fide, Cardinal Fernando Filoni, gave a presentation of his dicastery, illustrating figures and other data about missionary lands. The Prefect of the Clergy, Mauro Piacenza also gave a speech about the priesthood and vocations. Meanwhile, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, who is over 80 and therefore not eligible to vote in the Conclave, traced an outline of the future Pope’s profile. In tune with what other cardinals said in their speeches over the past few days, the former Vicar of Rome suggested electing a “dynamic” Pope who is young enough to adequately deal with the challenges currently faced by the Church.
Two influential members of the Curia gave speeches, in which they gave different perspectives on the unprecedented question of the “Pope Emeritus” title. Never in the history of the Catholic Church did a Pope resign due to old age so no one ever had to ask the question of what title he should be given. The issue was also addressed by the Prefect of the Congregation Marc Ouellet, a papabile and the American Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, Raymond Leo Burke
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