VATICAN CITY
BBC News
Gavin Hewitt
In the cardinals’ last meeting before the Conclave, there was tension and division.
It was a reminder – if any was needed – that the choice of pope is not just about selecting the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church. It is also about power.
During Monday afternoon one of the most powerful brokers in the Vatican hierarchy returned to the sensitive subject of the Vatican Bank. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone is not just the Vatican’s secretary of state, he is one of the most influential figures in the Roman Curia, the bureaucracy. He had taken exception to some of the criticism of the running of the bank.
The bank has been the source of scandal with concerns about money-laundering. Last week one of the Brazilian cardinals, Joao Braz de Aviz, criticised the management of the Vatican finances and his comments got in the papers. Cardinal Bertone accused him of leaking his criticisms. Not only did the Brazilian cardinal deny this but other cardinals applauded him.
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone is seen here with Pope Benedict XVI (background)
What these exchanges laid bare was that the Curia is at the heart of the decision as to who will be the next pope.
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