Some Cardinals Get Chatty After Conclave

Guardian ^ | April 20, 2005 | DANIELA PETROFF

[NYer]

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Whatever happened to the sacred oath of secrecy?

Cardinals were sworn to silence about everything that happened during deliberations in the Sistine Chapel to choose a new pope. But within hours of the conclave, some German cardinals - delighted about the choice of their countryman, Joseph Ratzinger - spilled some of the secrets.

Cardinal Joachim Meisner told reporters Tuesday night that the new Pope Benedict XVI was elected on the fourth ballot - the first of the afternoon session. He added that Ratzinger got more than the required two-thirds support.

``It was done without an electoral battle, and without propaganda,'' the archbishop of Cologne told reporters at a residence for German priests in Vatican City. ``For me it was a miracle.''

There was spontaneous applause as soon as cardinals realized Ratzinger had won, Meisner said.

``And I burst out crying,'' he added.

Meisner and three other German cardinals spent about 45 minutes answering questions about the conclave and didn't seem worried about commenting despite their vow of silence - which Ratzinger led himself, as dean of the College of Cardinals, when the conclave began Monday.

One by one, cardinals filed up to a Book of the Gospels and placed their right hands on it. Ratzinger's admonition read, in part: ``We promise and swear not to break this secret in any way...'' To guard against high-tech leaks by cellular phones, there were even electronic jamming devices under a false floor in the chapel.

One query the cardinals wouldn't answer is exactly how many votes Ratzinger garnered.

``We've already said enough,'' said Cardinal Georg Maximilian Sterzinsky, the archbishop of Berlin.

Meisner gave a few clues about the new pope's emotional reaction on being named. He said Benedict XVI looked ``a little forlorn'' when he went to change into his papal vestments in the Room of Tears - which earned its nickname because many new pontiffs get choked up there, realizing the enormity of their mission.

``I was worried, because when he came back dressed in his white vestments, I thought he had forgotten his skullcap,'' Meisner said. ``But then I realized his hair is as white as his skullcap.''

Meisner added: ``By the time dinner came around, Ratzinger was looking much better and very much like the pope.''

The new pope asked cardinals to dine together on bean soup, cold cuts, a salad and fruit, Meisner said. The nuns who prepare their meals didn't have time to plan a special menu, so there were only two special treats - ice cream and champagne.

Some U.S. cardinals also offered insight about why the vote went to Ratzinger.

New York Cardinal Edward Egan, who worked for years in Rome and at the Vatican, was asked whether the new pope had the support of Catholics in Latin America and Africa.

``Obviously, he must have had support from the Third World,'' he responded. Going into the vote, there was much speculation about the possibility of a pope from the developing world, where most Roman Catholics live.

Philadelphia Cardinal Justin Rigali, who worked for more than two decades in Vatican diplomacy, said the decision to choose Ratzinger was not made in the days leading up to the conclave or as a result of Ratzinger's moving homily at Pope John Paul II's funeral.

``Decisions like this are not made on how a person impresses you in the last five minutes, the last hours, the last days,'' he said.

Rigali said the cardinals in the conclave thought about what John Paul had accomplished. Ratzinger was close to the late pope.

``We were looking for a successor of (St.) Peter,'' the first pope, Rigali said. ``We were looking for a successor of John Paul II. All of us were talking about the incredible qualities of John Paul II, knowing the world is calling him 'The Great.'''

[SuziQ]

he's gonna get a lot more lonely in the next few years until his resignation is snatched up on his 75th birthday.

I'm kinda hoping that in the next few years, we'll hear the announcement that Pope Benedict XVI has reluctantly accepted the early resignation of Cardinal Mahoney for 'health' reasons.

[SuziQ]

I wonder when the LA Times is going to start doing breathless reports about Diocesan Cover ups, a la, the Boston Globe.

I, for one, will not be holding my breath waiting.

[CdMGuy]

I am still in search of any Catholic living in the Los Angeles Archdiocese who has one iota of respect for Cardinal Roger Mahony. Sure glad I live in the Diocese of Orange.

[JohnnyZ]

I'm kinda hoping that in the next few years Mahony takes Cardinal George as a role model and becomes a new man.

Whose hope do you think is more likely? ;)

[mware]

I miss John Cardinal O'Connor.

[maryz]

I wonder when the LA Times is going to start doing breathless reports about Diocesan Cover ups

There have been faint rumors from time to time that came to nothing, at least so far. My own guess would be when it suits their own purposes because:

1. Mahony for some reason ceases to be useful to them;
2. Mahony is replaced by a conservative bishop; or
3. Mahony and/or the LA Times "get religion" (for all things are possible with God -- though I think Jimmy the Greek would say, "That's not the way to bet!").

We do live in interesting times -- as the old Chinese curse had it!

[mombonn]

I'm not Catholic, but I loved Pope John Paul 2, and expect to love this new Pope as well.

[NYer]

I'm not Catholic, but I loved Pope John Paul 2, and expect to love this new Pope as well.

"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen." - Matthew 28:18-20

"When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some [say that thou art] John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ." - Matthew 16:13-20

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew [it] unto you." - John 16:13-14

"So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep." - John 21:15-17

"Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." - Matthew 18:18

"Surprising every prevision I had, Divine Providence, through the will of the venerable Cardinal Fathers, called me to succeed this great Pope. I have been thinking in these hours about what happened in the region of Cesarea of Phillippi two thousand years ago: I seem to hear the words of Peter: 'You are Christ, the Son of the living God,' and the solemn affirmation of the Lord: 'You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church ... I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven'.

"You are Christ! You are Peter! It seems I am reliving this very Gospel scene; I, the Successor of Peter, repeat with trepidation the anxious words of the fisherman from Galilee and I listen again with intimate emotion to the reassuring promise of the divine Master. If the weight of the responsibility that now lies on my poor shoulders is enormous, the divine power on which I can count is surely immeasurable: 'You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church'. Electing me as the Bishop of Rome, the Lord wanted me as his Vicar, he wished me to be the 'rock' upon which everyone may rest with confidence. I ask him to make up for the poverty of my strength, that I may be a courageous and faithful pastor of His flock, always docile to the inspirations of His Spirit.

"I undertake this special ministry, the 'Petrine' ministry at the service of the Universal Church, with humble abandon to the hands of the Providence of God. And it is to Christ in the first place that I renew my total and trustworthy adhesion: 'In Te, Domine, speravi; non confundar in aeternum!'
Text of Pope Benedict XVI's message given at first Mass in Sistine Chapel

[brooklyn dave]

so do I