Why did the Cardinals pick Francis? That's a topic of considerable debate amongst concerned Catholics just now.
Keep in mind that every one of those Cardinals in the 2013 Conclave was an appointee either by John XXIII or Benedict XVI. In other words (to use a sloppy but still serviceable term), appointed by "conservatives."
Better to say: "appointed by Catholic Catholics."
I'm far, far from being an insider Vaticanista, but what I'm hearing is:
- the Cardinals knew that the Roman Curia is such a swamp that they were willing to go with a virtually unknown man who was not only from outside of Italy but outside of Europe, in a different hemisphere even, who would hopefully not be BFF with the swamp dwellers and be able to drain the swamp.
- After Ratzinger/Pope Benedict's election in 2005, the remnants of the "St. Gallen Group" (a klatch of very liberal cardinals, who really hated Ratzinger and jokingly called themselves "the mafia") morphed into "Team Bergoglio" and lobbied to get him elected. This is a violation of Canon Law if there were actual tit-for-tat deals made, and is supposed incur excommunication. But if your guy wins, who's going to enforce an excommunication?
Hey fellow Catholic FReepers: what do YOU think happened?