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Straits Times
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Papal contender Parolin is a soft-spoken, longtime Vatican diplomat
FILE PHOTO: Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin looks on at the end of the Rosary for Pope Francis at the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore), following the death of the pontiff, in Rome, Italy, April 22, 2025. REUTERS/Susana Vera/File Photo FILE PHOTO: Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin walks after kissing the cross during the Good Friday Passion of the Lord service in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, April 18, 2025. REUTERS/Yara Nardi/File Photo FILE PHOTO: Cardinal Pietro Parolin leads the Holy Mass to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II in Saint Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican April 2, 2025. REUTERS/Yara Nardi/File Photo VATICAN CITY - - If the Catholic cardinals entering the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis are looking for a steady administrator to run the Church and bring some calm after three consecutive papacies that were at times tempestuous, they may look no further than Pietro Parolin. On nearly every media shortlist of papal contenders, Parolin has been the Vatican's secretary of state for the last 12 years, effectively the number two position in the Church. He is also the Vatican's top diplomat. The two roles mean Parolin - a 70-year-old from a small town in Italy's deeply Catholic northern Veneto region - is perhaps the candidate best known to the 133 cardinal electors who will enter the Sistine Chapel for the start of the secret conclave on Wednesday. Cardinals who have visited Rome from around the world on Church business have met him and he has visited most of their countries. Two cardinals from two African countries, for example, probably know Parolin just as well or even better than they know each other. Under Francis, who died on April 21, the number of occasions all the world's cardinals could meet altogether in Rome was limited. "We have to get to know each other" has been a common refrain to reporters from otherwise tight-lipped cardinals entering and leaving pre-conclave meetings known as "General Congregations". Parolin is seen as a quiet diplomat who is pragmatic more than conservative or progressive. He occasionally had to quietly put out fires caused by the late pope's remarks. Francis, an Argentine who was the first pope from the Americas, gave media interviews and sometimes spoke off the cuff in public. "He (Parolin) knows how to take a punch for the number one and for the institution," said one cleric currently based abroad who has worked with him and has known him for many years, who asked not to be identified because of the secretive nature of the conclave. One such recent occasion was when the late pope suggested last year that Israel's military campaign in Gaza might amount to genocide. Parolin agreed to meet with then-Israeli ambassador to the Vatican, Raphael Schutz, who told him that Israel wanted the pope to say more about Israel's right to defend itself. When Francis said Ukraine should have the "courage of the white flag" to end the war there, the comment drew widespread criticism from allies of Kyiv but was hailed by Russia. Parolin quietly told diplomats that the pope meant negotiations, not surrender. CAREER FOCUSED ON DIPLOMACY Parolin entered the minor seminary when he was 14 and was ordained in 1980. He has spent nearly all of his career in Vatican diplomacy, in Rome and around the world. He has never headed a Catholic diocese, which would have given him more pastoral experience. But those who know him say this is not a deficit because in running an organization as complex as the Vatican's central administration and representing the pope around the world, he has had many contacts with many members of the faithful. "He traveled to many places and dealt with all categories of people in diverse regional, cultural and linguistic environments. He knows the universal Church," the overseas cleric said. Some conservative-leaning cardinals in the U.S. and Asia have expressed disagreement with Parolin because he is the main architect of a secret 2018 Vatican agreement with China. They call the deal, which gives Chinese authorities some say in who will serve as Catholic bishops, a sell-out to the Communist Party. Supporters say it is better than no dialogue at all between the Church and China and that even Pope Benedict, known as more conservative than Francis, favored it. Another criticism is that under Parolin's watch the Secretariat of State lost some $140 million in a botched investment in a London property. The deal led to a Vatican corruption trial in which Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who was one of Parolin's top deputies, was convicted of embezzlement and fraud. Parolin testified at the trial but was not among those accused. Becciu denies wrongdoing and is appealing the verdict. Parolin's personality is definitely not as charismatic as that of Francis, but some cardinals may see that as a plus. "Parolin is like Clark Kent without the superman part - mild-mannered, industrious, respected, but not flashy," said one person, a layman, who knows him well, referring to the famous comic book character with two personalities. 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The Journal
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Conclave campaign: Leading Rosary prayers and addressing Cardinals, the moves behind the scenes
ON TUESDAY MORNING, just over 24 hours after Pope Francis's death was announced to the world by Irish-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the College of Cardinals met in the Vatican. There are 252 cardinals, but only 135 are under 80 and therefore eligible to vote in the Conclave to elect a new pope. Francis himself appointed 108 of these 135 voting Cardinals and while many are aligned with his thinking, not all are. Cardinal Fridolin Besungu of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who is thought to be a contender for the next pope , has openly opposed Francis's decision to allow priests to bless same-sex couples. There was some upset at the swift pace of the first meeting of Cardinals following Francis's death, officially titled the first General Congregation of the College of Cardinals . Cardinals had received a letter on Monday summoning them to the Vatican in 'preparation for the Conclave', and Cardinals over 80 and without a Conclave vote were also invited to attend. The first General Congregation of Cardinals took place Tuesday morning at the Vatican following the death of Pope Francis. Around 60 cardinals gathered for prayer. They solemnly took an oath to faithfully observe the norms governing the interregnum and the election of the new… — EWTN Vatican (@EWTNVatican) April 22, 2025 Some 60 Cardinals were in attendance, but Cardinal Joseph Zen from Hong Kong noted it was virtually impossible for many Cardinals from far-flung regions to attend. At 93, Zen is too old to partake in the Conclave and at this first meeting of Cardinals, a decision was made on the date of Francis's funeral, as well as decision to suspend the canonisation of the Church's first millennial saint, Carlo Acutis. 'Cardinal Zen would like to know why the first session of the General Congregations has to start so early,' he wrote in a statement posted to social media. The second General Congregation took place the next morning on Wednesday, with 103 Cardinals in attendance. This meeting lasted around 90 minutes and the third meeting took place this morning. It lasted close to three hours and 113 Cardinals were there. The 113 Cardinals present in Rome held the third General Congregation on Thursday morning, and announced who will deliver the two pre-conclave meditations. They agreed that Fr. Donato Ogliari, O.S.B., Abbot of St. Paul Outside the Walls, will deliver the first meditation on… — Vatican News (@VaticanNews) April 24, 2025 As well as confirming the meditations which will open up the Conclave, Cardinals were also able to take part in a 'conversation about the Church and the world'. Advertisement Some 34 Cardinals chose to speak – it is not known who spoke, but it is likely they did so with the Conclave in mind. As per the rules of the Church, the Conclave has to take place some time between 6 May and 11 May. The next General Congregation will take place tomorrow morning at 9am. Meanwhile, a Rosary will take place tonight and tomorrow night outside the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, which is where Francis will be buried. He will be the first pope since Leo XIII, who died in 1903, to be buried outside of the Vatican. Image of Francis' tomb in Saint Mary Major Vatican Vatican Tonight's Rosary will be led by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. It could provide a good means for Tagle to position himself at the next pope in the minds of fellow Cardinals. Tagle is Asia's frontrunner for the papacy, a charismatic moderate who has not been afraid to criticise the Church for its shortcomings, including over sexual abuse of minors. Fluent in English, he is an eloquent speaker with self-deprecating humour and, like Francis, is a leading advocate for the poor, migrants and marginalised people. Luis Antonio Tagle Alamy Alamy He had already been considered a candidate for pope in the 2013 conclave in which Francis was elected following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. Tomorrow's Rosary meanwhile will be presided over by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa. Pizzaballa is the top Catholic in the Middle East, with an archdiocese encompassing Israel, the Palestinian territories, Jordan and Cyprus. The Italian was made a cardinal in September 2023, shortly before the war broke out between Israel and Hamas. In October 2023, Pizzaballa offered himself in exchange for those held hostage by Hamas. 'If this can lead to freedom and bring those children back home, no problem. On my part, absolute willingness,' said Pizzaballa at the time. Related Reads Which world leaders are attending the Pope's funeral this weekend? The Drimnagh-born Cardinal running the Vatican following the death of Pope Francis Progressive versus traditionalist? The polarising issues that will define the next pope Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa arrives for a college of cardinals' meeting at the Vatican today Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo He has also appealed for peace from both sides, and at Christmas in 2024 led Mass both in Gaza and in Jerusalem. There hasn't been an Italian pope since the September Pope, John Paul I, who died on 28 September, 1978, a mere 33 days into his papacy. The Italian Church would be keen for another Italian pope after a drought, while there would be great symbolism to having a new pope with such intimate knowledge of the Middle East. However, for the first time in history, fewer than half of Cardinal electors will be from Europe and perhaps they will be keen to have a new leader from outside of Europe. Elsewhere, other contenders deemed to be 'papabile' include Pietro Parolin and Peter Turkson. Parolin had been the number two at the Vatican during nearly all of Francis's papacy, acting as Vatican Secretary of State. Pietro Parolin PA PA He is known to many world leaders, having travelled the globe, but also to many inside the Roman Curia, the government of the Holy See. A member of Francis's Council of Cardinals, an advisory body, Parolin played a key role in the historic 2018 deal between the Holy See and China on the appointment of bishops. This deal gave Chinese officials some input into who Francis appointed as bishops in the country, and in return the underground Catholic Church in China was given more freedom. Turkson meanwhile is one of the Church's most influential Cardinals from Africa, although he said in 2010 that he didn't want to become the first black pope, insisting any such pope would 'have a rough time' . Peter Turkson Alamy Alamy Born into a humble family of 10 children, Turkson speaks six languages and has visited the World Economic Forum in Davos multiple times to convince business leaders of the perils of trickle-down economics. The Church in Africa booming and the number of Catholics globally is set to increase, rather than decrease, with the continent more than making up for losses in Europe and the western world. Perhaps Cardinals will be keen to reward a region where the faith is flourishing and in good health. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Star
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Convicted cardinal wants to vote for pope; his brother prelates must decide
FILE PHOTO: Cardinal Angelo Becciu greets Cardinal Matteo Zuppi during a consistory ceremony to elevate Roman Catholic prelates to the rank of cardinal, at Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, August 27, 2022. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Cardinals in meetings ahead of the start of a secret conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis are scratching the hair under their red skull caps as they try to decide whether a cardinal convicted of embezzlement and fraud can join in the vote. Their quandary concerns Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who in December 2023 was sentenced to 5-1/2 years in jail. He was the most senior Catholic Church official ever to stand trial before a Vatican criminal court. Becciu has denied all wrongdoing and is appealing the court's ruling. The Italian cardinal, who is free pending his appeal, did not immediately return a message asking for comment on Thursday. His complex legal standing in Church law goes back to the night of September 24, 2020, when Francis summoned Becciu to his residence and summarily fired him from the job as head of the Vatican department that decides who will be saints, as the cardinal recounted. Francis bluntly accused a shocked Becciu of nepotism and embezzlement, saying: "I no longer have trust in you." The pope allowed Becciu to keep his ecclesiastical title and his Vatican apartment but stripped him of what the Vatican said were "the rights associated with the Cardinalate". At the time, Becciu said this included losing the right to take part in a future conclave. Under Church law, cardinals under the age of 80 can enter the Sistine Chapel for a secret conclave where they cast their votes under the gaze of a severe God depicted in Michelangelo's Last Judgement fresco behind the main altar. The conclave is not expected to start before May 6. About 135 cardinals are currently eligible to take part. On its website, the Vatican lists the 76-year-old Becciu as a "non-elector," lumping him with those who have reached the age of 80. Between the time of his sacking and the end of the trial, Becciu had several meetings with the pope, including at a Mass in the cardinal's private chapel. CARDINAL SAYS STATUS HAS CHANGED Becciu says his status has changed since that night in 2020 when the pope punished him. Becciu told L'Unione Sarda, the main newspaper on his native island of Sardinia, that the Vatican list of non-eligible cardinals "has no legal value," that there had been "no explicit willingness" to bar him from the conclave and that he had never been asked to formally renounce the privilege in writing. In briefings since the pope died on Monday, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni has repeatedly declined to answer questions about Becciu's position, suggesting he may tackle the topic after Francis' funeral on Saturday. Before the conclave starts, all cardinals, regardless of their age, can take part in daily meetings known as General Congregations, where they mainly discuss the day-to-day business of running the 1.4 billion-member Roman Catholic Church. Most cardinals entering the Vatican for the General Congregations have not spoken to reporters or have declined to discuss the Becciu issue. All that Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi, 81, would say on Thursday as he entered the Vatican was that the cardinals – all the roughly 250 prelates, including electors and non-electors - would have to decide as a group. (Reporting by Philip Pullella; additional reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Business Recorder
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Cardinals to meet after death of Pope Francis, plan for funeral
VATICAN CITY: Cardinals were due to meet on Tuesday to plan Pope Francis' funeral, which leaders from around the world will attend ahead of a conclave next month to elect a new head of the Roman Catholic Church. Francis, 88, died unexpectedly on Monday after suffering a stroke and cardiac arrest, the Vatican said, ending an often turbulent reign in which he repeatedly clashed with traditionalists and championed the poor and marginalised. The pontiff spent five weeks in hospital earlier this year for double pneumonia. But he returned to his Vatican home almost a month ago and had seemed to be recovering, appearing in St. Peter's Square on Easter Sunday. Key dates in the life of Pope Francis His sudden death set in motion ancient rituals, as the 1.4-billion-member Church started the transition from one pope to another, including the breaking of the pope's 'Fisherman's Ring' and lead seal so they cannot be used by anyone else. 'We want to thank the Lord for the gifts he has given to the whole Church with the apostolic ministry of Pope Francis, a pilgrim of hope,' said Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, who led prayers in St. Peter's Square on Monday evening. All cardinals currently in Rome have been invited to gather in the Vatican at 9 a.m (0700 GMT), where they were expected to make funeral plans. U.S. President Donald Trump, who clashed repeatedly with the pope about immigration, said he and his wife would fly to Rome for the event. Among other heads of state set to attend were Javier Milei, president of Francis' native Argentina. The Vatican has said it expects the ceremony to take place sometime between Friday and Sunday. In a break from tradition, Francis confirmed in his final testament released on Monday that he wished to be buried in Rome's Basilica of Saint Mary Major and not St. Peter's Basilica. The gathering of cardinals will also review the day-to-day running of the Church in the period before a new pope is elected. A conclave to choose a new pope normally takes place 15 to 20 days after the death of a pontiff, meaning it should not start before May 6. Some 135 cardinals are eligible to participate in the highly secretive ballot which can stretch over days. Progressive Pope Francis inherited a Church in disarray and worked hard to overhaul the Vatican's central administration, root out corruption and, after a slow start, confront the scourge of child abuse within the ranks of the priesthood. He often clashed with conservatives, nostalgic for a traditional past, who saw Francis as overly liberal and too accommodating to minority groups, such as the LGBTQ community. Francis appointed nearly 80% of the cardinal electors scattered across the world who will choose the next pope, increasing, but not guaranteeing, the possibility that his successor will continue his progressive policies. Many of the cardinals are little known outside their own countries and they will have a chance to get to know one another at meetings known as General Congregations that take place in the days before a conclave starts and where a profile of the qualities needed for the next pope will take shape. Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff, dies at 88, Vatican says The Vatican said late Monday that staff and officials within the Holy See could immediately start to pay their respects before the pope's body at the Santa Marta residence, where Francis set up home in 2013, shunning the grand, apostolic palace his predecessors had lived in. His body could be moved to St. Peter's Basilica as early as Wednesday morning for the faithful to visit, the Vatican said.
CBS News
21-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
What role will Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich have in the papal conclave to select next pope?
Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich will soon be on his way to Rome to fulfill his duty as a voting member of the College of Cardinals, the body that will elect the next pope in a process called conclave. The Vatican announced Pope Francis died early Monday morning after 12 years leading the Roman Catholic Church, leaving Catholics worldwide in mourning and many wondering what comes next . The pope's death triggers a nine-day period of mourning called Novemdiales, a tradition that dates back to Roman times. The pope's funeral must be held within four to six days of his death and will be held in St. Peter's Square, weather permitting. Cardinal Cupich, who has long had a close relationship with Rome and with Pope Francis himself , will attend Pope Francis' funeral, the Archdiocese of Chicago said. Cupich will leave for Rome after holding a memorial Mass for the pontiff Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Holy Name Cathedral. While he is in Rome, Cupich will join other cardinals from around the world to begin meeting in "General Congregations," a campaigning period where papal candidates give speeches mapping out their visions for the future of the church. Cupich is not considered to be a candidate to become the next pope. The conclave itself begins 15 to 20 days after the pope's death. The Cardinal Electros gather at the Vatican and isolate themselves in the Sistine Chapel to choose the next vote. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote for the next pope, a group that currently includes Cardinal Cupich among about 135 members. The next pope must receive a two-thirds-plus-one majority to be officially elected. The ballots are burned after each round of voting, and their smoke is a signal to the world about the outcome: black smoke for no choice, and white smoke to signal a new pope has been chosen. Cupich was elevated to cardinal from archbishop by Pope Francis in 2016 . This will be his first, and likely last, conclave; he is 76 years old.
