At 11:24 PM Sunday 4/3/2005, Dan Minette wrote:
----- Original Message ----- From: "JOHN GIORGIS" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Killer Bs Discussion" <brin-l@mccmedia.com> Sent: Sunday, April 03, 2005 8:23 PM Subject: Re: New Pope?
> I don't know what source Dan is using to call a Nigerian and > a Brazilian the "leading candidates" - but I would point out > that there is an old Roman saying, "he who enters the > conclave a Pope leaves the conclave a cardinal." I don't > put much stock in "frontrunners" as if there is some kind > of "horserace" going on....
> I'm sure that there is a lot of talk about the "politics" of > picking a new Pope, but it is important to remember that the > Conclave strives to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit in > picking the next Pope.
Striving to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit doesn't stop them from being human. The church is both of the world and of the spirit. The cardinals bring different discernments to the table; and the process they go through is inherently political. That doesn't stop them from acting faithfully to how they understand they are called by the Holy Spirit.
But, the actions of the conclave of cardinals is, as you said, hard to predict. In a real sense, individual front runners merely represent the types of choices that the cardinals can make. They can decide that a pope who has a direct understanding and relations with the Third World is most important, or will the Europeans feel that the traditions of the church call them to vote for an Italian. Will they feel that the church needs a caretaker, or will they worry about a pope in his mid-seventies falling ill soon...and then being incapacitated for years? For, even granting that they are inspired (I'd be very surprised if they were not seeking a spirit of discernment), it will still be humans making the decision...with all the limitations inherent in humans.
I was raised in a home with folks who were very involved in church politics. All the people who were involved were faithful Catholics. My uncle was a missionary and pushed hard for Vatican II changes even before Vatican II. My mother's uncle, Fr. Mike, was chancellor of the St. Cloud diocese. Later, my mother's uncle, Fr. Al, was Vicar General. Our own family's lives revolved around my parents involvement with the church. My family knew bishops as old family friends.
So, I grew up never questioning whether the natural political nature of human activities and an honest seeking of God's will could coexist. From the examples I had before me, it was obvious that the did.
Dan M.
Sounds like the piece on the topic on last night's _60 Minutes_ . . .
--Ronn! :)
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