Curia Silences U.S. Cardinals: “you Talk Too Much”

By Giacomo Galeazzi
Vatican Insider
March 7, 2013

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/conclave-22951/


All 114 cardinal electors have now arrived in Rome so the College of Cardinals can finally decide on a date for their entry to the Sistine Chapel. During the Congregations, cardinals discussed thepossibility of beginning the election process Sunday or Monday. This morning the remaining few cardinal electors swore an oath of secrecy and in the afternoon the Conclave start-date could be announced. The arrival of cardinals Nycz (Poland), Lehmann (Germany), Naguib (Egypt) and Tong Hin (China), has marked the beginning of the X-Hour. “The decision can now legitimately be made,” said the jurist, Archbishop Sciacca who is assisting Bertone during the sede vacante period.

There is still no decision on the date but the Curia has imposed a media blackout so cardinals are not allowed to give information tot he press. Tensions have been rising in the past few days, leading to yesterday morning's clash between “Romans” and “foreigners”.

The Dean of the College of Cardinals, Angelo Sodano and the Camerlengo, Bertone (who have formed an alliance against cardinals outside the Curia after eight years of mutual hostility) did everything in their power to contain the solid group of U.S. cardinals. In the name of transparency, U.S. cardinals had held a series of parallel news briefings with the press on the issues relating to the Conclave. The briefings were held at the Pontifical North American College where the cardinals are currently staying. For this reason on Monday Rigali, the U.S. cardinal who is closest to the Curia, was given the task, through Re, of letting his group know that these news briefings were inappropriate. On Tuesday, Sodano supporter Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo also had a go at urging them to stop: “Americans talk tot he press more because it's their style, they are expansive.” A glasnost which violates a century-old tradition of discretion and stealthy caution. The American cardinals finally gave in to growing pressure from the Vatican, cancelling their umpteenth press briefing. The Vatican's irritation came like a slap in the face in the midst of the Synod Hall. "Concern was expressed in the general congregation about leaks of confidential proceedings,” the U.S. cardinals' spokesman Mary Ann Walsh later explained. Dolan's 14:30 press conference was cancelled an hour before it was due to start.

“As a precaution, the cardinals have agreed not to do interviews,” Sister Walsh added, saying that complaints were mainly in relation to the cardinals' interviews with the Italian media (in particular one report published by Italian daily La Stampa)who use some cardinals as sources. If U.S. cardinals came to Rome with the conviction that Benedict XVI's butler was not the only one to blame for the leak of confidential Holy See documents but that poor Curia governance was also to blame, this has only strengthened everyone is mutually responsible for the their belief. The term “leaks” (like Wikileaks and Vatileaks), used twice by Mary Ann Walsh is not coincidental. Vatican spokesman, Fr. Federico Lombardi clarified that “everyone” in the College of Cardinals “has a shared responsibility in the process that is under way and each cardinal needs to be able to balance their duty of confidentiality with other duties.”

There has been growing friction over the past few days. The two approaches are too different: one is highly reserved an approach espoused particularly by Italian cardinals and the other, taken by U.S. cardinals advocates an openness towards the media and a willingness to discuss any issue, from Vatileaks to the sex abuse scandal to the Conclave schedule, to the Curia. The press embargo which the “Roman faction” has imposed on the Americans could cause a dramatic boomerang effect. A starts and stripes pope is considered a plausible possibility even by Ruini supporter Dino Boffo. “ “I would not be surprised if a candidate from the New World was chosen.” The director of the bishops' TV pointed to the model that helped the Church in the fight against the sex abuse scandal: “Just look at the Boston diocese which was among the worst hit; now the Seminary is full and faithful have started making offerings again.” A sign we have been going in the right direction. Yesterday afternoon a prayer session was held in St. Peter's Basilica (presided over by Comastri and not by Soddano as had been announced) to invoke the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Conclave.

On the day of the U.S. bishops' media briefing was cancelled, the Vatican secretary of State sent its first tweet from its TerzaLoggia account. It read: “At this very special time, the Secretariat of State joins the whole Church in praying for the new Pope.” But members of the Conclave must now keep stum. “Tacite ora”.