Was Predator Cardinal McCarrick a Key U.S. Lobbyist for Pope Francis’ Election?

LifeSite News ^ | 6/27/18 | Elizabeth Yore

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June 27, 2018 (LifeSiteNews) – A mere seven months after the election of Pope Francis, Catholics got a peek behind the election curtain of the political machinations in the selection of Jorge Bergoglio, from none other than Cardinal Theodore McCarrick.

On October 11, 2013, the now-disgraced retired cardinal of Washington, DC disclosed in a speech at Villanova University that he was asked to lobby for the election of Jorge Bergoglio as Pontiff.

With his soft grandfatherly voice and disarming Irish wit, McCarrick weaved Bergoglio stories, and boasted of his close relationship with the Argentine papabile. Curiously, McCarrick described a meeting with a mysterious unnamed Italian who sought him out and urged him to lobby for Bergoglio for Pope.

McCarrick told the audience that before the cardinal electors “went into the general conversations,” he was approached by “a very interesting and influential Italian gentleman.” The influential Italian visited McCarrick at the seminary where McCarrick was staying in Rome. This “very brilliant man, very influential man in Rome” said, “What about Bergoglio? Does he have a chance?” McCarrick said he was surprised at the question, and replied, “I don’t think so because no one’s mentioned his name.”

The man said, referring to Bergoglio, “He could do it, you know, reform the church.” McCarrick commented, “That was the first time I’d heard there were people who thought Bergoglio was a possibility in this election.”

McCarrick did not disclose the name of this mysterious “Italian gentleman” who felt comfortable enough with McCarrick to persuade him to lobby the Conclave for the election of the reformer Bergoglio and also asked McCarrick for a favor back in D.C.

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Today is McCarrick’s birthday.