Free Republic

The explosive indictment against Pope Francis by the former nuncio in the United States Carlo Maria Viganò has obscured the other controversial points of this pontificate. In particular, that of communion for the divorced and remarried. Francis has never replied to the “dubia” raised in this regard by four authoritative cardinals. Nor has he ever had any interest in receiving them. While in the meantime he has agreed that the “liberal” interpretations of his post-synodal exhortation “Amoris Laetitia” should be put into practice.In recent weeks, however, another cardinal of the highest caliber has taken the field to reiterate the ‘no’...

Last night black smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel smoke stack, leaving no doubt that a single cardinal was unable to reach the two-thirds of the vote needed to be elected the next Pope. In 2005, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger – according to a cardinal’s diary published in 2006 in the Italian magazine Limes – got 47 votes out of 115 on the first scrutiny, and the consensus around him grew until he overtook the two-thirds margin on the fourth vote and was elected Pope. The election lasted less than one full day. But this time around, will there be...

discussions and six General Congregations, the groups and the strongest "papabili" are emerging more clearly in the meeting room but even more so in the face to face talks taking place away from prying eyes. Among them is the Archbishop of Milan, Angelo Scola, who is coming to the fore. He has been considered one of the possible candidates for the Papal Seat right from the beginning; the votes of several American cardinals and of other European cardinal electors, from Germany to Eastern Europe, as well as those of some Italians, could be cast for him. It is important to...

I saw in the Bolletino today that at Castel Gandolfo Pope Benedict XVI imposed the pallium today on Angelo Card. Scola, the new Archbishop of Milan.In the normal course of events, the Pope gives the pallium to newly appointed archbishops on the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul in St. Peter’s in Rome.The Pope can give the pallium to whom it pleaseth His Holiness of Our Lord to do so. The Pope can choose when and where to do this.This unusual move, however, underscores the importance of the Archdiocese of Milan. The imposition also could have been accelerated by the...

NPR.org, April 2, 2005 · "Tip O'Neill was correct," says Father Tom Reese, editor in chief of America, the Catholic weekly magazine. "All politics is local... even in the Catholic Church." Reese suggests that instead of focusing on the possible papal candidates as a bookie would look at horses in the starting gate, try to think about the election from the point of view of the electors, the cardinals who cast the votes. "Each cardinal is thinking, how will this candidate go over in my diocese?" Reese says. "If you're from the Third World, you're concerned with people who are...

<p>Sickness is not preventing John Paul II from fighting out his last battle. But in the meantime, maneuvers over his succession are underway.</p> <p>In short, two or three Italian candidates might enter the conclave and jockey for leadership, as happened between Giuseppe Siri and Giovanni Benelli in the memorable head-to-head of the second conclave of 1978, the one from which a new man, Wojtyla, finally emerged.</p>