Papal Conclave - 2007 The Vatican - Habemus Papam... Leo XIV!!!

[J. J.]

Yea.

[J. J.]

"I would ask, dear brothers, that we remember that we must let the Holy Spirit guide us to be true to our God, our Church, and ourselves.  I pray so, as I find myself as a lost sheep looking for a shepherd."

Eugen smiles, looks befuddled, and sits down.

[J. J.]

I have questions only.  I would be willing to answer any, but I believe the answers of others is more important.

[J. J.]

Guilherme Cardinal Ribeiro (Bono)

[J. J.]

Cardinal von Frick, using a cane, rises:

Perhaps I won't be "influencing" anyone, but I'm interested in how the cardinals see the sacramental role of the Church.

I'd prefer the others to go first.

(I hope I'm in the right place to do this.)

[J. J.]

Cardinal von Frick, perhaps you could clarify your question.


All Cardinals are invited to speak.

I would like to ask all my brother Cardinals to describe what they see as the sacramental nature of the Church?  What is the importance of the sacraments in relation to the other functions of the Church?

Perhaps, I should go first?  (Several Cardinals nod.)

Our Church is a vessel for the granting of the Sacraments to the faithful.

(Von Frick stands, leaning on his cane.)

While we provide moral leadership, though this has not always been the case, unfortunately, while we provide preachers and theologians, of which I am cursed to be one, while we provide council to parishioners, from small children to great leaders, while we provide places of worship from tiny churches to this great edifice that we find ourselves in today, we are ultimately a vessel for Divine Grace.  That is our supreme role as the Church in this thing we call the world.

Sorry if I've bored you all.  I'll sit down now.

(Von Frick smiles, leans on his cane, and lowers himself into his chair.)

[J. J.]

Cardinal Ribeiro

[J. J.]

*Cardinal Hernandez arises to speak*

My friends, so much of who we are can be seen in who we look up to.  Perhaps no one knows this as well as I do, in my role as the advocate of saints.

*Chuckles a bit*

For is this not why this Church recognizes special individuals as Saints?  So that we might all have Earthly examples of piety and faith that each of us may hold dear?

So I suppose my question is this.  My brothers, who intrigues your faith?  Whom do you look to for spiritual example and guidance?

*Cardinal von Frick arises, looking tired, but smiling*

An occupant of the Chair of Peter, St. Celestine V, who resigned the papacy in less than six month.

*There are some chuckles and one gasp.*

I say this for two reasons.  First, he was a monk, prior to his election and after leaving.  He pursed a spiritual life and willingly surrenders what, at the time, was a position of temporal power.  He was born poor, and wished to die poor, as all of us, even those of us with a shloss in our family must.

*Cardinal von Frick points to himself , smiling.  This provokes more chuckles.*

Second, he was a mystic, one who valued the spiritual and sacramental role of the Church more than the administration of it.  He saw the Church more as a vessel for the sacraments than he did as an institution.  That view might have spared the Church the Babylonian Captivity, even the Reformation.  What looked to many of his contemporaries as the "floundering" of the "Ship of Peter" was actually attempt to guide it into the calm and beautiful sea of spirituality.  That would have mean changes in outlook for those times, but ones for the better.  I hope for a Pope with that wisdom, and the ability to carry it through.

*Cardinal von Frick sits down*

[J. J.]

Cardinal Ribeiro, again.

[J. J.]

Cardinal von Frick is seen taking down notes at the questions and the answers.

[J. J.]

Cardinal von Frick is seen taking down notes at the questions and the answers.

Brother Cardinal, you do realize that those must be burned after every ballot, correct?

Of course, my dear brother.  I merely wish to record the points of the questions and answers before I respond.

Von Frick smiles

[J. J.]

Von Frick rises, supported by his cane.  He smiles and nods to Cardinals Bertone, Jergović, Antonelli and Miller

Indeed our good brother asks a very serious and good question.  I will attempt to answer.

Cardinal Bertone asked, "What does the Papacy mean to each of you?" and   "What is the most important thing that a Vicar of Christ can bring to the world?"

The Papacy is at its core the way that Holy Spirit spreads the gifts of God's grace to the world.  It is a vessel, a pipe, for the delivery of the holy gifts of the Spirit.  When there is a bishop confirming an adolescent or an adult, a parish priest delivering the Holy Eucharist in a small parish or a layman baptizing a small child on the verge of death after an accident, the Papacy is there as the conduit of those gifts.  As the Vicar of Christ it is the Pope's role to spread these gifts.

I agree with Cardinal Antonelli that we, the prelates, have been seen far too long as royalty.  We must be, however, not men of the people, but men giving these sacramental gifts to the people.  It is not a question of perception, it is a question of being the spreaders of these gifts.

Cardinal Bertone asked, "Who do you honestly believe is the right kind of man to sit in the thrown of people?"  My belief matters little, because, the Holy Spirit will direct this choice.  Von Frick smiles broadly.  I come closest, though inspiration, of saying that next Holy Father should be the man that regards himself as bearing the burden of carrying these gifts to the people.  Whether he happens to be a genius or a fool, eloquent or tongue tied, a scholar or a "man of the people," he must spread these gifts.

Cardinal Bertone asked, "What duties does the Bishop of Rome owe to his diocese?  Does he owe any, in the modern era?"  A Pope is a Bishop, and THE Bishop of Rome.  He, as all bishops do, must spread the gifts of the Holy Spirit in his own diocese.  I do not believe that a Pope can anymore set aside his sacramental responsibilities as Bishop of Rome, than a Bishop in another dioceses can set aside his sacramental responsibilities to baptize a child near death.

Now, as a former bishop of a diocese, I know that there are many administrative aspects to the office of Bishop; I am also well aware that the Bishop of Rome is given many able administrators to help ease the burden of those administrative burdens.

There are several chuckles from the Curia at that remark, along with nods of agreement. 

Cardinal Bertone asks,  "And finally, do you thing the office makes the man, or is it the man who makes the office?"  The office cannot function without the man, nor can the man perform the sacramental role without the office.  The man can shape the office, but only with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  We have seen an example of this when John Paul the First refused to take the Papal Oath.  I believe that he was inspired the Holy Spirit to forever change the office, as his three predecessors have also done.  Even in his far too short time as Pope, he changed the office.

Before sitting down, von Frick hobbles over to Cardinal LaCroix, hand his his notes, and says with a smile, "Here, burn the evidence." Several Cardinals laugh openly.

[J. J.]

Eugen Cardinal von Frick

[J. J.]

Cardinal von Frick rises.

Yes, I would strongly support a council including all the Bishops of the Church.    I have spoken earlier about the the importance of the sacraments, including the greater expansion of the sacraments.  For this, we will to consult the Church, through its representatives, the Bishops, across the world.

Anything other than the status quo will require long and careful consultation.

I am mindful that every Cardinal in this room is a Bishop and that the next pope will be Bishop of Rome.

[J. J.]

Von Frick.

[J. J.]

Are we going to have a Pope or did we all become Lutherans? 

[J. J.]

Von Frick, looking tired, rises

Brethern, knowing full well that this remark will cost me any slim hope of the Chair of Peter, one thing this council should discuss is marriage on some men in holy orders.  We have for more than two decades permitted married, non celibate, men, to become priests of the church, in the Anglican Rite, as authorized by the late Pope, John Paul the Second.  We have seen this in the most ancient and apostolic eastern church.

While I may not like to see a "Frau Pope" or "Frau Bishop," there is general laughter, "I want to see the sacrament of ordination extended to those men engaged in the sacrament of marriage.  It will be good for the persons, but more importantly, it will be good the church.

Von Frick, looking less tired, smiles strongly and sits down.

[J. J.]

Johannes Cardinal Cruijff

[J. J.]

Cruijff