On the Via della Conciliazione, the broad boulevard leading to St. Peter’s Square, there is a large banner with a picture of the pope. Not Benedict XVI, but John Paul II — the one who has been beatified and put on the fast track to sainthood.
Having covered the funeral of the last pontiff in 2005, I cannot help but remark on the difference in tone. Then, the streets were jammed with Poles who had travelled all night and slept in their cars so they could be present at the farewell for their national hero.
In the square they sang Polish folk songs, eyes streaming. Everywhere there were signs reading Santo Subito (saint now).
In 2013, the outgoing pope is still with us, so there is no mourning. It has the feel of a retirement party — some emotion, some tears but not the raw passion I saw at the last change of leadership.
The former Josef Ratzinger is by all accounts a pleasant, courteous man, a thoughtful scholar. But he lacks the charisma of Karol Wojtyla, who started his papacy relatively young and vigourous and ended it with years of public suffering.
Benedict’s papacy has also been scarred by the anguish and anger of those who have suffered abuse at the hands of clergy, and by the so-called “Vatileaks” scandal which revealed allegations of corruption and infighting within the Vatican administration.
The laws of the church say that the next pope could be any baptized Catholic man, but it will be one of the estimated 115 Cardinals who will gather in conclave to vote on their new leader.
Betting shops are having some fun in setting odds and someone has even developed a site called the “Sistine 16”, a play on the “sweet 16” from the U.S. college basketball tournament.
High among the favourites in both is Canadian Marc Cardinal Ouellet. He is based in Rome as the head of the Congregation of Bishops, meaning he has both an understanding of the Curia (the Vatican government) and high-powered connections. He also speaks five languages and shares the conservative outlook of most of the cardinals.
Naturally, he is the one that all the Canadian reporters here in Rome wish to interview. Naturally, he has declined my request and all the others. There is a saying that a cardinal who enters a conclave as a potential pope comes out a cardinal.
One of the other papabili (papal contenders), Ghana’s Peter Cardinal Turkson, is thought to have disqualified himself by giving several interviews after Benedict’s resignation announcement in which he speculated that it might be time for an African pope perhaps even himself.
On no one’s list of favourites is Toronto’s Thomas Cardinal Collins. He has always been happy to give interviews — even accepting my invitation to subject himself to a full quizzing on Focus Ontario shortly after he was first appointed as archbishop in 2006.
His media advisor told me that he considers it part of his mission to be a link between Rome and Toronto — to explain to his flock how the Vatican works.
As we talked in the courtyard of the Canadian Pontifical College a short walk from St. Peter’s, the wind lifted up one shoulder of his cassock and blew it into his face. He adroitly pressed it down and clasped his hands over his chest to keep it in place.
“Something they teach you in cardinal school,” he said afterwards with a smile.
He told me that he is spending his time in advance of the conclave reviewing the rules for picking a new pope, speaking to his peers and – being a priest – praying a lot.
“In your moments alone you must have thought: what if it’s going to be me?” I asked.
“No, not really,” he answered with a slightly uncomfortable laugh.
“Theoretically, I suppose (it’s possible) but it’s not going to happen.”
By denying he was a candidate, he thus preserved his potential candidacy, however theoretical.
He told me he has not even started to consider names, focusing instead on getting the process right.
Perhaps the most enlightening moment came when I pointed out the desire by many Catholics that the new pope be more “modern” — a short form of suggesting that he should be more open to concepts such as women priests, contraception and same-sex marriage.
“Does that inform your thinking?” I asked.
His response: “no.”
“I think what we need is a pope who is good and faithful and true,” he said
“I think what we ask for in a pope is not someone who simply blows with the winds… they say if you marry the modern day, you’re a widower the next day.”
The demands seem impossible to meet. There is a consensus that the new pope should be a good administrator in order to reform a dysfunctional curia. He must also be an adroit politician, able to build support to get the job.
He must be a good communicator (preferably in several languages), a conciliator who can reach out to those harmed by priestly wrongdoing.
And, oh yes, also a spiritual man, a pastor with the ability to inspire a worldwide flock of 1.2 billion Catholics.
In sum, the next successor to St. Peter will have to be part saint, part superman.
Sean is Global National’s Europe Bureau Chief, based in London. Follow him on Twitter: @SMallenGlobal.
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