Politicking vies with piety before conclave

AN oath of secrecy. The unsealing of Papal documents. The meetings of the College of Cardinals after the death of a Pope are steeped in Vatican mystery.

Yesterday’s gatherings - two sessions over the course of 2½ hours - were the first of what will be daily meetings of cardinals. The meetings precede the election of a new Pope in a secret vote, known as a conclave, to be held later this month.

The cardinals took an oath in Latin. The official English translation:

“We the cardinals of the Holy Roman Church of the Order of Bishops, of Priests and of Deacons, promise, pledge and swear, as a body and individually to observe exactly and faithfully all the norms contained in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II, and to maintain rigorous secrecy with regard to all matters in any way related to the election of the Roman Pontiff or those which, by their very nature, during the vacancy of the Apostolic See, call for the same secrecy.”

Next, each cardinal present responded: “And I, (name), so promise, pledge and swear.” Then, placing their hands on a book of the Gospels, each one added: “So help me God and these Holy Gospels which I now touch with my hand.”

Each cardinal was given a copy of the constitution, and as the document points out, had the “opportunity to raise questions about the meaning and the implementation of its norms.”

Some of the cardinals flew to Rome while John Paul was still dying, at the risk of seeming too eager to be visible. Others lingered at home to comfort the faithful in their diocese before heading to Rome for the funeral and the secret voting sessions of the conclave.

Either way, politicking vied with piety as the cardinals spoke before congregations in cathedrals or gaggles of microphones at airports.

Being in possible pole position might or might not be an advantage. An Italian bishop, Libero Tresoldi, reminded reporters in Milan’s Gothic cathedral about the oft-quoted proverb warning cardinals against overconfidence in being elected: “He who enters a conclave as Pope leaves as a cardinal.”

Paris’ cardinal, Jean-Marie Lustiger, gave short shrift to the widely circulated lists of touted candidates.

“All the names that have surfaced have been invented by journalists because in general, what happens is that most of the time, those who get it are completely unexpected,” he said.

John Paul II confounded practically every list before the 1978 conclave to become the first non-Italian Pope in 455 years.