The Vatican is urging a “greater reserve” ahead of the conclave which will elect a new pope. As a result Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, and Francis George, the archbishop of Chicago, who have been giving interviews to the media and were scheduled to address journalists at the Pontifical North American College in Rome cancelled their daily press briefings saying that “concern was expressed about leaks”.
Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said he was not surprised by the decision, and expressed there was a general feeling of the need for “greater reserve” as the conclave looms.
“It seems natural that the path towards the conclave leads progressively to greater reflection and discretion,” Lombardi said.
“The tradition of the conclave and the path towards it is one of discretion,” he said.
All cardinals taking part in the meetings have to swear an oath of secrecy on pain of excommunication not to discuss the papal election but US cardinals in previous briefings had spoken in more general terms about their priorities.
“Concern was expressed about leaks of confidential proceedings reported in Italian newspapers,” the US Conference of Catholic Bishops said.
“As a precaution, the cardinals have agreed not to do interviews.”
Italian media meanwhile has reported that “sparks” have been flying at pre-conclave meetings between US and German cardinals on one side and Italian ones on the other.
The reports say US and German prelates were keen to have longer discussions ahead of the conclave, while the Italians wanted to move to a papal election as quickly as possible.
Either way the prelates are more than aware of a need to elect a new Pontiff before Easter.
Meanwhile one of the strongest Papal frontrunners is Cardinal Peter Appiah Turkson Kodowo who many believe has a good chance to become the new spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
At a recent press conference Turkson said: “If God would wish to see a black man also as pope, thanks be to God.” President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace since 2009, and the Vatican’s “Minister of Social Affairs”, Turkson is also considered by many at the Vatican as the “conscience of the Church.”
Born in Nsuta-Wassaw, Ghana, on October 11 1948, Turkson grew up with nine brothers and sisters. His mother was a Evangelical-Methodist vegetable retailer, and his father a Catholic Carpenter. Turkson, who speaks six languages, has an amazing intellect and studied theology in his home country, before going to New York and Rome. Turkson has a doctoral degree in biblical studies. In 1992, after years as a Professor of theology, he became Archbishop of Cape Coast.
Many consider Turkson the ideal candidate for Pontiff but it may take a week or two before we know the result of the vote.
Under Church law the cardinals have until March 20 to start a conclave to choose a new pope to lead the 1.2 billion-member Church.
Other names for Pope include: Cardinal Angelo Scola 71, the archbishop of Milan; Cardinal Scola, 71, who was well regarded by Pope Benedict, who moved him from the Patriarchate of Venice to Milan, which is one of the largest and important sees in Europe. Scola is known as a brilliant, theologian, and supporter of the New Evangelization and a leader in Catholic-Islamic dialogue. Some Vatican insiders say his election could be hampered by internal divisions among the Italian cardinals.
Other highly debated candidates include Cardinal Marc Ouellet, who served as archbishop of Quebec from 2002 to 2010 before becoming prefect of the Congregation for Bishops; which overseas the appointments of all bishops around the world and Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, archbishop of Genoa 70, a man well known among the Italian and European Cardinals and is also president of the influential Italian Bishops’ Conference.
