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| Cardinals begin pre-conclave process of choosing pope | Cardinals begin pre-conclave process of choosing pope |
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| Roman Catholic cardinals gathered in Vatican City on Monday to begin the process of choosing a new pope, as the scandals that plagued Benedict XVI's papacy continued to dog the church even after his resignation. | Roman Catholic cardinals gathered in Vatican City on Monday to begin the process of choosing a new pope, as the scandals that plagued Benedict XVI's papacy continued to dog the church even after his resignation. |
| In the run-up to a conclave expected, but not certain, to start early next week, 142 so-called "princes of the church" from around the world met in the Paul VI hall to attend the first of a series of "general congregations", or meetings. | In the run-up to a conclave expected, but not certain, to start early next week, 142 so-called "princes of the church" from around the world met in the Paul VI hall to attend the first of a series of "general congregations", or meetings. |
| In a moment of farce which brought hilarity to an otherwise austere occasion, they were joined briefly by a German man posing as a bishop, who managed to get past a checkpoint wearing a purple scarf as a sash and going by the self-declared title of "Basilius". He was stopped before he could enter the hall. | In a moment of farce which brought hilarity to an otherwise austere occasion, they were joined briefly by a German man posing as a bishop, who managed to get past a checkpoint wearing a purple scarf as a sash and going by the self-declared title of "Basilius". He was stopped before he could enter the hall. |
| On the formal agenda for Mondaywere mostly organisational and scheduling issues. Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said the atmosphere was "very serene and very constructive". | On the formal agenda for Mondaywere mostly organisational and scheduling issues. Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said the atmosphere was "very serene and very constructive". |
| But reminders of the various challenges facing the church were already emerging as dominant themes. Speaking at a press conference, US cardinal and archbishop of Chicago, Francis George, said the next pope would have to have zero tolerance of clerical child abuse. | But reminders of the various challenges facing the church were already emerging as dominant themes. Speaking at a press conference, US cardinal and archbishop of Chicago, Francis George, said the next pope would have to have zero tolerance of clerical child abuse. |
| "He obviously has to accept the universal code of the church now, which is zero tolerance for anyone who has abused a child," George said. "There's a deep-seated conviction, certainly on the part of anyone who has been a pastor, that this has to be continually addressed." | "He obviously has to accept the universal code of the church now, which is zero tolerance for anyone who has abused a child," George said. "There's a deep-seated conviction, certainly on the part of anyone who has been a pastor, that this has to be continually addressed." |
| The internal church scandal that rocked Benedict's papacy was also reportedly raised by concerned cardinal electors. An unidentified prelate told Reuters that a report into the Vatileaks affair written by three older cardinals had been brought up by those present. Benedict decided that the report should be kept only for the eyes of his successor, but its authors are understood to have been granted dispensation to brief cardinals on particular elements if needed. | The internal church scandal that rocked Benedict's papacy was also reportedly raised by concerned cardinal electors. An unidentified prelate told Reuters that a report into the Vatileaks affair written by three older cardinals had been brought up by those present. Benedict decided that the report should be kept only for the eyes of his successor, but its authors are understood to have been granted dispensation to brief cardinals on particular elements if needed. |
| The desire for clarification on the scandal involving the leaking of papal documents is believed to be particularly strong among those cardinals who are based overseas rather than in the heart of the Roman curia. | The desire for clarification on the scandal involving the leaking of papal documents is believed to be particularly strong among those cardinals who are based overseas rather than in the heart of the Roman curia. |
| "If we are a college, if we are brothers, we have to know things about which, due to distance, we haven't enough information," said the cardinal Oscar Maradiaga, of Honduras, on Sunday. On Monday, he added that the "clean-up initiatives" taken by Benedict must continue under his successor. "We must present a church with a transparent face," he said. | "If we are a college, if we are brothers, we have to know things about which, due to distance, we haven't enough information," said the cardinal Oscar Maradiaga, of Honduras, on Sunday. On Monday, he added that the "clean-up initiatives" taken by Benedict must continue under his successor. "We must present a church with a transparent face," he said. |
| As the cardinals arrived on Monday they were made to swear an oath of "rigorous secrecy". Five interpreters working alongside them were made to do so too. The 142 men present included cardinals both over and under the age of 80, but only the latter will be able to vote in the conclave. Of the 115 expected to take part, 12 had still not arrived in Rome, meaning that a date for the secretive process could not be set, said the Vatican. | As the cardinals arrived on Monday they were made to swear an oath of "rigorous secrecy". Five interpreters working alongside them were made to do so too. The 142 men present included cardinals both over and under the age of 80, but only the latter will be able to vote in the conclave. Of the 115 expected to take part, 12 had still not arrived in Rome, meaning that a date for the secretive process could not be set, said the Vatican. |
| Observers say the general congregations – and, perhaps more importantly, the informal tête-à-têtes which go on at their margins – are a vital period of familiarisation for a group of people who rarely get together. And, while keeping them brief would arguably give an advantage to figures within the Roman curia who are already well-known, some were calling on Monday for the period to be taken at a slower pace. "We need time to get to know one another," the German cardinal Walter Kasper told German daily Stuttgarter Zeitung. "A papal election is not something you should rush." | Observers say the general congregations – and, perhaps more importantly, the informal tête-à-têtes which go on at their margins – are a vital period of familiarisation for a group of people who rarely get together. And, while keeping them brief would arguably give an advantage to figures within the Roman curia who are already well-known, some were calling on Monday for the period to be taken at a slower pace. "We need time to get to know one another," the German cardinal Walter Kasper told German daily Stuttgarter Zeitung. "A papal election is not something you should rush." |
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