Threats and Cajolement

Not a word of the events as they unfolded from within the sacred precincts of the Vatican's divine Sistine Chapel - as the 115 cardinals from around the world tackled their task of selecting from among themselves a new pope - was to have escaped the noble sanctuary. Neither during the conclave nor following its conclusion when the exclamation "habemus papam" announced to the waiting world that the search had ended, and white smoke was complemented by the pealing of bells, was any hint of what had transpired to be trickled through to be shared by the news-avaricious press or the anxious faithful.
Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters

Yet now that the choice has been made and is being largely celebrated, in some part criticized, with the press scrambling to unearth any vestige of criticism related to the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, now Pope Paul I, of the Urbi et Orbi sphere of serene guidance to the faithful not only at Christmas but beyond that single event to an infinity of sermons and public guidances to aid in humankind's restless search for goodliness and godliness, the leaks have sprung.

No matter that - should any of the cardinals be accused of having been responsible for this Vatican-unforgivable indiscretion of revealing to the world outside the confines of their news-blackout secret conclave - unauthorized declarations and revelations by any would place them under threats so dire they could result in excommunication, the Italian news media had a field day with not only speculation but purported direct quotes by some mysterious insider.

One of those listed at the top of potential papal material was Cardinal Marc Ouellet who had voiced his lack of eagerness to become pope, a position he described as "a nightmare", even before the resignation of Pope Benedict. From a report published in Il Sole 24 Ore, Cardinal Ouellet was "very close" to the winning Bergoglio in the vote count "through the first three rounds. After that he threw his support to Bergoglio, saying that they had had the same experience in Latin America so they were similar."

La Repubblica had approximately an identical story about voting trends as they occurred, confirming that Cardinal Ouellet had been given strong support in the early rounds of voting. And that he had undertaken to convince those cardinals who had thrown their support behind his candidacy to give it instead to Cardinal Bergoglio. Further speculation is that, as such things occur in politics on a larger world scale, but perhaps with less significant global purport, Cardinal Ouellet will be rewarded by a powerful position within this new papacy.

"For sure Bergoglio will give him a powerful position" reported La Repubblica. Without a doubt Pope Paul will be in need of the loyal and trustworthy services of a Vatican insider.  Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone was said by many to have failed Pope Benedict so spectacularly that he actually undermined the authority of the Pope. That malign intrigues could be traced back to Cardinal Bertone, and to be able to begin to sweep the deeply entrenched corruption out of the Vatican Pope Paul will require someone he can rely upon.

To begin with, Pope Francis, whom the news has reported has already begun the decision-making of whom to dismiss and who will be retained, will have had to rely on someone within the Vatican who has full and intimate knowledge of all the cliques and intrigues and special interests, to guide him in this task. He has no intimate insider knowledge himself, but Cardinal Ouellet certainly does have.

To return to the issue of details of the highly secretive papal conclave having somehow managed to evade the serene pledges of utter confidentiality from among the voting cardinals; even among the elite of the faith human nature is so given to babble and gossip that despite the dire threats issued relating to the imperative of a closed mouth, someone within the group managed regardless to let slip information about the proceedings.