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Martini was considered a prime choice for Pope about 10 years ago. He's 78 now himself and is in pretty poor health. I imagine the deal was more considering moderating Benedict's anti-collegial authoritarianism than about Martini having the next shot.
As I've said, although perhaps not here, there's a big difference between being the Head Inquisitor and Pope. I think the people who are throwing out disaster predictions aren't giving Benedict a proper chance. There are plenty of people, Catholics and otherwise, who would have wanted someone else (a John XXIV being the top of the list) and are disappointed by what even choosing Benedict represents, but he's not the Lord of the Dark Side some have made him out to be. Plus, there are plenty of moderating influences that come into play when someone becomes Pope.
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On a completely different note, people talk about Catholics having to believe that the Pope was chosen by God and that he has to be the right choice. I don't know any sophisticated Catholics who believe that is true. I'd argue that the only way to believe that it to be pretty ignorant of the history of the Church and the Papacy. For example, when I was looking around at the historical Benedicts, I turned out Benedict IX, whom even the Catholic apologist version I linked makes out ot be a pretty darn poor choice and one that illustrates that the papacy was at times held as a prize, not as something bestowed by God.
Posts: 10177 | Registered: Apr 2001
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posted
mack, He's written some (to me) very cool stuff too, especially in areas that (if I remember rightly) really trouble you. For example, I came across some of his "How the heck can you say that tradition is against having women at least in the deconate when this was a hallmark of the early Church that continued for a pretty significant time?"
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Oh well, there will be a Pope that actually likes Vatican II (and women) at some point.
Posts: 10177 | Registered: Apr 2001
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I love the fact that Catholics have so many different views on what should and shouldn't be in their church and they rarely vote as a bloc. It says a lot of good things about the Catholic church and about Catholics, I think.
Posts: 13123 | Registered: Feb 2002
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It indicates to me that Catholics, the powers that be within the Catholic church, aren't afraid of thinking about things, and having differing viewpoints within the church (up to a point, I'm sure). It tells me most of all that there isn't a large push for ideological conformity within the church. Posts: 13123 | Registered: Feb 2002
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Vote Marc Ouellet for Pope in Vatican Conclave 20[insert final two digits of year of conclave here]! Posts: 1996 | Registered: Feb 2004
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quote:Martini was considered a prime choice for Pope about 10 years ago. He's 78 now himself and is in pretty poor health. I imagine the deal was more considering moderating Benedict's anti-collegial authoritarianism than about Martini having the next shot.
Thanks for the info. I was lazy and didn't look him up.
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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