Cardinal Pell Expected A Conclave Very Soon
Despite being over 80 years old and unable to vote, the late Cardinal Pell hoped to influence the next conclave which he expected to be held soon, his friend Father Frank Brennan SJ wrote in …More
Despite being over 80 years old and unable to vote, the late Cardinal Pell hoped to influence the next conclave which he expected to be held soon, his friend Father Frank Brennan SJ wrote in TheAustralian.com.au.
Pell told Brennan at a recent lunch in Rome that “the next conclave is not far off.” His desire to influence the conclave was instrumental in his ignoring the advice of friends who wanted him to have the hip operation in Australia or London.
But Pell firmly rejected the idea because he “did not want to run the risk of being on the other side of the world after the operation and before the Conclave.”
In recent conversations, he has criticised Benedict’s funeral, for Francis allowing Vatican shops to open during the funeral, delivering a poor sermon on his predecessor, replacing the Roman Canon with some Eucharistic prayer and making it difficult for priests to co-preside.
Picture: George Pell © Mazur/catholicchurch.org.uk, CC BY-NC-ND, #newsAfnrunfbmc
Pell told Brennan at a recent lunch in Rome that “the next conclave is not far off.” His desire to influence the conclave was instrumental in his ignoring the advice of friends who wanted him to have the hip operation in Australia or London.
But Pell firmly rejected the idea because he “did not want to run the risk of being on the other side of the world after the operation and before the Conclave.”
In recent conversations, he has criticised Benedict’s funeral, for Francis allowing Vatican shops to open during the funeral, delivering a poor sermon on his predecessor, replacing the Roman Canon with some Eucharistic prayer and making it difficult for priests to co-preside.
Picture: George Pell © Mazur/catholicchurch.org.uk, CC BY-NC-ND, #newsAfnrunfbmc
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Nicolina Clark shares this
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John A Cassani
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This is a plausible explanation for why he would have made the rather odd decision to have the surgery in Rome. He wouldn’t have been able to travel for a few months. It doesn’t mean he was right that a conclave is imminent, but if he thought so, it seems like a possibility.
Kenjiro M. Yoshimori
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Maybe he knows what we don't. I know it's wrong to be hopeful, but maybe Francis is sicker than the Vatican or he let on.
John A Cassani
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@Kenjiro M. Yoshimori He may have, especially if it had an effect on a very important decision. This could be an eventful year.
Salvatore Bastatti
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So Ratzinger was blackmailed out of his papacy, and Pell was expecting what? A death soon for fatso?