Dear Blog Readers —
It has been a rocking and rolling week and the Vatican and I’ve been trying to keep up, but the important news is that we have a date.
On Tuesday, March 12 the Conclave to elect the next Pope will begin at the Vatican. The Cardinals will gather in the morning in St. Peter’s Basilica for a Mass and in the afternoon process into the Sistine Chapel to begin the voting.
The Cardinals have been meeting all week in General Congregations to discuss the future of the church and hunt for a leader. As the Vatican spokesman noted several times, the Cardinals all get a chance to speak but an important moment is the lengthy coffee break when they actually get to know each other a little better, exchange ideas, and make appointments.
Early in the week I covered one of the daily briefings by the America Cardinals. See my blog post “My Cappuccino Cardinal“, but the next day the Vatican seems to have clamped down on the briefings which were abruptly canceled and a blackout was declared on all interviews with Cardinals.
Sister Mary Ann Walsh who is handling the press for the Americans issued a statement saying:
“Concern was expressed in the General Congregation about leaks of confidential proceedings reported in Italian newspapers.
As a precaution, the cardinals have agreed not to do interviews. ”
Journalists covering the Vatican were aggravated at what appeared to be an effort by the Vatican to block American transparency. Many Americans who cover the Vatican are awed by the amount of un-sourced material from inside the Vatican that ends up in Italian papers and felt that straightforward, on-the-record briefings should not be blocked.
The next day, my colleague Phil Pullela of Reuters asked the Vatican’s spokesman Father Lombardi: “Why is it that Americans have to pay penance for Italian sins.”
Lombardi said that he did not want to accuse any national group for doing the leaking and that the decision to stop the Cardinals from speaking did not come from him but was made inside the General Congregation of Cardinals.
Yesterday, at the daily briefing the Vatican provided film clips from Vatican TV for the journalists showing the preparations in the Sistine Chapel. A couple of things caught my attention. First, a worker was slopping paint on the scaffolding that will hold the chimney that will go from the little stoves that burn the ballots up to the top of the Chapel and out of the roof. I think I am the only one who noticed it, but I was concerned that he might splash some of Luca Signorelli’s masterpiece “The Last Days of Moses” behind him. Couldn’t they paint the scaffolding before putting it up?
Then, I couldn’t help but notice the only woman among the team of workers in the Sistine Chapel. She was busily working on what appeared to be seat-covers and table cloths for the Cardinals’ chairs and tables in the Sistine Chapel. I couldn’t resist the temptation to ask during the Vatican press briefing if there were any other women besides the seamstress involved in the Conclave. Father Lombardi responded that there are plenty of others — the ones who cook, clean and serve the Cardinals at the Santa Marta residence during the Conclave period. I tweeted this immediately, and got a lot of response.
Today is international women’s day and Lombardi entered the press briefing with flowers that he gave to one woman and then warmly wished all the women journalists a “Happy Women’s Day.” It was a nice gesture, but I couldn’t resist the temptation (prompted also by my AP Wire colleague Nicole Winfield) to ask Lombardi if the Cardinals had discussed the question of “women in the church” during this week of General Congregations. Assistant Vatican Spokesman Thomas Rosica summed up the response “As we began today’s session the role of women and the day of women was also mentioned and discussed this morning at the First Congregation.”
Bottom line. I don’t think the Cardinals are spending a lot of time in the General Congregation worrying about the role of women in the church. The Vatican is not a bastion of feminism.
This morning on the street near the Vatican I bumped into Janice Sevre-Duszynska from the Association of Roman Catholic who is in Rome promoting the ordination of women priests. I asked her what she thought of women sewing the seat covers for the Cardinals but not having much more power than that in the Conclave. She told me, “it is fine to sew and be a seamstress …but it would help to use feminine images of God and have women at the altar.”
And finally, for those blog readers who wanted to know more about the Borgia at the Vatican. Here is a photo of Gregorio Borgia, photographer for the Associated Press, who kindly gives me his AP rejects to use in this blog. He claims he is not related to the Borgia Popes, but a few of my blog readers have their doubts.
And for those blog readers who are wondering…
Yes, he is single, and No, he doesn’t live with his mother.
And if anyone is wondering what Pope Benedict XVI is doing. A Paparazzo working for the Italian gossip magazine “CHI” snapped this photo of Benedict XVI taking a walk with Padre Georg in the gardens of Castel Gandolfo.
And if anyone is wondering how Frazzled Mamma is doing, I am decidedly less serene and tranquil that Benedict XVI. Actually, I am not sure how much time I will be able to dedicate to posts in the next few days. On Sunday I will be allowed on a tour for journalists inside the completed Sistine Chapel (I will be sure to check “The Last Days of Moses” for paint splatters, make sure the seat covers are properly sewed on, and check out the ballot burning stoves.) I may also attempt to Tweet from inside. Apparently the Vatican security has put in jamming devices so I am not sure if I can. If possible, I will write about that and the rituals and ceremony surrounding the Conclave.
Hey Frazz!
What a lot to keep up with. Your kids, your husband, life in general and this, the biggest religious event in years. This must be so exciting, and I imagine there is an almost palpable electricity in the air.
I am sorry to hear that the Vatican has put a muzzle on. That just reinforces our many negative notions – pity they do not get that. And it must complicate the news gathering. I am so loving the insider information – everything from painting the scaffold to the women who sew. Oh, and also Gregorio Borgia. Thanks for the personal tidbits.
I notice that in the shot of Benedict XVI, he looks so very old. It is a bit sad to see.
Congratulations and thanks for the wonderfully personal reporting. I await the Cardinal numbers.
Yes, I would say the air is electric — let’s just hope these Cardinals have the courage to recognize it is time to adapt and change. The Church needs a Pope for the future.
I do love being close to it all and seeing all the details — like the woman sewing the seat covers and they man painting the scaffolding. For me the details add so much to the big picture.
I found your blog JUST in time – I’m visiting Italy and will make a couple of detours to Rome to experience some of the excitement, so I’m following all this much more closely than I would from the states. And I’ve been wondering … how are all these cardinals communicating with each other? Is Italian the common language? Do they have translators? Good luck in the coming week!
Hi Karen — I’m glad you found my blog. In response to you question, the Cardinals are communicating in a variety of languages. This week in the General Congregations, I believe they had simultaneous translation in Italian, English, French, Spanish, and German. In the press briefings the Vatican spokesman has been speaking in Italian with another spokesman translating into English and another into Spanish, and sometimes one of them answers questions in French or German. But there is another key part to your question — how are they communicating with each other about who they are going to vote for, and that is what really interests me. The Vatican spokesman has said that one of the most important moments during this week of General Congregations has been the half-hour coffee break where they chat each other up and make appointments. I wonder if they exchange phone numbers and if they sit in their rooms at night making a series of calls across Rome and say to each other, “Hey, I am thinking of voting for so and so, how about you?” Is that what they are doing? Also, we’ve heard they are often out to dinner at restaurants in Rome — is the future of the Catholic Church being decided over a good glass of red wine. I wish I new a little bit more of the behind-in-scenes politicking going on.
I love your writing. No sneering, no cynical asides – just this historic event well reported with eyes-open observation. Is the money not on an Irish outsider too? I follow you as one about to swim the Tiber after 30 years in waiting. Thank you.
Thank you Gareth. I am not sure who you are talking about for the Irish outsider. I know the group SNAP (Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests) held a press conference this week in Rome announcing three candidates for Pope that they preferred because of the way they have approached the problem of sexual abuse. Among them was a non-Cardinal, the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, who has been one of the most courageous, outspoken and honest opponents of sexual abuse by priests. He would probably make an excellent Pope, but I don’t think he is in the running.
Well! This is wonderful on so many levels. First, I was smitten by the opening photo, the Borgia shot of the Swiss Guard saluting the cardinals. Borgia’s eye is so artful, and his camera knows how to tell a story in a photograph. And then you gave us a photo of him, and he is gorgeous, too! Poor beautiful man, we will all be over, and he will be overwhelmed with American women.
Then, your story, with photo, of the sewing woman, and of Lombardi’s nonchalant comments about how women serve, and thinking he had proven his clearness of mind by tossing some flowers to a woman journalist – this story is so telling. The succinct comments of the woman who is there to press the case for women’s ordination are spot on. But she is wasting her time, I think.
CNN is calling this “Smoke Watch”, a nice American name for the process I think.
And The New Yorker has a cover with the old Pope in a hammock reading headlines that decry him. All of this shows a marked decrease in awe for the Papacy, and a general replacement of that with a “silly old things” attitude. The cardinals should be talking about that, for sure.
The gospel reading for next week is of Mary (sister of Martha) caressing Jesus’ feet with her hands and with perfumed oil, and then wiping them with her hair. He isn’t surprised by this, nor upset, and Judas seems to be jealous, his nose quite out of joint. It is such an intimate moment, and so important in the gospels, yet forgotten in the Vatican, or theologized away into a spiritualized piety. More awe. But not the gospel theme for the week.
You will be wall-to-wall in Rome with reporters next week, every TV station in Boston, and probably in America, is sending a team, which is silly, really, they should all affiliate with you the pros. Everything will be harder because of this, getting around, finding lunch, parking, a place to sit down, and most of all, getting to question anyone.
Meanwhile Ben 16 looks so old, all wrapped up on a sunny day! And still wearing his white dress under his parka and hat, all white. I think he will be sad to lose his whiteness, though relieved when this is done and he can move back home.
You have brought us all to Rome in these posts, making the whole thing seem more like a life event and less like an American congressional process.
And you have introduced us to Gregorio Borgia . . .
Nancy, thank you as always for your very thoughtful comments, I really appreciate them. So interesting about the Gospel reading for next week. Isn’t that interesting seeing how old Ben 16 looks in that photo. They had announced that he can continue to wear white, but nothing special on top — so he has a white jacket and baseball cap in the photo. I am sure he will be relieved when all of this is done, but I am wondering how much he is having a role in all of that through his loyal secretary Georg. Is Georg passing on messages, instructions to Cardinals. Is Benedict XVI pushing for someone? Lots of people have told me Benedict XVI would like to see Cardinal Scola of Milan, but is he somehow involved. Both Cardinals and the Vatican spokesman have denied this, but that does not mean it is not happening.
As far as Gregorio is concerned, I wouldn’t worry about him, he’s an Italian man, all the attention will be gratefully accepted and enjoyed.
Yes, I do need G. Borgia’s email address.
Let me check with him and if he says yes, I will be happy to pass it on. The only Borgia at the Vatican these days, a good contact to have.
FINALLY! A date for the conclave.. I’m going to be watching Twitter like a hawk for updates. Actually, I should see if I can do live streaming from work!
I also love all the tidbits you post here! The details seem to always be overlooked, so I think it’s great to pay attention to them every once in a while.
Thank you Pauline. This twitter business is so funny. There is a whole group of us tweeting everyday from the Pope’s briefings — Barbie Nadeau of “The Daily Beast”, Rachel Donadio of “The New York Times”, French journalists, Italian journalists—it’s a real tweet fest. However, my blackberry battery seems to die at all the crucial moments when I just have to tweet. I am becoming tweet addicted!! Good to know someone is reading them though.
I am interested in your assessmentof O’Malley. I got a 45 minute audience with him a few years ago where I expressed my understanding of the structure of the church not allowing for change, and the flight most of my family has taken from the church. I estimated that in two or three generations there will be 500 or so non-catholics in my family alone. The social worker who accompanied me suggested that the cardinal start a talk show. He was startled by that but since then has begun a blog…probably many others suggested that he try to increase communication. Other than that reaction he barely spoke or showed any facial expression. I felt he was distant and had in mind to maintain an image but nothing more. It was not a comforting or satisfying meeting….in fact, just an extension of the frustration I have experienced regarding the church for the last 10 years or more.
Penny — Thank you so much for this fascinating comment. It is interesting that your impression was so different from mine. You saw him up close and probably got a much better idea than I did. I hope my blog readers read the comments as well, because your comment perhaps is more important than my post. I am sure you are not alone in your frustrations regarding the Catholic Church and I just hope that when the Cardinals enter the Conclave on Tuesday they have the strength and courage to realize there are a lot of frustrated Catholics out there and it is time for renewal and change.
It’s all the little details I’m loving, Trisha. Like the painting and the sewing – only one woman doing this? She must be superwoman – there’s lots of cardinals to seat. And yes, the sight of the scaffold paint job going on beside the priceless, historic work of art makes me somewhat queasy.
However, my highlight has to be Gregorio Borgia. A single Italian man who doesn’t live with his mother? Please pass on my contact details (winks!).
Well, as I said, as far as I know Gregorio is single and doesn’t live with his mother, but I have never asked him if his mother does his laundry for him. I will probably be seeing him every day at the Vatican this week (and trying to mooch some of his photo rejects off of him) and will be sure to find out about that.
As usual mille grazie for keeping us in the loop! Seat covers indeed…LOL!
Thanks Barbara! Yes, seat covers. I thought of putting the photo at the top of the post with the title “You’ve Come a Long Way Baby!” but then I decided that perhaps I was being too nasty and cynical. Still, it is pretty clear that women have a long way to go at the Vatican.
Trisha – It was nice to read that Phil Pulella is still reporting on the papacy. I remember that was his beat years ago when I worked for Reuters in NYC. I can hardly believe the casualness of the painting going on close to those magnificent frescoes. Please, please don’t tell us there are now 21st century paint splatters! I read that the muzzle on the cardinals might be because of the American reporters, who seemed to be more insistent and persistent than the rest of the press. Is that what you’re finding? Well it won’t be long now and lucky you to have such a close up seat for this historic event.
Yes, Phil is still here, as eager, hungry and determined as ever. He works for the competition, so I shouldn’t be endorsing him, but he’s a great guy, and I loved his question the other day. I was in the Sistine Chapel yesterday when they took journalists in and I from the floor it didn’t look like there were any paint splatters. Phew!