tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174812066017196444.post1259616558339512533..comments2024-03-22T12:57:57.273-05:00Comments on WOUNDED BIRD: TOP SECRET CONCLAVE TO ELECT POPEJune Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01723016934182800437noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174812066017196444.post-16700226746980390202013-03-06T21:50:11.731-06:002013-03-06T21:50:11.731-06:00Are the cardinals accountable to home governments?...Are the cardinals accountable to home governments? Perhaps in some countries, but certainly not here. I can't see a cardinal caring at all about what the Obama administration thinks. In some parts of the world, the pressure might be on for a pope who is anti-gay, but, let's face it, all the cardinals are anti-gay, even the gay cardinals. The process seems pretty opaque to me. I don't know that money changes hands, but the pressure is still on with certain factions wanting to have things their own way. See the story at <a href="http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/religion_in_the_news/us_cardinals_cancel_daily_vati.html" rel="nofollow">The Lead</a>.<br /><br />My "favorite" Cardinal Burke would be the worst kind of disaster as a choice, but I believe the chances are slim that an American will be chosen pope.June Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01723016934182800437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2174812066017196444.post-42725647492761350212013-03-06T20:52:47.322-06:002013-03-06T20:52:47.322-06:00Secrecy can protect from outside pressure and home...Secrecy can protect from outside pressure and home governments who might not approve of how a cardinal votes. And the Church system is less opaque than our own American oligarchy, where informal cliques of donors and party insiders pick who gets put on the ballot before any actual voter can even consider the choices.<br /><br />BTW, I read a blog post tonight which argues that your favorite cardinal (Burke) will be elected the next Pope because he's such a stern disciplinarian and devoted traditionalist. At almost every reason listed, I kept thinking "He'd be a disaster for the Church!". Hopefully the post was just wishful thinking on the part of Catholics who would have preferred that Vatican II never took place.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com