"Monsignors' mutiny" revealed by Vatican leaks

[onager]

No, you're not seeing double - I also posted this in LBN, since the story is less than 12 hours old. I thought it also belonged here.

Reuters By Philip Pullella – 11 hrs ago

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Call it Conspiracy City. Call it Scandal City. Call it Leak City. These days the holy city has been in the news for anything but holy reasons.

"It is a total mess," said one high-ranking Vatican official who spoke, like all others, on the condition of anonymity.

The Machiavellian maneuvering and machinations that have come to light in the Vatican recently are worthy of a novel about a sinister power struggle at a medieval court...

From leaked letters by an archbishop who was transferred after he blew the whistle on what he saw as a web of corruption and cronyism, to a leaked poison pen memo which puts a number of cardinals in a bad light, to new suspicions about its bank, Vatican spokesmen have had their work cut out responding.

http://news.yahoo.com/monsignors-mutiny-revealed-vatican-leaks-140524856.html

[xchrom]

1. Du rec. Nt

[Speck Tater]

2. Like "a sinister power struggle at a medieval court"

Well DUH! it IS a medieval "royal" court. Of course it looks and acts like one.

[Brettongarcia]

3. I've dealt with some of these guys. And have general theories too

What's really happening? The Pope is getting old; Italians and others are maneuvering for the next opening.

But beyond bickering about contracts? What are the deeper theological conflicts? Who's conservative, who is liberal?

1) Monsignors. Hard to say where they stand theologically. In my experience, the Monsignors seem fairly intellectual, but also practical; they can be rather liberal. And independent; contolling their own remote baliwicks. They can be provincial too, though.

2) Traditionally, the Dept of State/diplomacy section is very cosmopolitan, international, sophisticated. Almost secular/liberal at times. But also less constrained by say, morality.

3) Meanwhile back in the Vatican/Curia? Especially its Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith? This is where Ratzinger came from; and though Ratty is somewhat intellectual/liberal, on the other hand, his job in this office, was enforcing doctrine, after all. This would be one of the more conservative branches of church administration. And perhaps too unaware of politicing? And also insensitive to compromise with the larger body politic too, on issues like abortion.

4) Priests? The pawns in the game

5) Bishops? Tend to be blindly loyal followers

6) Cardinals? More intellectual and independent ... and cynical.

7) The Pope? Somewhat intellectual; able to entertain fairly complex theological ideas; though tied to a sentimental Bavarian primitive theology.

This is my very, very rough guess of how the players might break down. In the upcoming drama. Of? Electing a new Pope.

Which players should a liberal favor? Maybe someone else would like to fill in here. Among the Americans? Definitely NOT a) Archbishop Chaput; or b) Cardinal/Archbishop Burke. Both of whom seem like rabid "one issue" antiabortionists. And who have often said things that support "conservative" Catholicism, on right-wing outlets like EWTN.