Papal Strategy

Well, Pope John Paul II has returned to the hospital once again with what is being called a "recurrence of the flu". This would be two weeks since he left the hospital with the same flu that kept him there for 10 days. The man is 84 years old and has been battling numerous physical conditions and Parkinson's disease for years. At times, the Pope cannot even read his sermon in it's entirety, and must have an assistant read it for him. The man physically has trouble moving about and has had to cancel several engagements in the past few months due to illness.

People around the world are talking about the possibility of the Pope abdicating (retiring) from the throne, but all indications from inside the Vatican are that the current Pope does not see this as an option. The throne hasn't been willingly given up without death since the 15th century, so the tradition of the Pope serving until his death is lengthy to say the least. Perhaps the Pope feels like he is to serve until his death, which is an honorable calling if that is the case. However, if this is not what God has asked of him or required of him, then it would appear that abdicating the throne of the Catholic church might be a reasonable request of those who serve under him. Does his calling prevent him from abdicating, or does his pride prevent him from stepping aside? Or perhaps his fear of who might follow in his steps overides his desire to retire. There are a lot of possibilities in this scenario, but the fact remains that it would appear that the current Pope does not intend to step down from his throne.

People have been pondering and researching and arguing who they think might be the next to "ascend" to the throne of the Catholic church. It is nothing to be taken lightly, and it should not be dismissed as simply an issue to be decided when the time comes. The fact of the matter is that people have been "promoting" their candidates for a long time within the structure of the church hierarchy. I would be suprised if there currently aren't 3 or 4 leading candidates that are drawing the scrutiny of the other Cardinals as we speak, even while the current Pope is still alive and on the throne. I'd be willing to say that there are probably factions or groups within the Cardinals that are each pulling and prodding for "their guy" to get the top billing.

The Catholic Church faces a huge change in the near future. It's not just simply about who will step up to take over the throne, for that would be oversimplifying it in the worst way. The events that are slowly beginning to gain speed will eventually (whether it be in a month or 5 years) come to a conclusion which will be indicated by a puff of white smoke arising out of the top of the building the Cardinals are in. But that conclusion will not be reached in a way that is as pleasant or "holy" as the faithful outside the walls might hope or expect. The Cardinals who will be voting for the next Pope are men and have emotions, agendas, goals and ambition. There has been and will continue to be posturing. There will be bargaining. There will be alliances. There might even be betrayal. All present in a place where men are attempting to decide who among them will take control of one of the largest religious/political organizations in the world.

I can hear people screaming "Blasphemy!" now. And I guess that is not only expected, but also accepted. It is not a secret that I am not a Catholic. It is also not a secret that I do not subscribe to the Catholic faith due to many ideas and beliefs that I do not agree with. I do believe that some people sincerely believe in the "holiness" of those placed in charge of the Catholic church, but I also believe that there are a lot of Catholics out there who question (perhaps secretly) the authority/holiness of their priest(s).

As you can see, I believe there is a dichotomy of belief within the Catholic structure that not only exists at the base of the structure(the people), but also progresses through the ranks to the very top of the organization. This duality of the total belief of "holiness" and "infallibilty" and the skepticism of those thoughts threatens to unravel the "oneness" of the Catholic church. In my opinion, the abuses by priests and the reponses of the church to those issues has done more to further this growing disbelief than anything else in the history of the Catholic church.

So as the years tick by and as Pope John Paul II becomes older and more ill, the church begins to hold its breath and look around to see who will lead it next. Will the next Pope be more conservative or more liberal in his policies? It is a huge issue for Catholics. This man will have the ability to change the stance of the church on so many things. Abortion? Birth control? Stem cell research? Homosexuality? Gay marriage?

When it comes time for the Cardinals to gather and choose the next Pope, they are faced with a daunting task. They must choose a man who will bring the church together on certain issues and not tear it apart. They must pick the guy who will transcend the ethnic/political boundaries that currently separate thoughts on policy within the Catholic church. Perhaps most importantly, the Cardinals must choose a man who will be an active participant in attempting to restore the partially lost faith of the followers. It is not small task. If the Cardinals choose poorly, it may be more than just a signal to the masses of a new Pope when the white smoke rises on that day... It may signal the beginning of the splintering of the Catholic church.