Tuesday, May 19, 2009

L’Osservatore Romano: All the News That's Fit to Spin!

So I had a subscription to the weekly English edition of L’Osservatore Romano that I got a Christmas or so ago. It seems to have run out this spring and not a moment too soon! I had been impressed with the tenor of the paper and even had a few clippings (an essay by Ruini, etc.).

But I have missed out on the last few weeks of the paper's efforts to get along with Mr. Obama (though editorials didn't find their way into the English edition too often anyway). And so we have this latest post from Father Z:

Who else could be it be but the Vatican’s Secretariat of State?

Think about it. What could produce such a dopey article if not for the section of the Secretariat of State involved with the relations with states?

Leaving aside the personal political tendencies of many who work up there, the President is scheduled to go to Rome in, ... what is it, ... July?

The diplomat elements in the Secretariat of State probably don’t want anything to spoil the planning.

Ta da!

Cause and effect.

I could go back through and find all the links to past posts where the Secretariat of State has been documented running amok, but it would be tedious. With Cardinal Sodano's departure, one would think that with the head gone and Bertone in power... Of course, we also have reports from last year of Bertone jetting around to all kinds of meetings and acting like a papabile instead of running his dicastery like a good little soldier.

The greatest single disappointment so far of this pontificate has been the failure of the curial reform to materialize.

4 comments:

Louis E. said...

The Pope appears to admire and have confidence in Bertone.The question is,if this pontificate outlasts Bertone's "papability" (he would preside over a conclave held from February to December of 2014 but be barred from one after that) what will follow?

Jacob said...

So the Pope likes Bertone. The least they could do would be to find an undersecretary whom they both like who could run the show while Benedict is doing his thing and Bertone is off on his own.

I don't know as far as papabili. To be honest, I'm not all that crazy about Bertone, so the lack any Benedictine heirs after his 'eligibility' passes is already here for me. 'Little Ratzinger' from Spain maybe?

Louis E. said...

Yes,I've been thinking the "dream team" for orthodox types might be Canizares Llovera as Pope and Burke as Secretary of State?

Jacob said...

Burke as SecState... That would be totally awesome.

I would be okay with Llovera as well to succeed Ratzinger when the time comes. And then you have a few supporting people around who could fill in slots as well.