Heirs of the Fisherman Behind the Scenes of Papal Death and Succession

by Pham, John-Peter

• ISBN13: 9780195305616
• ISBN10: 0195305612
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-04-27
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

The election of a new pope always captures the world's attention, as alleyes turn to the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel, where the color of the smokeis our only clue to the secret deliberations inside. In this fascinating volume,former Vatican insider John-Peter Pham takes us where outsiders have never gonebefore, providing vital background to the selection of the heir of thefisherman.Here is a highly accurate portrait of the modern Vatican--indeed, the onlyaccount to reveal the striking changes to papal succession procedures made byPope John Paul II. Blending political and ecclesiastical history, Pham goesbeyond a mere description of the complex rituals--including a rare insight intothe dramatic shifts inside the College of Cardinals, whose 130 members now hailfrom 57 nations around the globe. Pham takes us into the secret conclave (fromthe Latin cum clave, "with key"), where the electors are kept under lock andkey, incommunicado, until they have selected a new pope. Here we find afascinating chronicle of political intrigue set in the context ofritual--including a chapter devoted to the intrigues of the 20th century wherethe first conclave had an emperor's veto and the last was won by the firstnon-Italian in four centuries because the Italians were bitterly divided.In a most timely analysis, Pham also provides a valuable one-by-oneassessment of the present-day cardinals and possible candidates (papabili, orpope-ables) to succeed John Paul II. He explores the legacy of this highlyinfluential pope--looking beyond his papacy to discuss the highly-charged issuesthat his successor will have to confront, including financial and sexualscandals, the roles of priests and women, and the very future of the churchitself.And throughout the book, he provides a gold mine of information that makethis book an indispensable reference, including appendices that containbiographical notes on many of the key personalities of Catholicism past andpresent as well as a useful glossary of Catholic history and theology.Here then is an illuminating history and must-have guide to a vitallyimportant world event, one that is moving ever closer and will be watched withintense interest by more than a billion people around the globe.

Author Biography

John-Peter Pham is a frequent writer and commentator on religious and public affairs. An alumnus of the post-graduate Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, he served as a Vatican diplomat as well as an aide to both the Vicar General of His Holiness for the Vatican and the President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Dr. Pham is presently the Director of the Nelson Institute for International and Public Affairs at James Madison University.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Preface to the Original Edition	xiii
Introduction
JOHN PAUL II CROSSES A THRESHOLD	1	(181)
The Achievements of a Pontificate	3	(3)
A Pope's Legacy	6	(2)
The Next Pope and the World	8	(2)
The Pope is Dead!	10	(30)
Is the Pope Dead?	11	(7)
What Do Popes Die Of?	18	(15)
The Rituals of Death	33	(3)
Nine Days of Mourning	36	(1)
Rest in Peace?	36	(4)
Before There Were Conclaves	40	(22)
Divine Designation	40	(2)
Testamentary Disposition	42	(3)
Popular Election	45	(2)
Imperial Interventions	47	(4)
A Brief Respite	51	(1)
The Papacy in the Hands of One Family	52	(3)
The ``Ottonian Privilege''	55	(1)
Hereditary Popes	56	(1)
The Gregorian Reform	57	(5)
The Cardinals Under Lock and Key	62	(35)
The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church	63	(7)
Cardinals and Conclaves in History	70	(7)
Political Interference	77	(2)
Preparations for the Conclave	79	(5)
The Conclave	84	(13)
The Conclaves of the Twentieth Century	97	(38)
The Emperor's Veto and the Saint Elected Pope (1903)	98	(5)
The ``Stone Rejected'' (1914)	103	(3)
An Electoral Compromise (1922)	106	(4)
The Inevitable Choice (1939)	110	(5)
The Surprise Choice (1958)	115	(5)
The Demands of the Council (1963)	120	(4)
Looking for ``God's Candidate'' (1978)	124	(5)
Another Conclave (1978)	129	(3)
The Lessons of History	132	(3)
Thou Art Peter!	135	(7)
First Ceremonies	135	(3)
From Coronation to Inauguration	138	(2)
Peter's Heir	140	(2)
From the Last Conclave to the Next	142	(40)
A Time for Electors and ``Grand Electors''	143	(6)
In the Shadow of John Paul II	149	(3)
The Search for the Papabili	152	(5)
Benedictus Qui Venit in Nomine Domini	157	(5)
Towards the Future	162	(20)
Appendix 1 The Succession of Popes	182	(14)
Appendix 2 The Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis on the Vacancy of the Apostolic See and the Election of the Roman Pontiff	196	(26)
Appendix 3 Cardinals Presently Eligible to Vote in a Conclave	222	(13)
Appendix 4 Biographical Notes on Select Personalities, Historical and Present, Appearing in the Narrative	235	(57)
Appendix 5 A Glossary of Select Terms	292	(20)
Appendix 6 Last Will and Testament of Blessed Pope John XXIII	312	(4)
Appendix 7 Last Will and Testament of Pope Paul VI	316	(4)
Appendix 8 Last Will and Testament of Pope John Paul II	320	(6)
Notes	326	(33)
Select Bibliography	359	(8)
Index	367