Cardinal Danneels leaves for Rome, calls for Papal privy council and Curia reform

The new pope must bring unity in diversity. Cardinal Danneels said so on Wednesday at a press conference before his departure for Rome, where he will attend Pope Benedict XVI's farewell ceremony on Thursday. For the latter, the Cardinal had nothing but praise. It was the first time Cardinal Danneels had spoken to the press since the announcement of Pope Benedict XVI's resignation.

So Danneels is going to Conclave after all, despite several calls not to. These came because he would no longer have the moral authority to decide on the Pope's successor because there is a judicial investigation against him for allegedly knowing about abuse in the church but not intervening. Choosing a Pope is not a matter of moral authority, but it is the duty of every Cardinal, Danneels said of this.

Impressed by Benedict XVI

The Cardinal began his speech by praising the current Pope. He praised him as someone who has put his talents to full use as a leader of the Church. The three books he wrote on the life of Jesus "are written in the style of the Church Fathers, and that is saying something," said Danneels, who said he was impressed by Benedict XVI's pontificate.

But many challenges await the new Pope, he said. His main task is to 'bring unity in diversity'. 'We live in a complex world, with rapidly evolving communication and different realities and sensitivities in different continents'. In this, the new Pope should try to bring more unity. According to Danneels, the next pope should be someone with "a lot of empathy" for those sensitivities and differences.

Danneels wants reforms

On Wednesday, Danneels also called for changes in the Curia and favoured a privy council that would assist the Pope. That council would temporarily seat people without administrative power. 'It could include, for example, bishops and cardinals from different continents, with whom the pope could exchange views.'

The cardinal also revealed on Wednesday that he favours more decentralisation in the church and sees a role for the synods of bishops in this. 'There is too little of a culture of debate there. More can be done than is currently the case.' Danneels besides spoke out for changes in the curia, because 'every executive body tends towards self-empowerment. The Pope should call these people together more often. We have a head of state, so to speak, but no government.'

New Pope by March 19?

Cardinal Danneels leaves for Rome on Wednesday to attend the farewell ceremony of Benedict XVI on Thursday morning. He will stay there until a new Pope is elected and will take part in the conclave for the election.

Whether the future pope is a European or not is not important to Danneels. 'We have to choose the best, wherever he comes from. He will always be dressed in white anyway,' he said of this. Choosing a new pope is never easy, he said, but Danneels goes to Rome with a sense of 'hope'. On his own chances of a pontificate, he added that 'the media has always given him a chance more often than he himself.'

According to KerkNet, the Cardinals can start their general congregations from Monday 4 March. The conclave is expected to begin soon thereafter, so that the Pope would already be elected by 19 March, the Feast day of St Joseph, and the assumption of office of the new pope in St Peter's Square in Rome could possibly take place as early as that day.

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