Is the candidature of Parolin loosing steam?

The Pope's loss of confidence, the financial issue, or a lack of pastoral experience are obstacles

Is Parolin's candidacy fading?

"Although Francis appointed him as Secretary of State, over time he realized he no longer trusted him," La Nación reports, quoting a bishop of the Curia, who maintains that, if elected, Parolin will hinder the "flourishing of the Church" brought about by Bergoglio.

He has traveled all over the world, and he is the only one whom the most heterogeneous conclave in history knows and values. Furthermore, at the second of the novendiales, held this Sunday, he launched his candidacy with a desire for continuity.

They see in him someone with the "stability" that, they claim, Bergoglio lacked. Something that was most strongly felt in the debate over blessings for homosexual couples, the ordination of women, and the German Synodal Path, when Parolin delivered a speech in defense of the Church's moral teaching.

We must add to this the influence, especially from the United States, but also from influential sectors of Latin American Catholicism, that is being exerted to try to "curb" the possibilities of the candidates most aligned with Francis. From entities close to MAGA or, within the Church, the movements of the secret society El Yunque in academic and university circles, the attempt is to make as much noise as possible to, on the one hand, attract attention and, on the other, promote the idea of ​​the need for greater order in the new pontificate.

He is the best-known candidate and, without a doubt, the one with the most bids in online auctions around the world, far ahead of others such as Tagle, Pizzaballa, Turkson, Zuppi, or Erdo. Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin is considered by all to be the "great papal candidate." And he will surely enter the Conclave with at least two dozen votes secured. However, his candidacy seems to be flagging by the minute. Why?

It's no secret that Parolin has been Francis's main collaborator during his pontificate. After Cardinal Bertone's brief tenure, the Italian cardinal became the Pope's number two, the Pope's voice before major institutions, ambassadors, and representatives from around the world. He has traveled the globe and is the only one known and valued by the most diverse conclave in history. Furthermore, at the second of the novendiales, held this Sunday, he launched his candidacy with a desire for continuity with the recently concluded pontificate: "We must embrace his legacy and bring it to life," he said in his homily.

Many are betting on him as the unifying force between the two "souls" of the Church: continuity with the pontificate of Francis and the organization of a career diplomat, trained and seasoned in the Curia. However, this fact could hinder him. Parolin, unlike Francis and his commitment to "pastoral" bishops, has no experience in pastoral care. Furthermore, in recent years, he has garnered the sympathy of more traditional sectors, who appreciate that Parolin has sought (and succeeded) to avoid getting involved in any "mud" beyond the agreement with China. They see in him someone with the "stability" that, they claim, Bergoglio lacked. This was most strongly emphasized in the debate over blessings for homosexual couples, the ordination of women, and the German Synodal Path, when Parolin delivered a speech in defense of the Church's moral teaching.

However, analysts such as Elisabetta Piqué in La Nación and Christopher White in the National Catholic Report () are dismantling the image of Parolin as a close collaborator of Francis. This reality, at least in recent years, was not the case. “Although Francis appointed him as Secretary of State, over time he realized he no longer trusted him,” the Argentine newspaper reports, quoting a bishop of the Curia, who maintains that, if elected, Parolin will hinder the “flourishing of the Church” brought about by Bergoglio.

Piqué adds that, in recent times, Bergoglio trusted his replacement, Edgar Peña Parra, much more than Parolin himself, something that may have upset the Secretary of State. In fact, during his hospital stay, he received Giorgia Meloni accompanied by Peña Parra, not the Italian cardinal.

Francis also made a series of gestures in his final weeks, such as renewing Re and Sandri's appointments as dean and vice-dean of the College of Cardinals (Re was in charge of the homily at the funeral and will be in charge of the Pro Eligendo Pontifice Mass). Although Parolin will be the president of the conclave—the other two are ineligible, being over 80—this is a significant event. Nor was the fact that Francis did not delegate any of the celebrations of what was ultimately his last Holy Week as Pope to Parolin.

White offers two additional "buts" to Parolin's candidacy. On the one hand, the agreement with China, strongly criticized by the ultraconservative sector and in which the Secretary of State played a leading role. On the other, his intervention in Vatican finances. And paradoxically, the Becciu scandal has heavily implicated one of his greatest enemies, Parolin himself, who was responsible for the Sardinian cardinal's eventual reversal and announcement that he would not participate in the conclave. Despite not being convicted, the Secretary of State's name appeared frequently in Becciu's trial, and it was confirmed that Parolin knew about and approved some of these transactions. Was he deceived, in which case there would be no confidence that anyone could do it again, or did he get away with trickery?

"Parolin wants to present himself as the solution to Francis's economic approach, which many see as flawed, which is a fallacy because behind the entire scandal of Cardinal Becciu's multimillion-dollar investment in London, for example, was Parolin, who was his direct superior and did not prevent it."

Today, the economy will surely be discussed at the general congregations, and the topic will come up. As Piqué adds in La Nación, citing Vatican sources, "Parolin wants to present himself as the solution to Francis's economic approach, which many see as flawed. This is a fallacy because behind the entire scandal involving Cardinal Becciu's multimillion-dollar investment in London, for example, was Parolin, who was his direct superior and failed to prevent it." "The plan," these sources add, "is to return to the previous system, with everything centralized in the Secretariat of State, which is what led to the corruption that Pope Francis tried to curb."

The other factor that could jeopardize his candidacy is his health. At 70 years old, Parolin underwent prostate surgery in 2020, and although his activity has not decreased during this time, NCR maintains that "he appears to be in poor health." Finally, Parolin's candidacy would only have a chance of success if it had the unanimous support of the 18 Italian cardinals, currently deeply divided around three names: the Secretary of State himself, President Zuppi, and the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa.

Parolin's candidacy would only have a chance of success if it had the unanimous support of the 18 Italian cardinals, currently deeply divided around three names: the Secretary of State himself, President Zuppi, and the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa.

To all this, we must add the influence that, especially from the United States, but also from influential sectors of Latin American Catholicism, is exerting to try to "curb" the possibilities of the candidates most aligned with Francis. From entities close to MAGA (Maga), or, within the church, the movements of the secret society El Yunque in academic and university circles, the goal is to make as much noise as possible to, on the one hand, attract attention and, on the other, promote the idea of ​​the need for greater order in the new pontificate. The main candidates for Francis's continuation, for the moment, remain silent, listening to the interventions of the other cardinals, and waiting for their moment. Which will come. Will it also be for Parolin?

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