Vatican near-bankruptcy allegedly gives momentum to Cardinal Marx in race to be Pope
Munich Archbishop Suddenly Papal Candidate: Vatican Expert Now Sees Real Chance
Who will be the 267th Pope?
Best chances in the conclave. After a memorable Vatican session, Cardinal Reinhard Marx is suddenly one of the favorites to succeed Pope Francis.
A Munich miracle for the Vatican? A new key question has emerged before the Papal election, suddenly pushing Cardinal Reinhard Marx into the list of favorites to succeed Francis. The failure report is throwing the pre-conclave into disarray.
Papal race in the Vatican underway: First turnaround for candidates before conclave
Ahead of the conclave, which begins on May 7, the competition to succeed the incumbent Pope Francis is intensifying considerably. Almost all cardinals eligible to vote are now in the Eternal City, and things can now move very quickly. While some original favorites are torpedoing their chances, others are gaining momentum.
A remarkable momentum is currently developing in favor of the Archbishop of Munich and Freising, Cardinal Reinhard Marx. The Westphalian native was already mentioned by the BBC as a potential papal candidate, and now the financial report is putting him in the favorite position.
The Holy See is indeed in a strained financial situation. Despite a considerable real estate portfolio of around 4,200 properties in Italy alone, there is a severe shortage of liquid funds. According to information from the daily newspaper La Repubblica, the Vatican recorded a budget deficit of €84 million in 2023. The problem is that the situation has not improved significantly since then. Income (especially from donations) is declining, while expenses are rising.
"It would take a miracle now," an unnamed cardinal told the newspaper. A miracle from Munich? Because the financial challenges were being discussed by Munich Cardinal Reinhard Marx. As coordinator of the Holy See's Economic Council, he presented his colleagues with a Vatican bankruptcy report on Wednesday (April 30), which is said to have come as a shock to some.
Although details of the meeting remained secret, it could have a significant impact on the dynamics of the papal election. "This brings Cardinal Marx into play," Vatican expert Andreas Englisch told IPPEN.MEDIA. "This has a major impact on cardinals from emerging countries, who might therefore wish for a pope from a rich country."
Munich Cardinal Marx fits the profile: "We will elect a pope who can raise fresh money."
Englisch explains: "Cardinals who depend on money will elect a pope who can raise fresh money." During his term in office, Pope Francis has appointed more than 100 cardinals, a significant number of whom come from emerging markets. "There are wealthy dioceses like Cologne, which has several billion euros at its disposal."
Englisch explains: "Cardinals who need money will elect a Pope who can raise fresh money." During his term in office, Pope Francis has appointed more than 100 cardinals, a significant proportion of whom come from emerging markets. "There are rich dioceses like Cologne, which has several billion euros at its disposal. And poor ones – in Tonga, for example – that don't even have the money to decorate their churches. Then it's about the distribution of wealth, which would also speak for a modern candidate on Francis's cosmopolitan course," says Englisch.
A modern candidate in the tradition of Francis with a grasp of finance. This perfectly fits the profile of Cardinal Marx, who is said to have a considerably closer relationship with Francis than his German colleagues. As one of the pioneers of the Synodal Path, an internal church reform initiative, Marx is also committed to a more inclusive attitude towards homosexuals and transgender people. In the upcoming conclave, the progressive wing has the majority of votes – a constellation that Francis brought about through his appointment policy.
Much of the evidence now points to Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich in the papal election. While Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller has apparently shot himself in the foot.
.jpeg)
Comments