Cardinal Bertone in the Spotlight
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| +Bertone and +Francis P.P. |
The following excerpts are taken from an article published
yesterday on the Huffington Post. I
think it gives a little insight into the Cardinal, his “scandals” and the
Pope. Read the whole of it
HERE
Your Eminence, why is everybody
out to get you?
Well... they say there are two motives. The first is because I
was nominated as secretary of state without going through the Vatican’s
channels of diplomacy.
Ratzinger’s papacy was
extremely different from that of his predecessor.
Of course. But it developed in relation to that of his
predecessor. Pope John Paul II thought very highly of Cardinal Ratzinger and
led the church with his permanent and continual support, not just on a
doctrinal and intellectual level but also, regarding certain aspects, in
accordance with his vision of administration. There was, therefore, continuity
between the two popes.
In other words, Pope Benedict’s
was a sort of unfinished papacy.
On the contrary. It was a courageous papacy. Before every trip
journalists would write that he wouldn’t be able do it. They would predict
insufficient, substandard results and flops. But I think about the trips to
Turkey and England that I made with him, to World Youth Day in his native
Cologne when he led more than a million youths in silent prayer before the Body
of Christ.
How is your relationship with
Pope Francis?
Extremely positive, very wonderful. He kept me on as secretary
of state for seven months filled with audiences and tickets, notes, telephone
calls... By now everybody knows he has a habit of picking up the phone and
calling: I need this, look for this, see if this candidate is qualified. It was
a constant and warm consultation.
So it’s not a 25,000-foot
penthouse.
Not at all, you’ve seen so yourself. I guarantee that the rooms
are much smaller than those in some of the Vatican’s other buildings. The pope
was informed about everything, even the small secretary’s office. He said to
me, “It’s perfectly fine and you are entitled to it, seeing as you need to
write your memoirs, given you have been witness to three papacies...”
Are you worried about the
threats coming in from the Middle East?
Listen, this is not the first time the church has been
threatened. Or even the pope. Just recall the attacks on Paolo VI in Manila and
on John Paul II here in St. Peter’s Square. Of course, now these threats are
more imminent, as well as more unpredictable in terms of whether they will be
carried out.
Pope Francis’s position on the excesses of satire against religion after the attacks in
Paris was surprising.
Pope Francis rightly reaffirmed the necessity of a limit which
will not offend religious sentiments, which are the most deeply felt sentiments
in every individual.
Even at the cost of sacrificing freedom of expression?
This is a fundamental right, unquestionable in free and
democratic societies. I am talking about a code of conduct. But also of
strongly condemning violence, above all violence ascribed to religion.
Do you fear for the pope’s safety?
I am afraid, but also confident in the precautions we have
taken. Besides, the pope has said that the Vatican is watched over by the Archangel
Michael, and since angels and archangels are recognized by many religions,
including Islam, there cannot be greater protection than that….
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