Catholic cardinals to announce conclave date

The famously frescoed Sistine Chapel is already being prepared for the election by 115 cardinals from around the world after now “pope emeritus” Benedict XVI last month became the first pontiff to resign since the Middle Ages.

A series of meetings of cardinals known as “general congregations” this week have revealed a strong desire among many electors for a reform of the Roman Curia, the often intrigue-filled central administration of the Catholic Church.

Cardinals attend a prayer at Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on March 6, 2013. Catholic cardinals said on Tuesday they wanted time to get to know each before choosing the next pope and meanwhile would seek more information on a secret report on alleged corruption in the Vatican. - Reuters

US cardinals had raised the issue in daily media briefings this week that were abruptly stopped on Wednesday for fear of “leaks” after Italian media reported that “sparks” were flying between American and Italian cardinals.

The closed-door meetings are cloaked in secrecy as cardinals swear a solemn oath not to reveal their deliberations on pain of excommunication.

There was more fuel for the fire on Thursday after Italian daily La Repubblica published an interview with an anonymous Vatican source who said whistleblowers in the Holy See administration wanted to expose corruption.

Benedict’s butler Paolo Gabriele was convicted last year for leaking hundreds of confidential papal papers in an apparent effort to help the pope clean up the Vatican. He said he had worked alone, but suspicions have lingered that more people were involved.

The scandal known as “Vatileaks” is seen by some observers as a reflection of broader problems and divisions within the government of the Church.

The source quoted on Thursday said that the leaks were “an operation for transparency” and that more revelations were contained in a top-secret report compiled by three retired cardinals into the activities of the Curia.

La Repubblica and the Italian weekly Panorama last week quoted anonymous sources saying that this report by the “007 cardinals” had found instances of corruption in the bureaucracy as well as blackmail against gay clergymen.

The Vatican has denied the rumours and condemned the reports as an attempt to influence the outcome of the conclave via the media, comparing this to instances in history when kings and queens had tried to sway the cardinals.

“Many of the cardinals want to know the content of the report. But there is an attempt to block everything. There is a witch hunt,” the source said.

With a new pope “we will continue to serve the Church and the pope. I hope there will be no more need for whistleblowers,” the source added.

Meanwhile the clergy sex abuse victims’ group SNAP outlined a “dirty dozen” list of potential papal candidates and urged the Catholic Church to “get serious” about protecting children, helping victims and exposing corruption.

“We want to urge Catholic prelates to stop pretending that the worst is over regarding the clergy sex abuse and cover up crisis,” said David Clohessy, director of the US-based Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP.

The organization cited a dozen cardinals from the United States, Mexico, Honduras, Italy, Australia, Czech Republic, Canada, Argentina and Ghana accused of protecting paedophile priests and making offensive public statements.

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi responded curtly to the organisation on Wednesday saying: “SNAP does not decide who gets to take part in the conclave.”

British cardinal Keith O’Brien — the former leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland — recused himself from the meeting last month and admitted to sexual misconduct with young seminarians and priests in the 1980s.