Holy Vatican See
04-02-2004, 22:14
The young priest murmured “Doctor Pavioli,” and stepped away from the door. The physician, a stocky, balding man, entered the Office of the Vatican Secretary of State, and nodded respectfully to the lean, swarthy Secretary, Guido Cardinal Gambino. “Eminence.”
Gambini tried to read the news in the physician’s demeanor, but the man was self-contained, neutral. “Well, Doctor?”
Pavioli shook his head, allowing a tinge of regret to enter his manner. “It is as we feared, Eminence. Four, perhaps six months, at the most. The deterioration has progressed too far to be reversed. At the best, we can keep His Holiness comfortable.”
Gambini sighed, and looked past the Doctor for a moment, at an exquisite Tintoretto Madonna that adorned the wall of his office. His lips moved, silently, then his eyes again focused on the Doctor. There was a grave regret, matching the physician’s own demeanor, in his response.
“And you have informed His Holiness of this?”
Pavioli gave an expressive shrug. “I would not have done so, perhaps, but His Holiness had already guessed. He demanded to be told the truth.”
Gambini knew that stubborn insistence that the Pope could muster, the iron will behind the fragile, aging façade. “I understand. How did he take it.”
The doctor hesitated, his brows drawing together slightly in bemusement. “He seemed— irradiated by joy. He tried to comfort me. And, he asked to see you at your earliest convenience. But he will be resting now. Later this afternoon, he will be awake, and the medicine will give him some energy.”
The Secretary of State nodded. “I see. Well, you have our gratitude, doctor. You and Doctor Mirelli, and Doctor Sterzinsky. You did everything you could. Everything he would allow you to do, in any case.”
With a blessing, he dismissed the man, and then pushed a button connecting his phone to the office of the Cardinal Camerlengo.
Holy Vatican See
04-02-2004, 22:19
Later that afternoon, he was admitted by Tito Mrenski, the Pope’s valet, to the Papal bedroom.
The huge Renaissance four-poster with its canopy embroidered with the Papal seal had been modified by a specially-designed electric gel bed. At the moment, it was adjusted to allow the tiny figure within the mound of coverings to sit up. Faded gray-blue eyes lit up at the sight of the Secretary of State for the Holy Vatican See.
“Bienvenuto, Guido. Thank you for coming.”
Gambini went to the bed, raised the wasted, near-skeletal old hand, and kissed the Ring. “Holy Father, I am glad you could receive me.”
“Sit, sit…” Sixtus VI, Bishop of Rome and Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of The Universal Church, Patriarch of The West, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, and Sovereign of Vatican City State, waved vaguely at a chair positioned near the bedside.
“Holiness, I…” Gambino started, then stopped. He could not think of what to say.
Sixtus regarded him shrewdly for a moment, then broke into what could only be described as a grin. “Dear Guido, have you come to rejoice with me? I am going home. Home, my son. I feel indescribably blessed.” The grin faded. “I admit, there is an element of cowardice. I think of the suffering yet to come…”
“The doctors…” Gambini began quickly.
“Yes, yes. Of course. But I must keep my wits about me for a while yet, and their remedies do not make that possible. I must use them sparingly. Well, the Lord will lend me such fortitude as I need.”
He surveyed the Cardinal fondly, but with a deep knowledge of the man that took into account years of differences as well as support. “And so I leave the Church in the hands of my beloved sons, Guido. I know that you will look after her well, and choose a worthy successor. I have but one regret.”
“Regret, Holy Father?” Gambino let a touch of disapproval tinge his voice. Perhaps more than any Pope in the last 100 years, Sixtus had done much to build the Church’s strength and unity. In a time rife with divisive issues, among a plethora of nations and cultures all seeking for the Church to meet their varying needs, he had managed to retain a gentle but firm hand on the helm, steering her between the looming shoals of modernism and anti-modernism, evangelism and ecumenicism, addressing controversial issues delicately and as a last resort, while expanding the Church’s steadying moral influence through social and humanitarian leadership.
The Pope chucked. “Such vanity. Did I say one regret? I lose count, surely. But one that you can assuage for me, dear son.”
Gambino had known this was coming. There was no way of preventing it, circumstances had simply spun out of control lately. “The College.”
“Si, sicuro. The College. We are down to… how many brothers?”
“Forty-one,” Gambino said, a trifle hollowly. It was not supposed to have reached this point. He had hoped to hold it at a safe and unobtrusive (and easily managed) eighty or so. But age, war, and the will of God had taken their toll. The depletion of the College of Cardinals could not, would not, be ignored. Especially not with a Conclave looming.
Sixtus closed his eyes briefly. “Ah. We have been most remiss, Guido. Most remiss. I cannot leave the Church so barren of resources and leadership.”
“No, of course not, Holiness. You have…” Gambino wet his lips, a trifle nervously, “you have a list? In petto?
The pontiff nodded. “A list, yes. But I would also seek counsel from you, Guido. And others. I would ask you to bring me a list of those of our brothers who are due, or overdue,” ruefully, “for elevation. As I am asking a few other counselors for the same. You will have them for me next week? This is not a matter that can be allowed to proceed with the usual Vatican… lethargy.”
Gambino nodded. “But of course, Holiness. I will give it my earliest attention.”
‘Because even if I don’t,’ he thought grimly, ’I can trust Renard, and di Corneliano, and Hume to have lists ready and waiting. And God only knows who else.’
“Oh, yes, Guido, and the Crown Cardinals. There are far too many vacancies, or nominations that have not yet had their official confirmations. Please, contact the heads of state for all Crown Sees, and ensure that they present their nominees as well. Schedule the Consistory for…” the pope sighed. He was starting to look tired, the shadows deepening under his eyes.
“Next month, Holiness?”
“Early next month, please, my son.”
When he got back to his office, the first person Gambini called was Ersilio Colasuonno, the President of the Prefecture of the Economic Affairs of the Holy See. Archbishop Colasuonno, scion of a Roman banking family with deep roots in the Church, had an encyclopedic grasp of the higher clergy and all the resources of the Holy See’s formidable financial and information networks.
Holy Vatican See
04-02-2004, 22:21
OOC: The RP Scenario
I’d like to be able to do an RP on the Conclave to choose Sixtus’ successor. If you represent a Catholic nation, or a nation with heavy Catholic population, and want to participate, submit your “nominations” or your “appointed but unconfirmed” Cardinals to one of the following people, from whom the Pope is soliciting lists. You can RP contacting, or being contacted by, the Nominator who most closely reflects the views of your characters and/or governments.
Nominators:
Guido Cardinal Gambino, Titular Archbishop of Albano and Vatican Secretary of State (perhaps the most powerful man in the Vatican after the Pope. Then again, perhaps not.)
Gambino represents the “Old Roman” faction of the College. These are the career Italian administrators and bureaucrats of the Church, whose focus is on maintaining the Church’s temporal power and influence in world affairs based on politics and money.
Jean-Paul Cardinal Renard, Titular Archbishop of Calcedonia and Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Renard is the spearhead for the reactionary “back to our roots” movement in the Church, those who want to sweep away the liberalizing reforms of the last fifty years, abandon ecumenicism, restore the old interpretations of Canon Law, revive the Inquisitorial Courts, and basically return the Church to the Thirteenth Century.
Bonaventura Eugenio Tosi Cardinal di Corneliano, Titular Archbishop of Palestrina, and Cardinal Camerlengo (he will administer the Conclave to choose the new Pope.)
Corneliano sees the future of the Church as dependent on missionary expansion, especially into less-developed nations. He wants the Church to focus its vast resources on developing strong mission presences, not just theological, but medical and social advancement, where large numbers of poor and/or oppressed people need hope. Theologically, he is orthodox and closely aligned with Sixtus’ policies of mediating between progress and reaction.
Michael Stephen Hume, Titular Archbishop of Porto Santa Rufina, and President of the Pontifical Council for InterReligious Dialogue (his See also makes him second in rank among the Cardinal Bishops and Sub-Dean of the College.)
Hume is the opposite of Renard. He believes that the only long-term hope for the Church lies in progressive liberalization of the Faith to broaden its appeal among the more sophisticated, tolerant, wealthy nations, and to give it moral authority in a rapidly modernizing multiverse. He believes that the laity should have more power in local Church affairs, and that the Church should be making steady progress towards the ordination of women.
About Crown Cardinals
The “Crown Cardinals” (in RL only represented in Austria, Spain, and Portugal,) are Cardinals appointed in consultation (or at the nomination of) Catholic Sovereigns, with whom the Church has a treaty to permit the Sovereign to nominate, or approve the nomination of.
If you are a Catholic monarchy, and have (or would like to have) a “Crown Cardinal,” you can send your nomination, or the name of a Cardinal already serving who should be ‘officially confirmed.’ (Not a RL Church requirement, just a way to get them into the RP, and we’ll forget about it in the future.)
It would be helpful if you could provide a link or describe the Cardinals you’re putting in the RP.