Well, obviously the doors are closed, and if we hear of secrets being divulged through some form of modern technology, then there’s big trouble. I haven’t heard or read anything.
That’s not the question. What I am afraid of is a kind of Catch 22 dilemma between the power of the Roman Curia and the national Episcopal Conferences. Either way, the local Bishop is trumped by bureaucracy – and whilst this is the case, the Church is eclipsed.
- The Conclave-Watcher’s Lexicon
- Letter #44: Black Smoke… by Robert Moynihan
In the second article, he brings up the notion of world order in Cardinal Sodano’s homily for the Mass of yesterday. Just what does that mean coming out of the mouth of a priest?
Perhaps the only good agenda I can see coming out of all this is a slimming down of all bureaucracy and power structures, so that the Bishop means something in his diocese and the parish priest means something in his parish. Then those who want to be traditionalist will be free to do so, though the “other side” will also be free. We have the same problem in Anglicanism – the tyranny of bureaucracy.
If this problem doesn’t get solved, then a lot more people are going to lose hope in the Church.
The Blue Flower 
In my experience parish priests can be just as tyranical as the bishop of Rome, dividing friend and family member alike on account of his own fancies and convictions, driving people out, delegating positions of ”authority” to people of his own ilk. I don’t personally think that the balance will ever be just right.
As experience tells me. But I suppose decentralisation gives more possibilities for “shopping around”, either that or deciding to kick the “product” once and for all.
From the tyranny of Father Jack and his detestable enormities – libera nos, Domine.
There are jamming devices in Sistine Chapel, in Domus Sanctae Martae and in the whole track between the two places. People around St. Peter square are complaining that their wireless connections are having troubles, therefore I think the systems are quite effective. Reports and anticipations from “within the Conclave” are pure fantastic speculations.
IMHO black smoke means good news. At least they’re reflecting about it.
News from the conclave!
http://2imgs.com/2d6f1c36e5
Is this the same seagull that killed a dove released by Pope Benedict XVI?
Frankly, I did not remember such gory episode. Anyway, the seagull has been up there for quite a while, enjoying the heating of the chimney as well as its fifteen minutes of global celebrity. A quite impressive crowd is now gathered in the square under multicolor umbrellas, recalling a famous painting of Renoir.
If someone is interested, the streaming:
http://www.lastampa.it/2013/02/28/multimedia/italia/il-viaggio-del-papa-a-castel-gandolfo-la-diretta-5wGtNH5dNjX0BomSssnYQO/pagina.html
or just connect to vatican.va website.