Synodal Conclave with Pink Quotas and Potential Reform in Papal Election

Continuation of the series on the explosive reform of the Conclave, in the commentary of the NBQ, which notes: “it is difficult to believe that such a detailed indiscretion could come out of nowhere”.
Especially since the Pope himself had alluded to the possibility of changing the rules of the conclave in one of his countless interview books.

Synodal conclave with pink quotas

La NBQ
Stefano Chiappalone
Column « Borgo Pio »
November 6, 2023

The indiscretion revealed by Vatican sources to “The Remnant”: a revolution of the rules which govern the election of Francis’ successor, with lay people, religious men and women, is under study.

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A document to revolutionize even the election of Francis’ successor through a “synodal” conclave, open to the laity and with pink quotas. This is not science fiction, nor ecclesiology fiction, because the projects have been under study for months.

“Well-informed Vatican sources have confirmed to Remnant » – revealed Diane Montagna on November 4 – “that a series of meetings between Pope Francis and the Italian Jesuit canonist cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda have taken place in Sainte Martha since the end of spring” with the aim of reforming the papal election. “Since the end of August, these meetings have become more frequent and took place on a weekly basis until the start of the synodal assembly. »

More than a reform, it would be a real revolution (as well as a sort of mortgage on the future), including in the method, which will naturally be synodal.

The first change concerns the pre-conclave congregations, that is to say the open discussions between all members of the College of Cardinals, from which those over 80 would now be excluded. The modality would also change: plenary sessions would be replaced by the method of “small working groups with a leader to guide the discussions” (or channel them in a certain direction?), in practice the “synodal table” (an effective tool for building consensus, as Luisella Scrosati explained, see below).

The novelty that has made the most noise is obviously the hypothesis of extending the vote to 25% of lay people, including women. Under the classic pretext of “return to the primitive Church”, we would reduce the weight of the cardinal electors, who would represent 75% of voters, “while the remaining 25% would be made up of lay people and nuns” of pontifical appointment, obviously carried out by Francis “before the Apostolic See became vacant”. In practice, we could find the rainbow nun Jeannine Gramick or the anti-globalizationist Luca Casarini among the voters of the future pope.

The Press Room denied: ” The new does not seem to have foundation ».

But it’s hard to think that such a detailed indiscretion could come out of nowhere (and things can exist even when they “don’t”). don’t seem“). If indeed something like this boils in the pot, it would constitute “an ecclesial and theological upheaval of the papal elections” and “if it is promulgated, it will certainly encounter considerable resistance from the members of the Sacred College”, concludes Diane Montagna .

What is certain is that Francis recently spoke about the rules of the conclave, in the book-interview of October 2023 You are not alone:

” Actually, I could promulgate a decree which modifies the conditions of entry into the conclave and allows a bishop who is not a cardinal to participate in it.”

The message is clear: “I can change the rules”.

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The small working group method; a proven technique to overcome resistance (Luisella Scrosatti)