Ann Widdecombe as Vatican Ambassador?

Interesting piece of speculation here in Kent News.

Ann Widdecombe has played down reports that she has been approached to become the next British ambassador to the Vatican.

The Conservative MP for Maidstone and the Weald, who is standing down at the next election, was responding to reports in the national press that she was front-runner for the Holy See position.

“I have not heard a single official whisper,” she said. “All the comments have all come from my friends but I’m not sure about where it’s come from.

Although she's playing it down, it's still not inconceivable or improbable. Widdecombe would make a very good ambassador, although one can't help feeling she's more needed back home. Lord Alton, also quoted in the article, would also make a very good representative at the Vatican. However, the current ambassador, Francis Campbell, may be staying on beyond June next year, and as far as I know the position is expected to eventually go to another career diplomat.

More Curia Changes

Latest changes to the Secretariat of State which I've written about for the Register:

Pope Benedict XVI made the latest in a series of important changes within the Roman Curia today by appointing Msgr. Pietro Parolin as apostolic nuncio to Venezuela. The appointment has been speculated by Vatican commentators for some time.

Msgr. Parolin, originally from Schiavon in northern Italy, has been the Vatican’s deputy foreign minister since 2002 (officially titled Under-Secretary in the Secretariat of State’s Relations with States section).

During that time he has built up a very good reputation as a diplomatic fixer, playing an important behind-the-scenes role in negotiating improved relations with a number of states, most notably China, Vietnam and Israel.

Vatican sources say he is being sent to Venezuela to help improve worsening relations between Hugo Chavez and the Holy See. He will be consecrated as bishop by Pope Benedict XVI on September 12, along with other recently appointed apostolic nuncios.

Msgr. Parolin has been replaced by 42 year old Msgr. Ettore Balestrero from Genoa. A genial Vatican diplomat who is popular among conservative, Orthodox Catholics, Msgr. Balestrero has until now been responsible for overseeing the Holy See’s relations with Europe and, in particular, the Church’s role in an increasingly secular continent.

As well as being assigned to important ‘dossiers’ such as China, Vietnam and the Middle East, his task will be to oversee the work of the office and maintain contacts with ambassadors around the world. Msgr. Balestrero has an American mother and speaks fluent English as well as French, Spanish, German and Dutch.

The appointments today come after other recent changes within the senior ranks of the Secretariat of State. Last month Msgr. Peter Wells, an American from Tulsa, was tapped as Assessor of General Affairs – essentially the Holy See’s chief of staff.

Photo: Msgr. Pietro Parolin

Reaction to My Newsweek Article on Benedict XVI

I had a feeling my recent article in Newsweek looking at possible contenders to succeed the Holy Father would cause a little controversy.

Phil Lawler of Catholic Culture - someone whom I respect very much - has weighed in here with some charitable comments and sound points. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was reluctant to write the piece for the reasons he implicitly points out. But my reasoning was that they were going to get someone to write it, and I felt I could do it with enough sensitivity, without getting into unnecessary Church politics. It also didn't start out as a papabili piece, but rather a reflection on BXVI's vision for the Church.

Also for the record, the published piece is quite different to the one I originally wrote, and it's as much a work of the editors as it is of mine. The opening paragraph - and much else - is not my wording, though the words 'potential frailty' I thought were well chosen as they referred to his relative fitness for someone of his age - in other words, thankfully the Holy Father's not yet frail in the sense of being struck down with disease, and well enough to continue for a number of years yet.

As for the list of papabili, I chose them not because they are allies of Pope Benedict, but rather because I believe they would be the most favoured in a conclave on the grounds of their holiness, character and personal gifts. I left Cardinal Bertone off the list because although he is by all accounts an excellent priest, his running of the Secretariat of State is not at the same level, and I feel sure most of the College of Cardinals would not want a poor administrator as Pope. He also doesn't speak English which is a severe handicap.

Hopefully the article has served some purpose, if anything in showing what a great Holy Father we have, and putting something of a dampener on any further speculation who his successor might be.

Ad multos annos Santo Padre!