Cardinal banned by Francis insists on participating in the choice of the new Pope

The conclave, the event where cardinals come together to elect a new Pope, is not only a moment of great solemnity to the Catholic Church, but also fertile ground for internal controversies. And, as expected, the next meeting, which has not even begun, will be no exception.

The Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu wants to participate in the papal election, but this puts a major decision by Pope Francis, who had ordered his removal from office.

Becciu, 76, does not appear on the official list of cardinals with under 80 years old to vote. In 2020 the cardinal became involved in an unprecedented financial scandal in the Vatican, related to the purchase of a luxury building in London that caused a break of 139 million euros in the Holy See finances.

The severity of the situation led Pope Francis to take a severe attitude: not only fired Becciu from the position of Cardinal, but also withdrew the right to participate in future conclaves.

The radical decision was considered one of the many most controversial attitudes in Francisco’s pontificate, which sought to correct serious failures in church administration.

Becciu, however, did not accept the removal. On Tuesday (22), the Italian attended the first assembly of cardinals and gave an interview to the Italian newspaper L’entone Sarda, arguing that the Pope had no right to exclude him from the papal election, since he had not explicitly resigned.

“By calling myself to the last consistory [assembleia de cardeais por ocasião da nomeação de novos cardeais]the Pope recognized my cardinal prerogatives, insofar as there was no explicit will to exclude me from the conclave, there was no explicit written request from my resignation. The list [dos eleitores do conclave] Published by the Holy See has no value and must be considered as such, ”he said.

According to Becciu, the very list published by the Holy See, which excluded him from the conclave, “has no value.” Cardinal insists on his innocence and believes that the arrest sentence he received in 2023 for tax fraud is an unfair accusation that he is appealing.

The Italian cardinal, who for seven years was the number three of the Vatican hierarchy, was seen as a strong candidate for Francisco’s succession. However, its rise was abruptly interrupted after the financial scandal that shook the structures of the church.

Becciu is not the only cardinal to have been dismissed by Francis. Juan Luis Cipriani, Archbishop Emeritus of Lima, was forced to retire after accusations of sexual abuse to minors and, although he was silenced by the Vatican, his veto to participate in future conclaves was decided in secret.

The decision on the eventual participation of Italian Angelo Becciu will now be taken by the dean of the Cardinal College, Reverend Giovanni Battista, who is one of the Vatican’s authorities until the appointment of a new Pope.

This content was originally published in Cardinal banned by Francisco insists on participating in the choice of the new Pope on CNN Brazil.

Source: CNN Brasil

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