Ratzinger Ahead in Pope Politicking, Issues Book (Other German Cardinals Against Him)
Yahoo! News (Reuters  | 4/13/2005 | Tom Heneghan
 

Ratzinger Ahead in Pope Politicking, Issues Book

By Tom Heneghan
 

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Conservative Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has gained strong support among Roman Catholic cardinals seeking a successor to Pope John Paul but many of them are still undecided, a Church official said on Wednesday.
 

The German theologian, the Vatican's doctrinal watchdog for 23 years, is the frontrunner for now while moderates were considering a symbolic candidacy for Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, the former archbishop of Milan, the official said.
 

But this was only the line-up for the first round of voting, often a formality gauging strengths of different camps, rather than a sign of who might end up as pope. Voting conclaves can last several days and often produce surprise results.
 

In an unexpected move, Ratzinger published a book in Germany on Wednesday arguing that Europe must reclaim its Christian heritage. Open campaigning for the papacy is frowned upon and it was not clear what effect the book would have.
 

"Ratzinger is looking strong but it's still far from clear who will emerge and how the voting will go," said the official who requested anonymity. The conclave begins next Monday and a two-thirds majority -- 77 out of 115 votes -- is needed to win.
 

Italian newspapers reported that between 40 and 50 cardinals had signaled support for Ratzinger in private pre-conclave meetings this week.
 

A conservative campaign to rapidly declare John Paul a saint also appeared to work in Ratzinger's favor because of his close ties to the former Pontiff.
 

"Ratzinger's supporters have stepped up their efforts to elect him quickly," wrote the Rome daily La Repubblica.
 

GERMANS AGAINST RATZINGER
 

Although he was John Paul's closest aide and is dean of the College of Cardinals due to elect the next pontiff, Ratzinger is not an obvious candidate because of his age -- he turns 78 on Saturday -- and the polarizing role he has played.
 

Ratzinger has clamped down hard on theologians who strayed from his strict doctrinal line and alienated other Christian denominations by saying they were not real churches.
 

Both La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera newspapers reported that two other powerful German cardinals, Karl Lehmann of Mainz and Vatican-based Walter Kasper, were strongly against him. Both have clashed publicly with Ratzinger in the past.
 

The official said moderates were lining up temporarily behind a symbolic candidacy for Martini, who was their favorite for years until he resigned as Milan archbishop in 2002.
 

While Martini, 78 and ailing, has signaled he does not want the job, a strong showing for him in the first round could indicate the strength of moderate cardinals and help rally support behind a candidate more acceptable to them.
 

"The moderates will have to get their act together fast because about half the cardinals seem undecided and could go along with whoever looks like a winner," the official said.
 

BREAKING VOW OF SILENCE?
 

The cardinals agreed last week not to talk to the media during the pre-conclave period but Italian journalists with close ties to the Vatican frequently get leaks. Their media are also favored because most cardinals speak Italian.
 

The excerpts from Ratzinger's book "Values in Times of Upheaval" published by Munich's Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily did not appear formally to break that vow of silence as they were most likely written even before Pope John Paul died on April 2.
 

"Europe needs to accept itself anew ... if it is to survive," wrote Ratzinger, a former archbishop of Munich.
 

"In the hour of its greatest success, Europe seems to have become empty inside, paralyzed by a life-threatening crisis to its health and dependent on transplants," he wrote, referring to the continent's low birthrate and need for immigrant labor.
 

He also criticized the collapse of traditional families and the drive to legalize gay marriage, a trend which meant that "the entire moral history of mankind is being left behind."
 

He rapped Western society for what he said was its correct decision to make criticism of Islam or Judaism a taboo but said it was a mistake to allow Christianity to be freely ridiculed and condemned.
 

"Believing Christians should see themselves as a creative minority" that could save Europe by helping to revive "the best of its heritage," he said.