Word: vaticaners
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...Vatican press corps is slowly learning that it's best to cover Benedict on his own terms. For the 79-year-old would not stay silent for long on the topic of faith-based terror. On Tuesday, in a riveting and provocative university lecture, the Pope explored the philosophical and historical differences between Islam and Christianity-a speech that would become the surprise centerpiece of a five-day visit that many had expected would be mostly just a walk down memory lane. There is little doubt left that Benedict is indeed highly attuned to the risks of fundamentalist terrorism...
...ever since John Paul launched the first of many interfaith gatherings in the medieval Italian city of Assisi two decades ago. Just last month, in fact, was the 20th anniversary of that first encounter. Benedict, as he did last year, skipped the anniversary event in St. Francis' hometown-and Vatican insiders say he has always been skeptical of the encounters, which he worries can water down differences between faiths. But he did send a written message for the first time this year, which heralded John Paul's "prophecy" in promoting a peaceful dialogue among different religions, and "its timeliness...
...Vatican veteran, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, who has held the doubly potent post of Vicar of Rome and head of the Italian Bishops Conference since 1991, has stayed put so far. But maneuvering for his succession is well under way. Among those mentioned to replace Ruini are two Cardinals - Angelo Scola of Venice and Dionigi Tettamanzi of Milan - who were considered papal candidates in the same conclave that elected Benedict. A lesser-known name than either the conservative Venetian or more progressive Milanese may well emerge as a compromise candidate...
...power struggle is said to be on over control of the Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR), the Vatican bank. The longstanding IOR chief Angelo Caloia is credited with cleaning up the bank's business after it was rocked by scandals in the 1980s. But some think Caloia has himself consolidated too much power. Italian magazine Panorama last week reported that Benedict would like to put former German Central Bank chief Hans Tietmeyer to run the Church's operation. That would shake things up almost as much as a German pope...
...Additional Vatican offices are bound to close or get consolidated. With the more powerful and longer standing "Congregations" less likely to get chopped, eyes are focused on the "Pontifical Councils" that are a relatively recent addition to the Curia hierarchy. Those offices with dossiers for laity, family and Christian Unity could well get folded into others...