Vatican City — Canada's Marc Cardinal Ouellet used his Sunday homily to rebuke Catholic political operatives who are spreading nasty rumours about his fellow cardinals in the mud-spattered papal election campaign.
In his final public statement before the secret election begins Monday, Cardinal Ouellet reminded Roman Catholics that the conclave was supposed to be above the crass politics of the secular world.
“The choice the cardinals are making is not a political act based on some human calculation,” Cardinal Ouellet told parishioners at the Holy Mary in Transpontina church near St. Peter's Square.
“It's an act of faith, and profound listening to God's spirit, to seek the person that God wants to be the bishop of Rome and the head of the universal church.”
Cardinals are not supposed to campaign, but underground lobbying is rampant in Rome, where Italian newspapers have published accounts of backroom dealing and startling revelations on various front runners. Reports have questioned the physical and mental health, political connections and even criminal activity of cardinals.
As rumours spread that front runner Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger had already locked up 50 of the 77 votes required to win the election, reports of ill health started to dog the 78-year-old German.
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