More rogues gallery candidates for following in Francis' footsteps. Too much like him, says traditionalist compiler . . .
He being Serre Verweij with his Who's Who of Bad Options in the Conclave, May 1, 2025, plus assorted commentary in eye-talicks:
Cardinal Kevin Farrell is yet another American progressive accused of ties to sodomizer of seminarians and others and major fund-raiser, McCarrick.
About whom, it must be said, he was either the most successful secret-keeper in history or had all possible whistle blowers paid off. Anyhow, it looks that way, but who knows? I could be all wet on the subject, but I doubt it.
May I, as long as we’re on the subject, toss in this item, the off-cuff testimony on the subject about who knew and who didn’t know about McCarrick’s sodomy history and what he told a news person just before he disappeared from public view, namely that everyone knew about McC.
In a statement on Saturday, the Vatican said Mr. McCarrick had been dismissed after he was tried and found guilty of several crimes, including soliciting sex during confession and “sins” with minors and with adults, “with the aggravating factor of the abuse of power.” Don’t say nobody knew. Please. Perhaps least of all, Cardinal Farrell. They lived in the same house, didn’t they?
For cryin’ out loud:
In 2002, he was named an auxiliary bishop of Washington, serving as moderator of the curia and vicar general, a chief advisory role, to then-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick.
And:
Farrell lived together with McCarrick in a renovated parish building in Washington’s Kalorama neighborhood for six years. He later denied having any knowledge of accusations of sexual abuse against McCarrick, who was dismissed from the clerical state in 2019.
Question is, would you buy a used car from that man?.
Blase Cupich the Archbishop of Chicago, also fits into this pattern of American liberals appointed by Francis, accused of ties to McCarrick, a supporter of James Martin and criticized for his handling of abuse.
Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the former Archbishop of Washington D.C., is viewed as a more moderate American liberal, but has also been accused of having ties to McCarrick. While not as radical as McElroy or Cupich, he has still come to embrace James Martin’s pro-LGBT activism and became more friendly towards homosexuality, even apologizing to homosexuals.
Stephen Chow Sau-yan, S.J., a Jesuit from Hong Kong, seems the most radical of the Asian cardinals. He supports dialogue with the Communist government from the mainland, which is clearly a one-way dialogue, drawing the Hong Kong church into the sphere of communism. He has expressed his support for women’s ordination and for a pro-LGBT policy. He participated in a pro-LGBT event pushed by James Martin during the Synod on Synodality.
Cardinal Parolin, widely considered to be the leading contender in the entire conclave, was the leading player in . . . selling out the brave underground Church in China.
Furthermore, his right-hand man Becciu was convicted for corruption, while Parolin approved the. . . deal. He had a leading role in pushing Traditionis Custodes . . .and only in 2022 started to . . . distance himself . . . from the German bishops. All this would make him a questionable ‘compromise’ candidate.
Claudio Gugerotti, the current prefect of the Dicastery of Oriental Churches also looks dangerous, as a possible ‘plan B’ for Parolin, also having been a protégé of the late Achille Silvestrini. [member of the "St. Gallen Group" that engineered Francis’ election].
Gugerotti has so far kept his cards close, however. Would he dare to oppose China? He was also rumoured to be involved in renewed attempts to ban the Tridentine Mass, although he later denied this. The fact that he hasn’t clarified his views more, and his being positioned as an alternative to the favorite Parolin, makes him extremely dangerous.
Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, current prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, is touted by some . . . he’s accused by Catholics from Peru of mishandling abuse cases. [A common problem!] His stance on documents as Fiducia Supplicans and Traditionis Custodes are completely unknown as his view on the future of the synod. [I’ll be darned if he has does not have the look of one who could pick up enough ballots in a convention that lasts a while longer than a day or two. Look him up.]
You Heung-sik, the current prefect of the Dicastery of Clergy, is sometimes viewed as a moderate Asian cardinal. Something that could still turn many of his fellow Asian cardinals against him is that he has previously defended the controversial Vatican agreement with China. He has admitted himself that in South Korea some accused him of being a red bishop.
Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, from Japan, has tolerated dissident pro-LGBT groups and their masses in his Archdiocese, while also pushing migration to Japan. Sources also state that he was made cardinal at the behest of Cardinal Peter Turkson.
Turkson, from Ghana, has been one of the few cardinals in Africa to support Francis in criticizing laws that outlaw homosexual acts. His openness to condoms in marriage to prevent Aids and his support for Greta Thunberg [!] are noteworthy, too. Finally, he was removed from his function as prefect of the Dicastery for Integral Development with commentators suggesting, this was because he is a poor administrator.
Luis Tagle, from the Philippines, was popular for a long time. Then he got removed from his post leading Caritas International over poor management. He has also defended the Vatican deal with China and been criticized for being weak, compared to his fellow bishops in the Philippines when it came to opposing the Duterte government.
Matteo Zuppi, the Archbishop of Bologna in Italy, is a member of the radical Sant’Egidio community. He has distanced himself from pro-lifers, involved himself needlessly in Italian politics, to criticize plans by Meloni to introduce direct elections of the prime minister, supported James Martin and received praise and support from Italian Freemasons. He also infamously allowed the blessing of a gay union and then lied about it.
That’s all for now . . .