From Sandro Magister:
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The address that the pope delivers at the beginning of each year to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See bore an unmistakable imprint on Monday, January 8: that of the secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
It was the address of a great professional of diplomacy, entirely devoid of those third-worldist reprimands which are dear to Jorge Mario Bergoglio. A sign that the “comeback” of Parolin, who has now regained full control of the Vatican curia, has even made inroads with Francis.
Read the rest at: http://magister.blogautore.espresso.repubblica.it/2018/01/14/curia-stories-the-comeback-of-the-cardinal-secretary-of-state/
But just before you go: ... And Parolin is more powerful than ever, thanks to Pope Francis’s predilection for churchmen who, like him, belong to the diplomats’ guild.
In fact, two other key cardinals of this pontificate come from diplomacy: Lorenzo Baldisseri, appointed by Bergoglio as secretary general of the synod of bishops, and Beniamino Stella, whom the pope made the head of the congregation for the clergy. They have no specific expertise, but they are perfectly obedient executors of the will of Francis to steer things in the predetermined directions: from communion for the divorced and remarried to the ordination of married priests.
At the secretariat of state, it is the “substitute” Angelo Giovanni Becciu, another career diplomat, who acts as executor of the pope’s wishes and as headsman, as for example with Milone or with the Knights of Malta.
In this latter case, Parolin as well was personally involved in the removal of the Grand Master. But it is rare for him to show himself. The dirty work is left to others. He flies high. So high as to be now the only candidate for succeeding Francis with a serious chance of being elected pope.
May Our Blessed Lord deliver us and His Church from the hands of men such as Bergoglio and Parolin.