Conclave 'opens up a new future,' Canada's Cardinal Ouellet tells CBC
( March 06, 2013) Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Prefect of the Congregation of
Bishops said the conclave "opens up a new future" for the church and is a responsibility
the cardinals see as "their main task." In a Canadian Broadcasting Corp. interview
on Monday (March 4,) he said the cardinals are all considering the meaning of the
"extraordinary decision of Pope Benedict" to resign and understanding that decision's
impact on the church. When asked if he considered himself a possible contender for
pope, the Canadian cardinal, one of the 115 cardinal electors, said he is "just trying
to live day after day in obedience to God and his word," fulfilling his duties and
leaving the next day to God. He said all of the cardinals have to be ready to take
on the role as leader of the church. "We have to be, to some extent, prepared," he
said, but noted that as far as thinking about it personally, he would cross the river
when he got to the bridge, and we are not there. Cardinal Ouellet noted that there
had been a focus on European popes for centuries but that today it would not be a
surprise for a pope to come from Asia, Africa or America. The Canadian cardinal also
reiterated the often-repeated saying about the conclave: "He who goes in a pope comes
out a cardinal." In response to a question about the church's response to the
sex abuse scandal, the cardinal said: "We have learned from our mistakes," stressing
the need to "listen carefully to victims" and focus first on them. He also noted
that the issue of abuse is not just a "Catholic problem; it is a human problem" and
hopes that efforts to combat it by the Catholic Church, although not perfect, "could
be also of example for others in society."