Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone
Encyclopedia
Tarcisio Pietro Evasio Bertone, S.D.B.
(born 2 December 1934) is an Italian
prelate and diplomat
. A Cardinal
of the Roman Catholic Church
, he currently serves as Cardinal Secretary of State
and Camerlengo, having previously served as Archbishop of Vercelli from 1991 to 1995, as Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
, when Cardinal Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI, was Prefect, and Archbishop of Genoa from 2002 to 2006. Bertone was elevated to the cardinalate
in 2003. On 10 May 2008, he was named Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati.
, Piedmont
, the fifth of eight children. He revealed his mother was a determined anti-Fascist militant of the Italian People's Party, and later a Christian Democrat
.
He professed his vows as a member of the Salesians
on 3 December 1950, and was ordained a priest by Archbishop Albino Mensa on 1 July 1960. He holds a doctorate in canon law
. His dissertation was entitled, The Governance of the Church in the Thought of Pope Benedict XIV
(1740–1758). He served as Professor
of Special Moral Theology
at the Pontifical Salesian University from 1967 until his appointment as Professor of Canon Law in 1976, a post he held until 1991. He was a visiting professor of Public Ecclesiastical Law at the Institute Utriusque Iuris of the Pontifical Lateran University
in 1978. In 1988 he was appointed to a group of experts that assisted Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger
in the negotiations with the then-excommunicated Archbishop
Marcel Lefebvre
. He was also commissioned by Pope John Paul II to assist Emmanuel Milingo
, Archbishop Emeritus of Lusaka
, Zambia
, in returning to the Catholic Church in 2001. Milingo had left the Church to marry Maria Sung of the Moon sect.
. He was consecrated a bishop one month later by Archbishop Mensa, who had also ordained him. He held this post until his resignation in 1995 upon being named Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
under Cardinal Ratzinger, who would later become Pope Benedict XVI
. Appointed Archbishop of Genoa on 10 December 2002 and installed on 2 February 2003, Bertone was elevated to the College of Cardinals
in the consistory of 21 October 2003, as Cardinal-Priest
of Santa Maria Ausiliatrice in Via Tuscolana (pro hac vice
a title). Then-Archbishop Angelo Amato
succeeded Cardinal Bertone as Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, before becoming the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
.
As a member of the Society of Don Bosco
, he is still considered a priest who has undertaken work with youth whom, in Pope John Paul's last words, he had sought throughout his papacy. There was a story that "Bertone's priest-secretary recalled for the paper an occasion in which Bertone decided to take a public bus to the Apostolic Palace
. As the Cardinal in his long black cassock and red fascia strode on to the bus, the people, especially a group of young people, stared in silence. Bertone immediately broke the ice with his 'characteristic' smile. By the time he reached his destination the prelate had engaged the youth in a deep conversation on love, sex, virginity, and chastity".
Moreover, Bertone's dissertation on tolerance and religious freedom has given him a good start as a theologian and canonist in a crisis-ridden world. He actually later specialized in the relationship between social morality, faith and politics. He also helped in the revision of the 1983 Code of Canon Law
, and undertook pastoral work in parishes.
In the Jubilee Year
2000, Cardinal Bertone was entrusted by John Paul II with the publication of the third part of the secret of Fatima
.
Bertone was one of the cardinal electors
who participated in the 2005 papal conclave
that selected Pope Benedict XVI
. Cardinal Bertone remains eligible to vote in any future conclaves
that begin before his 80th birthday on 2 December 2014.
On 15 March 2005, Bertone was in the news for "breaking the Church's silence" and sharply criticizing Dan Brown
's 2003 novel The Da Vinci Code
, saying the book's central concept that Jesus
had been married to Mary Magdalene
and fathered a bloodline was heresy
and "shameful", and that believers should boycott the book. Both Bertone and official Vatican spokespeople insisted that Bertone was not speaking as an official representative of the Church, but it was also noted that Bertone's high placement within the Church hierarchy
(his name was often cited as a potential candidate
for the next pontiff) gave his words considerable weight, such that his comments were often reported by various media as an official statement from the Vatican. In 2006, the NBC news program Dateline
described his statement as "a high-ranking Vatican Cardinal called for a boycott of the film."
as the Cardinal Secretary of State
, assuming the office on 15 September of that same year. It was revealed on the following 31 August that Cardinal Bertone had a dream in which Pope John Paul II spoke to him saying "do not be afraid" to the Cardinal as he prepares to take his new job.
On 4 April 2007, Benedict XVI also appointed Cardinal Bertone as Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church (or Chamberlain). The duties of the Camerlengo are largely confined to administration during the vacancy
of the Holy See. Cardinal Bertone remains eligible to vote in any future conclave caused by a vacancy of the Holy See that occurs before his 80th birthday on 2 December 2014. On 10 May 2008 he was promoted to the rank of Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati.
Bertone is known to study the problem at hand before taking action. One such example is when after he was named Archbishop of Vercelli he "locked himself in his room all night and studied the life of Saint Eusebius
, who was bishop of the city back in 345 AD".
He is a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
, Congregation for the Clergy
, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments, Congregation for the Oriental Churches
, Congregation for Bishops
and Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
. He will hold these memberships until his 80th birthday on 2 December 2014.
. Bertone remarked, "After almost two decades, an evaluation of how the dicasteries
are organised is more than comprehensible, in order to reflect on how to make the existing structures more efficient for the mission of the Church and eventually to consider whether all of them should be maintained".
"could, in future, field a team that plays at the top level, with Roma, Internazionale
, Genoa and Sampdoria." He continued by saying, "If we just take the Brazilian students from our Pontifical universities we could have a magnificent squad". However, only hours later he said, "I've got much more to do than cultivating a football squad for the Vatican
", and explained that his earlier remark was not seriously intended.
, Bertone defended Pius against claims of indifference toward the Jews
during The Holocaust
. The Cardinal condemned this accusation as a "black legend" and "an attack on good sense and on rationality", which has "become so firmly established that even to scratch it is an arduous task". Although he admitted that Pius XII had been "cautious" in condemning Nazi Germany
, Bertone stated that Nazi forces would have intensified its program of genocide
had the Pope been more outspoken.
, released a declaration explaining that the "position of the Pope concerning Islam is unequivocally that expressed by the conciliar document Nostra Aetate
" and that "the Pope's option in favour of inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue is equally unequivocal."
accused the Holy See
of an "extremely unfriendly policy" when he said that the Catholic Church was poaching converts in Orthodox lands in Russia
and other ex-Soviet
republics. In response, Cardinal Bertone said, "We do not want to engage in proselytism in Russia".
extending the indult
for the celebration of the Tridentine Mass
in an interview with the French
newspaper Le Figaro
.
In the same interview, Bertone "blasted the media for highlighting the Vatican's views on sex while maintaining a 'deafening silence' about charity work done by thousands of Catholic organisations around the world." He continued by saying, "I see a fixation by some journalists on moral topics, such as abortion and homosexual unions, which are certainly important issues but absolutely do not constitute the thinking and work of the Church."
. He made a statement about the Church's alarm at the "disaster" of drug-fuelled violence on the eve of a trip to Mexico
. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/01/14/2465339.htm
for having exposed Benedict XVI to public controversies surrounding episcopal nominations in Italy and Poland. Magister also writes that the problems in communications and governance that were visible during the Williamson affair can largely be attributed to Bertone. He further alleges that Bertone was involved in a doctrinal controversy about abortion and that he supported the procedure in extraordinary circumstances.
published an article entitled, Dear Cardinal Bertone: Who—between you and me—is Deliberately Lying?. Catholic attorney Christopher Ferrara wrote an entire book called The Secret Still Hidden (content available online) aimed at exposing and debunking the claims of Cardinal Bertone with respect to Fatima. The book contains an appendix entitled, 101 Grounds for Doubting Cardinal Bertone's Account. In particular, it is claimed that Bertone engaged in a systematic deception along with Cardinal Sodano and Cardinal Ratzinger to cover-up the existence of a one-page document containing the words of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which some believe contains information about the Apocalypse and a great apostasy
. Bertone denied that he told anything less than the full truth about Fatima in a televised appearance.
of Poland conferred on the cardinal the highest decoration of the country, the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of Poland
"for the lofty merits acquired in the development of the collaboration between the Republic of Poland and the Holy See and for the work carried out in favor of the Church in Poland."
Salesians of Don Bosco
The Salesians of Don Bosco is a Roman Catholic religious order founded in the late nineteenth century by Saint John Bosco in an attempt, through works of charity, to care for the young and poor children of the industrial revolution...
(born 2 December 1934) is an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
prelate and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
. A Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, he currently serves as Cardinal Secretary of State
Cardinal Secretary of State
The Cardinal Secretary of State—officially Secretary of State of His Holiness The Pope—presides over the Holy See, usually known as the "Vatican", Secretariat of State, which is the oldest and most important dicastery of the Roman Curia...
and Camerlengo, having previously served as Archbishop of Vercelli from 1991 to 1995, as Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...
, when Cardinal Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI, was Prefect, and Archbishop of Genoa from 2002 to 2006. Bertone was elevated to the cardinalate
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
in 2003. On 10 May 2008, he was named Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati.
Early life
Bertone was born in Romano CanaveseRomano Canavese
Romano Canavese is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 40 km northeast of Turin.-Main sights:*Communal Tower , now turned into a church bell tower, and the surrounding park....
, Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
, the fifth of eight children. He revealed his mother was a determined anti-Fascist militant of the Italian People's Party, and later a Christian Democrat
Christian Democratic Party (Italy)
The Christian Democratic Party is a minor Christian-democratic Italian political party.It was founded in 2000 by Flaminio Piccoli, Clelio Darida, Carlo Senaldi and Alfredo Vito as the electoral arm of the Rebirth of Christian Democracy...
.
He professed his vows as a member of the Salesians
Salesians of Don Bosco
The Salesians of Don Bosco is a Roman Catholic religious order founded in the late nineteenth century by Saint John Bosco in an attempt, through works of charity, to care for the young and poor children of the industrial revolution...
on 3 December 1950, and was ordained a priest by Archbishop Albino Mensa on 1 July 1960. He holds a doctorate in canon law
Canon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
. His dissertation was entitled, The Governance of the Church in the Thought of Pope Benedict XIV
Pope Benedict XIV
Pope Benedict XIV , born Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini, was Pope from 17 August 1740 to 3 May 1758.-Life:...
(1740–1758). He served as Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Special Moral Theology
Moral theology
Moral theology is a systematic theological treatment of Christian ethics. It is usually taught on Divinity faculties as a part of the basic curriculum.- External links :*...
at the Pontifical Salesian University from 1967 until his appointment as Professor of Canon Law in 1976, a post he held until 1991. He was a visiting professor of Public Ecclesiastical Law at the Institute Utriusque Iuris of the Pontifical Lateran University
Pontifical Lateran University
The Pontifical Lateran University is a university by pontifical right based in Rome, Italy. The university also hosts the central session of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family...
in 1978. In 1988 he was appointed to a group of experts that assisted Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
in the negotiations with the then-excommunicated Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Marcel Lefebvre
Marcel Lefebvre
Marcel François Marie Joseph Lefebvre was a French Roman Catholic archbishop. Following a career as an Apostolic Delegate for West Africa and Superior General of the Holy Ghost Fathers, he took the lead in opposing the changes within the Church associated with the Second Vatican Council.In 1970,...
. He was also commissioned by Pope John Paul II to assist Emmanuel Milingo
Emmanuel Milingo
Emmanuel Milingo is a former Roman Catholic archbishop from Zambia. In 1969, aged 39, Milingo was consecrated by Pope Paul VI as Bishop of the Archdiocese of Lusaka....
, Archbishop Emeritus of Lusaka
Lusaka
Lusaka is the capital and largest city of Zambia. It is located in the southern part of the central plateau, at an elevation of about 1,300 metres . It has a population of about 1.7 million . It is a commercial centre as well as the centre of government, and the four main highways of Zambia head...
, Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
, in returning to the Catholic Church in 2001. Milingo had left the Church to marry Maria Sung of the Moon sect.
Archbishop and Cardinal
On 4 July 1991, Bertone was appointed Archbishop of Vercelli by Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. He was consecrated a bishop one month later by Archbishop Mensa, who had also ordained him. He held this post until his resignation in 1995 upon being named Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...
under Cardinal Ratzinger, who would later become Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
. Appointed Archbishop of Genoa on 10 December 2002 and installed on 2 February 2003, Bertone was elevated to the College of Cardinals
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
in the consistory of 21 October 2003, as Cardinal-Priest
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of Santa Maria Ausiliatrice in Via Tuscolana (pro hac vice
Pro hac vice
Pro hac vice , Latin: "for this occasion" or "for this event", is a legal term usually referring to a lawyer who has not been admitted to practice in a certain jurisdiction but has been allowed to participate in a particular case in that jurisdiction.The right to appear pro hac vice is not...
a title). Then-Archbishop Angelo Amato
Angelo Amato
Angelo Amato, S.D.B. is a cardinal of the Catholic Church and currently serves as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. He previously served as Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith from 2002 to 2008.-Education:He entered the Salesians, after completing...
succeeded Cardinal Bertone as Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, before becoming the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
Congregation for the Causes of Saints
The Congregation for the Causes of Saints is the congregation of the Roman Curia which oversees the complex process that leads to the canonization of saints, passing through the steps of a declaration of "heroic virtues" and beatification...
.
As a member of the Society of Don Bosco
Salesians of Don Bosco
The Salesians of Don Bosco is a Roman Catholic religious order founded in the late nineteenth century by Saint John Bosco in an attempt, through works of charity, to care for the young and poor children of the industrial revolution...
, he is still considered a priest who has undertaken work with youth whom, in Pope John Paul's last words, he had sought throughout his papacy. There was a story that "Bertone's priest-secretary recalled for the paper an occasion in which Bertone decided to take a public bus to the Apostolic Palace
Apostolic Palace
The Apostolic Palace is the official residence of the Pope, which is located in Vatican City. It is also known as the Sacred Palace, the Papal Palace and the Palace of the Vatican...
. As the Cardinal in his long black cassock and red fascia strode on to the bus, the people, especially a group of young people, stared in silence. Bertone immediately broke the ice with his 'characteristic' smile. By the time he reached his destination the prelate had engaged the youth in a deep conversation on love, sex, virginity, and chastity".
Moreover, Bertone's dissertation on tolerance and religious freedom has given him a good start as a theologian and canonist in a crisis-ridden world. He actually later specialized in the relationship between social morality, faith and politics. He also helped in the revision of the 1983 Code of Canon Law
Canon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
, and undertook pastoral work in parishes.
In the Jubilee Year
Jubilee (Christian)
The concept of the Jubilee is a special year of remission of sins and universal pardon. In the Biblical Book of Leviticus, a Jubilee year is mentioned to occur every fifty years, in which slaves and prisoners would be freed, debts would be forgiven and the mercies of God would be particularly...
2000, Cardinal Bertone was entrusted by John Paul II with the publication of the third part of the secret of Fatima
Three Secrets of Fatima
The Three Secrets of Fátima consist of a series of visions and prophecies given by an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to three young Portuguese shepherds, Lúcia Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto, starting on 13 May 1917. The three children claimed to have been visited by a...
.
Bertone was one of the cardinal electors
Cardinal electors in Papal conclave, 2005
The following is a list of the 115 cardinal electors in the 2005 papal conclave, arranged by region and, within each region, alphabetically. Two cardinals who were eligible to participate in the conclave, namely Adolfo Suarez Rivera and Jaime Sin, did not attend due to ill health.-Roman...
who participated in the 2005 papal conclave
Papal conclave, 2005
The Papal conclave of 2005 was convened as a result of the death of Pope John Paul II on 2 April 2005. After his death, the cardinals who were in Rome met and set a date for the beginning of the conclave to elect John Paul's successor. The conclave began on 18 April 2005 and ended on the following...
that selected Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
. Cardinal Bertone remains eligible to vote in any future conclaves
Papal conclave
A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...
that begin before his 80th birthday on 2 December 2014.
On 15 March 2005, Bertone was in the news for "breaking the Church's silence" and sharply criticizing Dan Brown
Dan Brown
Dan Brown is an American author of thriller fiction, best known for the 2003 bestselling novel, The Da Vinci Code. Brown's novels, which are treasure hunts set in a 24-hour time period, feature the recurring themes of cryptography, keys, symbols, codes, and conspiracy theories...
's 2003 novel The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code is a 2003 mystery-detective novel written by Dan Brown. It follows symbologist Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu as they investigate a murder in Paris's Louvre Museum and discover a battle between the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei over the possibility of Jesus having been married to...
, saying the book's central concept that Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
had been married to Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus' most celebrated disciples, and the most important woman disciple in the movement of Jesus. Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons", conventionally interpreted as referring to complex illnesses...
and fathered a bloodline was heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
and "shameful", and that believers should boycott the book. Both Bertone and official Vatican spokespeople insisted that Bertone was not speaking as an official representative of the Church, but it was also noted that Bertone's high placement within the Church hierarchy
Catholic Church hierarchy
The term Hierarchy in the Catholic Church has a variety of related usages. Literally, "holy government", the term is employed in different instances. There is a Hierarchy of Truths, which refers to the levels of solemnity of the official teaching of the faith...
(his name was often cited as a potential candidate
Papabile
Papabile is an unofficial Italian term first coined by Vaticanologists and now used internationally in many languages to describe a cardinal of whom it is thought likely or possible that he will be elected pope. A literal English translation would be "popeable" or "one who might become pope".In...
for the next pontiff) gave his words considerable weight, such that his comments were often reported by various media as an official statement from the Vatican. In 2006, the NBC news program Dateline
Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC, or Dateline, is a U.S. weekly television newsmagazine broadcast by NBC. It previously was NBC's flagship news magazine, but now focuses on true crime stories. It airs Friday at 9 p.m. EST and after football season on Sunday at 7 p.m. EST.-History:Dateline is historically notable for...
described his statement as "a high-ranking Vatican Cardinal called for a boycott of the film."
Cardinal Secretary of State
On 22 June 2006, Benedict XVI appointed Cardinal Bertone to replace Angelo SodanoAngelo Sodano
Angelo Sodano is an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current Dean of the College of Cardinals and former Vatican Secretary of State, having held that post from 1990 to 2006, under both popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI...
as the Cardinal Secretary of State
Cardinal Secretary of State
The Cardinal Secretary of State—officially Secretary of State of His Holiness The Pope—presides over the Holy See, usually known as the "Vatican", Secretariat of State, which is the oldest and most important dicastery of the Roman Curia...
, assuming the office on 15 September of that same year. It was revealed on the following 31 August that Cardinal Bertone had a dream in which Pope John Paul II spoke to him saying "do not be afraid" to the Cardinal as he prepares to take his new job.
On 4 April 2007, Benedict XVI also appointed Cardinal Bertone as Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church (or Chamberlain). The duties of the Camerlengo are largely confined to administration during the vacancy
Sede vacante
Sede vacante is an expression, used in the Canon Law of the Catholic Church, that refers to the vacancy of the episcopal see of a particular church...
of the Holy See. Cardinal Bertone remains eligible to vote in any future conclave caused by a vacancy of the Holy See that occurs before his 80th birthday on 2 December 2014. On 10 May 2008 he was promoted to the rank of Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati.
Bertone is known to study the problem at hand before taking action. One such example is when after he was named Archbishop of Vercelli he "locked himself in his room all night and studied the life of Saint Eusebius
Eusebius of Vercelli
Eusebius of Vercelli was a bishop and saint in Italy. Along with Athanasius, he affirmed the divinity of Jesus against Arianism.-Biography:...
, who was bishop of the city back in 345 AD".
He is a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...
, Congregation for the Clergy
Congregation for the Clergy
The Sacred Congregation for the Clergy is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for overseeing matters regarding priests and deacons not belonging to religious orders...
, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments, Congregation for the Oriental Churches
Congregation for the Oriental Churches
The Congregation for the Oriental Churches is the dicastery of the Roman Curia responsible for contact with the Eastern Catholic Churches for the sake of assisting their development, protecting their rights and also maintaining whole and entire in the one Catholic Church, alongside the liturgical,...
, Congregation for Bishops
Congregation for Bishops
The Congregation for Bishops is the congregation of the Roman Curia which oversees the selection of new bishops that are not in mission territories or those areas that come under the jurisdiction of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches who deal with the Eastern Catholics, pending papal...
and Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in Rome is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for missionary work and related activities...
. He will hold these memberships until his 80th birthday on 2 December 2014.
Evaluation of dicasteries
Two weeks before entering office, Bertone was interviewed and asked his opinion about reforms of the Roman CuriaRoman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
. Bertone remarked, "After almost two decades, an evaluation of how the dicasteries
Dicastery
Dicastery is an Italicism sometimes used in English to refer to the Departments of the Roman Curia....
are organised is more than comprehensible, in order to reflect on how to make the existing structures more efficient for the mission of the Church and eventually to consider whether all of them should be maintained".
Church and sports
Cardinal Bertone suggested in December 2006 that the Holy SeeHoly See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
"could, in future, field a team that plays at the top level, with Roma, Internazionale
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
, Genoa and Sampdoria." He continued by saying, "If we just take the Brazilian students from our Pontifical universities we could have a magnificent squad". However, only hours later he said, "I've got much more to do than cultivating a football squad for the Vatican
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
", and explained that his earlier remark was not seriously intended.
Defence of Pius XII
On 5 June 2007, at a conference announcing the release of a new biography of Pope Pius XIIPope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
, Bertone defended Pius against claims of indifference toward the Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
during The Holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
. The Cardinal condemned this accusation as a "black legend" and "an attack on good sense and on rationality", which has "become so firmly established that even to scratch it is an arduous task". Although he admitted that Pius XII had been "cautious" in condemning Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, Bertone stated that Nazi forces would have intensified its program of genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
had the Pope been more outspoken.
Pope Benedict XVI Islam controversy
On 16 September 2006, Cardinal Bertone, after only one day in his job as Cardinal Secretary of StateCardinal Secretary of State
The Cardinal Secretary of State—officially Secretary of State of His Holiness The Pope—presides over the Holy See, usually known as the "Vatican", Secretariat of State, which is the oldest and most important dicastery of the Roman Curia...
, released a declaration explaining that the "position of the Pope concerning Islam is unequivocally that expressed by the conciliar document Nostra Aetate
Nostra Aetate
Nostra Aetate is the Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions of the Second Vatican Council. Passed by a vote of 2,221 to 88 of the assembled bishops, this declaration was promulgated on October 28, 1965, by Pope Paul VI.The first draft, entitled "Decretum de...
" and that "the Pope's option in favour of inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue is equally unequivocal."
Comments by Patriarch Alexius II
On 5 December 2006, Patriarch Alexius IIPatriarch Alexius II
Patriarch Alexy II was the 15th Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church....
accused the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
of an "extremely unfriendly policy" when he said that the Catholic Church was poaching converts in Orthodox lands in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and other ex-Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
republics. In response, Cardinal Bertone said, "We do not want to engage in proselytism in Russia".
Le Figaro interview
On 31 March 2007, Cardinal Bertone confirmed Pope Benedict's impending publication of the long-expected motu proprioMotu proprio
A motu proprio is a document issued by the Pope on his own initiative and personally signed by him....
extending the indult
Indult Catholic
Indult Catholic was a term used to denote a traditionalist Catholic who preferred to attend the older Tridentine form of Mass instead of the ordinary present-day form of the Roman-rite liturgy, the Mass of Paul VI, but who attended only those celebrations that had the explicit approval of the...
for the celebration of the Tridentine Mass
Tridentine Mass
The Tridentine Mass is the form of the Roman Rite Mass contained in the typical editions of the Roman Missal that were published from 1570 to 1962. It was the most widely celebrated Mass liturgy in the world until the introduction of the Mass of Paul VI in December 1969...
in an interview with the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
newspaper Le Figaro
Le Figaro
Le Figaro is a French daily newspaper founded in 1826 and published in Paris. It is one of three French newspapers of record, with Le Monde and Libération, and is the oldest newspaper in France. It is also the second-largest national newspaper in France after Le Parisien and before Le Monde, but...
.
In the same interview, Bertone "blasted the media for highlighting the Vatican's views on sex while maintaining a 'deafening silence' about charity work done by thousands of Catholic organisations around the world." He continued by saying, "I see a fixation by some journalists on moral topics, such as abortion and homosexual unions, which are certainly important issues but absolutely do not constitute the thinking and work of the Church."
Proposed excommunication of drug dealers
On 14 January 2009, Cardinal Bertone suggested that the Church would consider taking much stronger action against drug dealers. This action might possibly include excommunicationExcommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
. He made a statement about the Church's alarm at the "disaster" of drug-fuelled violence on the eve of a trip to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/01/14/2465339.htm
Controversial statements on child abuse within the Church
In his book The Case Of The Pope, Geoffrey Robertson QC criticises Bertone for his hyperbolic rejection of the "demand that a bishop be obligated to contact police to denounce a priest who had admitted paedophilia". Bertone argued that "if a priest cannot confide in his bishop for fear of being denounced then it would mean that there is no more liberty of conscience". As recently as Easter 2010, Bertone has publicly blamed the child sex scandal on homosexual infiltration of the clergy, contrary to the findings of a report from 2003 commissioned by the Holy See, which found no causal link.Political controversies in the Roman Curia
Bertone has been criticized by Catholic journalist Sandro MagisterSandro Magister
Sandro Magister is an Italian journalist who writes for the magazine "L'espresso". He specializes in religious news, in particular on the Catholic Church and the Vatican...
for having exposed Benedict XVI to public controversies surrounding episcopal nominations in Italy and Poland. Magister also writes that the problems in communications and governance that were visible during the Williamson affair can largely be attributed to Bertone. He further alleges that Bertone was involved in a doctrinal controversy about abortion and that he supported the procedure in extraordinary circumstances.
Third Secret of Fatima controversy
Bertone has been accused of lying about the content of the Third Secret of Fatima in his book, The Last Secret of Fatima, and also in televised appearances. After Bertone's book was published, Italian journalist Antonio SocciAntonio Socci
Antonio Socci is an Italian media personality, journalist and book writer. He is best known for coverage of Catholic Church topics, including general history, but also at times controversial subjects such as his works on the Secrets of Fatima and the works of Pope John Paul II.-Life:From a...
published an article entitled, Dear Cardinal Bertone: Who—between you and me—is Deliberately Lying?. Catholic attorney Christopher Ferrara wrote an entire book called The Secret Still Hidden (content available online) aimed at exposing and debunking the claims of Cardinal Bertone with respect to Fatima. The book contains an appendix entitled, 101 Grounds for Doubting Cardinal Bertone's Account. In particular, it is claimed that Bertone engaged in a systematic deception along with Cardinal Sodano and Cardinal Ratzinger to cover-up the existence of a one-page document containing the words of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which some believe contains information about the Apocalypse and a great apostasy
Apostasy
Apostasy , 'a defection or revolt', from ἀπό, apo, 'away, apart', στάσις, stasis, 'stand, 'standing') is the formal disaffiliation from or abandonment or renunciation of a religion by a person. One who commits apostasy is known as an apostate. These terms have a pejorative implication in everyday...
. Bertone denied that he told anything less than the full truth about Fatima in a televised appearance.
Awards and honours
In February 2010 Cardinal Bertone was granted an honorary doctorate by the Pontifical Theological Faculty of Wrocław, Poland, conferred by the rector of the institution, Waldemar Irek, in a ceremony celebrated in the evening of 11 February 2009. At the same time, President Lech KaczyńskiLech Kaczynski
Lech Aleksander Kaczyński was Polish lawyer and politician who served as the President of Poland from 2005 until 2010 and as Mayor of Warsaw from 2002 until 22 December 2005. Before he became a president, he was also a member of the party Prawo i Sprawiedliwość...
of Poland conferred on the cardinal the highest decoration of the country, the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of Poland
Order of Merit of Poland
The Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland is a Polish order awarded to those who have rendered great service to the Polish nation. It is granted to foreigners or Poles resident abroad and as such is a traditional 'diplomatic order'...
"for the lofty merits acquired in the development of the collaboration between the Republic of Poland and the Holy See and for the work carried out in favor of the Church in Poland."