Conclave

Good Catholic fun

Are you as big a fan of movies as you are of books? Me too, although I haven’t been to the theater in a while. I’d rather watch in the comfort of my own home, thank you very much.

Conclave (the movie) caught my eye because 1) I adore Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci and 2) I admit to a low-key fascination with the rites and rituals of Catholicism. It’s received stellar reviews, and I can’t wait to watch the film.

In the meantime, I just finished the book by Robert Harris and it’s a uniquely satisfying read. This is a most uncommon thriller with intrigue, secrets and backstabbing galore.

Who knew that Catholic Cardinals could be so petty, greedy and ambitious? Rhetorical question, they are only human. We just like to think that religious leaders hold themselves to a higher standard.

The plot is simple: the Pope is dead so it’s time for a papal conclave, the scripted sequence of events that results in the election of the new Pope. Cardinal Lomeli, Dean of the College of Cardinals, has responsibility for the conclave and he couldn’t be less interested in the job (the new Pope is always chosen from the 100+ Cardinals.) He prays it won’t be him, but will the Lord listen?

The Cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel for their duties and Michelangelo’s artistry is both a backdrop and minor character. I had to stop reading to imagine the majesty of the moment, to go about your work surrounded by such genius and history. I hope that real conclave participants don’t take it for granted and make sure to look up in wonder and awe.

Harris’ novel is captivating and clever. You think the plot is zigging in one direction but by the end it’s zagged somewhere else. He’s a talented writer, moving the story along with intelligence and heart, detailing all the pomp and pageantry of the conclave process. It’s as scripted a show as any Broadway production, complete with costumes and even a Master of Ceremonies.

The Cardinals are sequestered, and the plan is to go through a series of votes until a two thirds super majority is reached, clearly indicating which of them will ascend to be the leader of the Holy See. Immediately the different factions group together in cliques as tight and formidable as any high school group. They’re just as snippy and gossipy, too.

The Italians want another Italian Pope, the Africans have their choice but he’s virulently anti-homosexual and do they really want that? And then there’s the mysterious new Cardinal from Baghdad, secretly appointed by the late Pope. He quickly gains a following.

While reading, I couldn’t help but think of Matrix by Lauren Groff, in that it’s just as interesting a look at certain facets of Catholicism.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Roy McMillan, was sublime: his different voices and tone were spot-on, quietly and steadily telling the story.

I have no idea whether or not the movie follows the book, but I hope so. If you read Conclave, prepare yourself for the final pages and an earth-shaking twist that made me grin. What a book!