Passing the Keys: Modern Cardinals, Conclaves, and the Election of the Next Pope

Paasing the Keys is about the choice of new Popes and the way that fast process affects years-long Papacies. Intriguing, and to be recommended especially to the Italian public, which has no easy access to the news you may find in the book. That is not a book about a religion, but about religious politics that even Catholics can appreciate. Some of the infos inside are quite surprising. One out of all the others is about former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, elevated to the cardinalship by Pope Paul VI as a reward for his progressive thinking.

"Passing The Keys" provides the reader with an excellent insight into the papal transitions of the past century. Commencing with the beginnings of the Contemporary Church during the reign of Leo XIII, Prof. Burkle-Young takes the reader through the Vatican and into the conclaves. He does this by reporting the illness and death of each Pontiff as well as the influence of each on the evolution of the College of Cardinals. This is fascinating history. The ability of this book to explode many of the "facts" which we all know helps us see the Pontiffs in different lights and makes this book a winner! The first election to be related in detail is that of Pius XII (Eugenio Pacelli) in 1939. Given the prevailing world situation at that time, the selection of Pacelli, the career diplomat over a papabili with pastoral experience, is very understandable. I remember Pius XII as I was starting school, but I see him much differently through the author's eyes. I was not surprised that what little he says about Pius and the Nazis reflects well on Pius. Two topics which he covered in great detail did come as surprises, one portraying Pius as a wise seer and the other as a flake. He is the only person of whom I have heard to have been disabled by hiccups. I remember hearing the story of how, when he seemed to be dying, Jesus appeared to him and told him that he would recover. I had no idea that the cause of the illness was the third administration of a cell injection treatment by a quack. The story of the disgusting decay of his body before burial raises serious questions as to the proficiency of the Vatican in 1958. In contrast to his bizarre judgment in medical treatment, the author portrays Pius XII as the architect of the ascension of a non-Italian to the chair of Peter. It took four successors, but he is portrayed as the first to envision that as a goal to be advanced by the internationalization of the College of Cardinals. I had heard that Cardinal Montini had been sent to Milan for pastoral experience needed to make him a serious papabile. I was surprised to read that he was exiled from the Vatican because he lost Pius' confidence. John XXIII (Angelo Roncalli) brought his surprises also. I had always understood that he was a dark horse whose name was advanced after a deadlock developed between conservatives and liberals. As Prof. Burkle-Young presents it, Cardinal Roncalli was a front runner from the start. After his election he called Vatican II which provided a forum for progressives to extend their influence in the Church. Although he preferred an Italian pope, his main contribution to the electoral process was that he commenced the expansion of the College of Cardinals. Prof. Burkle-Young comes down hardest on Paul VI (Giovanni Montini). Although he was the only non-cardinal in centuries believed to have received votes in a conclave (1958), he is characterized as generally a failure and some of his major reforms as little more

Passing The Keys: Modern Cardinals, Conclaves, And The Election Of The Next Pope focuses upon a critically important piece of Catholic history - that of papal elections. Featuring extensive descriptions and study of the theological positions of Popes through John Paul II, Passing The Keys is one of the most complete and in-depth studies of this sensitive topic available to lay readers. Historian and author Francis Burkle-Young also takes a hard look upon debates that are directly affecting the priesthood and the Vatican today, over issues such as contraception and women as priests or bishops. Strongly commended reading for anyone interested in taking a good, hard look at the Roman Catholic electoral process that reveals who will be Pope, the man who speaks for God according to faithful Catholics the world over.

Frank Young's book is a very interesting history of papal elections. He manages to make the rich history of the papacy come alive to the reader. As a Roman Catholic, I think it's important to know how the leader of the Christian Church is chosen. This book gives you insights on all the papal elections of the last one hundred years, including John Paul II's election. Highly recommended.

Finally, a readable book about what to most people is an obscure and unapproachable subject.While Catholicism is not one of my primary interests, this book allowed me to peek into the politics of power. (Which is one of my interests.)Although I'm not caught up in the millennium fever that is engulfing the world, (after all Arthur C. Clark has it right) I do believe that two thousand years is about the life span of mythologies. This time span coupled with the age and health of the present Pope, create political intrigue that is truly remarkable. Mr. Young's book should prove to be a solid foundation for understanding the coming changes. I look forward to a follow-up book. I hope Mr. Young doesn't keep us waiting too long.