‘Have confidence the Lord does not abandon His Church’: Cardinal Rouco on the conclave

After voting in two conclaves, Cardinal Antonio María Rouco Varela says he's 'relieved' not to be going into a third

After serving as a cardinal elector in two conclaves, Cardinal Antonio María Rouco Varela, archbishop emeritus of Madrid, is now in Rome as a non-elector—a role that, in his own words, has left him “relieved.”

Cardinal Antonio María Rouco Varela. Image credit: ABC via YouTube.

Non-elector cardinals still play an active role in the general congregations, as many of them are more familiar with the workings of the Vatican and the rest of the College of Cardinals than their younger counterparts.

Rouco, 88, was ordained a priest in 1959 and received a doctorate in canon law in Munich in 1964. He taught canon law at the University of Munich from 1964 to 1968 and at the Pontifical University of Salamanca from 1969 to 1972, when he was appointed vice-rector of the same university until 1976.

He became the auxiliary bishop of Santiago de Compostela in 1976 and its archbishop from 1984 to 1994, serving as the main organizer of the 1989 World Youth Day. He then became the Archbishop of Madrid, and was created cardinal in 1998, and served until his retirement in 2014.

The Pillar spoke with Cardinal Rouco about the legacy of Pope Francis and the challenges of the new pope. The interview was conducted in Spanish and has been edited for clarity.

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How will you remember Pope Francis?

I had a friendship with him before he became pope, although not very cultivated because of the distance. But it was a friendship in which he was always very affectionate with me.

I think he will go down in the history of the Church as a pope who wanted to bring the experience of the spiritual life of discernment to the in-depth renewal of the whole life of the Christian in all possible states of life.

I remember when he was elected pope, someone asked me if we would have a pope who would be a great director of spiritual exercises for the whole Church, and I would say that was what he was.

When you look at Francis' pontificate in historical perspective in a few years, what will be his main legacy?

This question is difficult to answer.

But there is one aspect that explains his spiritual personality and the way he wanted to live his responsibility and his mission as successor of Peter and pastor of the universal Church, which is mercy.

I believe that his spontaneity and his desire not to submit to conventions, to seek a new freshness in the vision of what a Christian, will be remembered.

A curious aspect is that, despite being a pope who paid much attention to social issues, is he opened and closed his pontificate speaking of the Lord and the spiritual life, with Lumen fidei and Dilexit nos.

This has a certain parallelism with the two previous pontiffs. John Paul II's first encyclical was Redemptor hominis and the last was Ecclesia de Eucharistia and Benedict XVI's first was Deus caritas est and the last Caritas in veritate.

So, they all have the intuition that we must begin by presenting Christ as Savior and show that we must give ourselves to Him.

And it is also very Jesuit of Francis to close his pontificate speaking of the Sacred Heart.

It is, it is. And it is also very curious that he says that the interpretative key of his magisterium is Dilexit nos. That's it, all the problems to interpret the magisterium of Pope Francis are solved (laughs).

What can lay people pray for during the conclave?

First, that the general congregations help the cardinals to know well the situation of the Church in the light of faith, so that with eyes of faith they can make a decision.

And then, that the cardinals make the right judgment, allowing themselves to be inspired by the Holy Spirit. We must pray that they allow themselves to be guided by Him.

In the popular imagination, conclaves are occasions for political machinations.

You have participated in two conclaves, do you think this is true?

Today I had another interview with a journalist who seemed to share this impression, it is very common.

But the fact is that in the conclave as such, not much is said. Except for the indications when the voting begins and the necessary formalities, very little is said.

The formula of the oath that is taken is really a prayer, which is taken in front of the crucifix in the Sistine Chapel.

With the demons of the Last Judgment looking at you…

(laughs) Exactly.

How do you feel now that you are coming to some general congregations as a non-electoral cardinal?

Well, very relieved (laughs).

I feel very relieved. I remember the first conclave in which I participated, the first night in Santa Marta I did not sleep a wink.

I remember that when we went down to breakfast in the morning after the Eucharist, in the dining room we had some cabinets where each one's napkin was. Near mine was Cardinal Schönborn's and he came up to me and asked me “Have you slept tonight?” and I said “No, nothing”, and he said the same thing.

So you get an idea of how it feels.

What should we ask the Holy Spirit for the next pope to have?

That he be faithful to what the Lord entrusted to Peter: that he confirm his brothers in the faith and be a witness to the faith as the rock on which Christ builds the Church. May he feed his sheep, as Christ told Peter after the Resurrection.

Also, that he not be afraid to be led by others, in the sense of what is said in the Gospel of St. John, “when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go,” that is, that he allows himself to be helped and advised.

And, as always, let it be someone with a big devotion to Our Lady.

It seems that in certain Catholic circles, there is much concern about the election or about who will be the next Pope.

What can you say to Catholics who are a little anxious about the election?

First, to pray.

And secondly, to have confidence that the Lord does not abandon His Church.