NZ prelate packs bags for Rome

Cardinal Tom Williams, celebrating Mass in Wellington's Sacred Heart Cathedral last night, has had his closeness to Pope John Paul II "sundered" by his death. Picture / Mark Mitchell

The sole New Zealand cleric permitted to vote for a new Pope leaves today to attend Pope John Paul II's funeral, with "a sense of loss".

Wellington-based Cardinal Tom Williams was busy yesterday making bookings for his trip to Rome, but gave his impressions of "the Holy Father" he met more than a dozen times in his role, until recently, of Archbishop of Wellington.

"He's not called Holy Father for nothing. He's very much a father to the bishops, the priests and the people of the church.

"Having been with him fairly often I have felt close to him and, to have that closeness sundered by his death, I can't help but feel a sense of loss.

"But like others in New Zealand and in other countries, I wouldn't have wanted him to have suffered any longer the ill health that afflicted him in these more recent days. So there's a sense of release for him as well."

He said the Pope had contributed in many ways to world peace, to Catholic Church unity and to holding to the church's traditions. Travelling frequently, John Paul was "very much a pilgrim Pope".

"His defence of the value and dignity of human life, especially when under attack from those who espouse abortion, euthanasia, human cloning and things like that, would be another characteristic of his pontificate."

Brother Richard Dunleavy, of the Marist Brothers in Auckland, said that during 13 years he spent in Rome as secretary-general of his Catholic order, he met the "deeply mystical" Pope a number of times.

"The most inspiring meetings with him were in his own chapel in the morning when he would be praying and celebrating Mass. Those were the times you could see the figure of the person in a sense carrying so many burdens, but a person deeply mystical in character; highly intelligent, but deeply spiritual."

Brother Richard said the Pope had made huge contributions to the world, including his role in communism's fall in Eastern Europe and by promoting Catholic reconciliation with Jews and the Eastern Orthodox Church.

John Paul's disappointment, if he had one, would be that he died without achieving a reconciliation with the Eastern Orthodox Church after a 900-year schism, he said.

He also recalled the Pope's intelligence and insight, his wit and playfulness, especially with the young.

"Young people brought him alive in a different kind of way from more formal occasions.

"His sardonic wit was something which could really stir, particularly young people. I was there for the World Youth Day in Rome in 2002, when you had 2 million young people there. They just poured into the streets of Rome and all there to see him.

"I understand they are coming in from all over Europe now because they regarded him as a kind of grandfather figure."

Cardinal Williams, who was made a bishop and a cardinal by John Paul and is a member of three Vatican bodies, said yesterday that he would arrive tomorrow in Rome, where he would take part in the numerous events following the Pope's death and then the election of his successor.

In Rome, Cardinal Williams will join the other 117 cardinals eligible to vote - all those below the age of 80.

"They will go to Rome as soon as they can reasonably get there to take part in the ceremonies between the Pope's death and his burial.

"The Pope's body lies in state in St Peter's Cathedral in Rome. There will be Masses celebrated each day. On the ninth day the body of the Pope is entombed, probably in the crypt in St Peter's, and then the conclave of cardinals will convene.

"Those cardinals who are electors will go into the conclave in the Sistine Chapel. Each day of the conclave there will be voting, probably two sessions in the morning and two in the afternoon."

The voting is traditionally cloaked in secrecy and Cardinal Williams would not speculate on what characteristics the new Pope might possess.

"I for one have to get to know a good number of my brother cardinals. The Pope held consistories [councils] in 2001 and 2003. In those consistories he appointed over 50 new cardinals. I have not had an opportunity to meet the majority of them.

"Until I have had an opportunity to talk to them and learn more about them I wouldn't even be able to speculate."

He hoped the new Pope would continue in the direction set by John Paul, particularly "the engagement of the church with the modern world".