US embassy cable - 05VATICAN480

UNCLAS  VATICAN 000480 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE (LEVIN), INR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINR, PGOV, VT 
SUBJECT: POPE NAMES AMERICAN TO KEY POST 
 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (SBU) In the first new appointment of his pontificate, Pope 
Benedict XVI named San Francisco's Archbishop William Levada as 
his successor as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of 
the Faith (CDF), the Holy See's primary doctrinal guardian. 
Levada becomes the highest placed American Curial official in 
the history of the Catholic Church, and one of several Americans 
in the high-powered -- and increasingly Anglophone -- CDF. 
Levada's elevation is a guarantee of continuity in the 
Congregation: he has experience working in CDF, and a friendship 
with the pope dating to 1981 when Benedict first took the reins 
at the Congregation.  Contacts have told us that Levada's 
experience working in a diverse and strongly secular diocese 
made him attractive to Benedict, who hopes the Californian will 
be able to explain Catholic teachings to an increasingly secular 
world.  Levada has been described by Vatican watchers as a 
moderate conservative who knows what battles to pick, and not 
part of the ultra-conservative faction within the Catholic 
episcopate.  His experience as a bishop (as opposed to those 
whose whole careers have been spent in the Curia) may also serve 
Benedict's goal of promoting collegiality -- the principle of 
promoting greater collaboration between local bishops and the 
Vatican.  The appointment of an American to such a critical 
position is also a sign of the pope's openness to the U.S., and 
a signal of support for the U.S. Catholic Church.  End Summary. 
 
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Highest Ranking American in Vatican History 
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2.      (SBU) Pope Benedict XVI has appointed San Francisco's 
Archbishop William Levada as his successor as Prefect of the 
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), the Holy See's 
doctrinal watchdog organization.  Levada becomes the highest 
placed American Curial official in the history of the Catholic 
Church, and will certainly be made a cardinal at the next 
consistory expected to be held later this year.  For those 
expecting Benedict XVI to press an ultra-conservative agenda as 
pope, the selection of Levada has forced a change of view; in 
fact, many arch-conservative Catholics have denounced the 
choice.  Although some secular media have portrayed him as a 
hard-liner, Levada has been described by seasoned Vatican 
watchers as a moderate conservative who knows what battles to 
pick.  He is not part of the ultra-conservative push prominent 
among the episcopate. 
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Pragmatic Conservative 
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3.  (SBU) Levada served on a task force formed by the U.S. 
bishops to address the debate that erupted last year over 
whether Catholic politicians who support abortion rights should 
receive Communion.  That panel ultimately left the decision up 
to individual bishops.  For his part, Levada issued a nuanced 
statement saying parishioners must accept Catholic teaching on 
abortion and euthanasia to be in full communion with the church, 
but did not say directly that he would deny Communion to 
dissenting politicians.  In 1997, he reached a compromise with 
San Francisco city authorities over a domestic partner law under 
which Catholic Charities was required to provide health 
insurance and other spousal benefits to gay and unmarried 
partners of its employees.  Levada sidestepped the gay issue by 
emphasizing that health coverage should be available to 
everyone, and convinced the city to broaden the requirement so 
that any member of a household could receive benefits.  While 
criticized by conservatives for selling out the Church's 
position on homosexuality, Levada's practical resolution of the 
"between a rock and a hard place" situation augurs well for his 
work at the CDF. 
 
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Experience in Rome and the U.S. 
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4.  (SBU)  Having worked at CDF from 1976 to 1982 and as a 
consultant to the Congregation since that time, Levada 
guarantees continuity in the Congregation.  He met Ratzinger 
there in 1981 when Pope John Paul II appointed the German to 
head the office.  In 1987, Ratzinger chose Levada -- then 
archbishop of Portland, Oregon -- as the lone North American on 
the editorial team charged with writing a new "catechism" or 
compendium of Catholic doctrine.  Pope Benedict also appreciated 
Levada's doctrinal clarity during important public occasions 
such as the 1997 Synod of Bishops session on the Americas when 
 
he warned against divisive debate on issues such as women's role 
in the Church, homosexuality, and divorce.  Levada did not 
condemn dialogue per se, but said that discussion of settled 
points of doctrine could be misunderstood as a lack of resolve 
on the part of the Church, leading to a watering down of 
traditional church doctrine.  Pope Benedict's most recent trip 
to the U.S. (as Cardinal Ratzinger) was made in 1999 to San 
Francisco at Levada's invitation.  (Note: Upon returning, 
travel-weary Ratzinger reportedly told his aides that it was the 
last time he would ever cross the Atlantic.  End note.)  This 
personal connection and Levada's experience were likely greater 
factors in his selection than any papal desire to give the 
battered U.S. bishops a boost following the sex abuse scandals 
-- a factor cited by some media as rational for the choice. 
 
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A Surprise that Made Sense 
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5.      (SBU) CDF staff have told us that Levada's appointment to 
head their office was a surprise -- mostly because of his 
nationality.  The number three at CDF, Fr. Joseph (Gus) DiNoia, 
is an American, as is one of its most prominent working-level 
members.  In total, there are seven U.S. prelates in Ratzinger's 
former dicastery -- a clear sign of his comfort working with 
Americans.  With the exception of the Italians who typically 
populate the upper reaches of the Holy See's hierarchy, it is 
rare for a cluster of Curial officials from any one country to 
sit in such high positions in a Vatican department -- and CDF is 
the most prominent.  Still, DiNoia said the more he analyzed the 
choice, the more it seemed to make sense.  He told us Benedict 
was looking for someone who could address the secular world on 
matters of faith.  Coming from what DiNoia termed one of the 
Church's most diverse and secular dioceses, Levada has 
experience with this dynamic.  According to DiNoia, Benedict 
also valued Levada's many years of pastoral experience as a 
bishop.  By most accounts, Levada was intimately involved with 
the people of his diocese.  Emboffs discussed the ethnic 
dynamics of his archdiocese at length with him at a reception 
preceding Benedict's inaugural mass.  Since it is clear that 
Pope Benedict XVI will remain the Catholic church's preeminent 
theologian, Levada's pastoral qualities weighed heavily with the 
pope in his choice of successor at the CDF. 
 
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Language a Factor? 
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6.  (SBU) DiNoia also told us he thought Benedict had a keen 
sense of the importance that the English language played in a 
position meant to interpret the faith to the world.  He said 
that on the short list for the job -- compiled by Benedict 
himself -- there was at least one other native English speaker. 
In a Vatican hierarchy with Poles and Spanish speakers crowding 
in with the traditional lion's share of Italians, this suggests 
that the Holy See is recognizing the importance of conveying its 
message to an English-speaking audience. By September CDF will 
add Levada's American secretary from San Francisco and a priest 
from Scotland to the staff.  Added to an already strong 
Anglophone presence that includes a high-ranking Maltese prelate 
and an Irishman, native English speakers will hold sway at CDF 
more than in any other Vatican department. 
 
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Comment 
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7.  (SBU) Pope Benedict has made it known that he wants to 
streamline the Vatican hierarchy and shift its emphasis on 
central power to a focus on guiding and supporting the 
locally-based pastorate.  According to this view (consistent 
with the teachings of the Church's Second Vatican Council), the 
Roman Curia should be at the service of local bishops, and not 
simply issue edicts from on high.  A pragmatic American like 
Levada in the Holy See's third most important position could 
help bridge the Rome/local church divide that many Vatican 
watchers regard as one of Benedict's primary challenges in the 
wake of John Paul II's Rome-centered pontificate.  Pope 
Benedict's associates have told us the new pope would surprise 
people, and with his first appointment, he did so. 
Hardt 
 
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 2005VATICA00480 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED