Cardinal Peter Erdö, the head of the inquiry into the rebellious stance taken by the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, will arrive in Lima on 5 December to collect information necessary for finding a diplomatic solution.
Will he succeed?
The inquiry ordered by the Holy See, into the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PCUP) will begin shortly. An apostolic visit by top members of the Curia is to take place.
The Vatican intends to put an end to an old problem which should have been resolved 10 years ago. It involves an ecclesiastical and judicial dispute over who has legitimate authority over the university.
The institution’s governing body have openly declared themselves to be against their great chancellor, the Archbishop of Lima, Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne, and against the governing body of the Holy See’s Congregation for Education.
For this reason and in order to reach an agreement amonst the various parties, Peter Erdö, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest (Hungary), has been chosen to visit the university. Mr. Erdö is an influential figure in the European Catholic world and a man the Pope trusts. He will not be alone on his visit to Peru, as he will be accompanied by two Canon law specialists from Catholic universities.
Cardinal Erdö’s career has always been a high profile one. He is a member of various Congregations including the Congregation for Catholic Education, for Divine Worship and for the Discipline of the Sacraments. He is also a member of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts and of the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signatura.
This visit will take place under the supervision of the Secretary of State, as it involves the Vatican’s interior and foreign ministries. The move demonstrates the concern in reaching a solution to a problem that could get out of control, with negative consequences for the entire Latin American Church.
In Lima, Erdö will be staying in the Apostolic Nunciature which is expecting the arrival of a new Apostolic Nuncio, the American, James Patrick Green, who will take up his post in January. It is possible therefore, that the inquiry into PCUC may begin in the absence of the Pope’s diplomatic representative in Peru.
A quick solution would prevent a popential “contamination” with the elections for the next President of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference (CEP), which will take place during an assembly in the third week of January. The meeting will mark the end of the controversial Archbishop Trujillo Héctor Miguel Cabrejos Vidarte’s term in office.
The papal envoy’s stay will not last longer than two weeks. He will interview a number of academic authorities and Jesuit priests that work at the PCUP.
He will also speak with the great chancellor Cardinal Cipriani and, of course, he will also listen to the opinions of the President of Peruvian bishops, Cabrejos.
A meeting will also be held with representatives of the Peruvian government.