Cardinal Marc Ouellet’s Quebec hometown besieged by media

The tiny hometown of Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet was besieged Tuesday by dozens of journalists, creating a local population jump of almost 10 per cent overnight.

The papal contender’s northwestern Quebec village of 439 people had around 40 news workers within its borders as the conclave to choose a new pope began in Rome.

Two dozen vehicles _ including five news satellite trucks _ were parked outside La Motte’s old church while the cardinals cast their ballots thousands of kilometres away.

Ouellet was baptized and ordained as a priest in the building, which is now primarily a community centre due to declining church attendance in the area. Local officials expect around 50 journalists to visit the town during the conclave and transformed the church
basement into a media room.

The process to elect the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church began Tuesday, with Ouellet among those in the running to be the new pontiff.

The co-owner of the only business in La Motte said many of her usual clients are steering clear of her general store to avoid the journalists.

“I have some customers who are very shy to come to the store, they are waiting until the journalists are gone,” said Lise Breault, whose shop is across the street from the church.

“It makes for a lot of activity in the village, it’s changing our lives.”

Breault said several of her regulars have phoned her in advance to find out if news crews are near her store. She added, however, that journalists have helped boost sales by buying coffee, chocolate and chips.

Ouellet and 114 other cardinals have sealed themselves inside the ornate Sistine Chapel to pick a successor to former Pope Benedict XVI, who retired last month after eight years in office.

The 68-year-old Ouellet holds a powerful post in the Vatican, where he plays a key role in the selection of bishops and archbishops around the world.

The centuries-old process for choosing a new pope is veiled in secrecy and the chapel has been swept for listening devices by Vatican security.

The election of the new pope will be signalled by a puff of white smoke from a special chimney installed on the roof of the Vatican.

Black smoke indicates no decision has been reached.

Several rounds of balloting could be held and the conclave will go on until a new pontiff is chosen.

Auravelia Colomer, 27, cashed in all her annual vacation timeto make the pilgrimage to Italy. The Toronto public relations consultant was originally meant to arrive in Rome for Holy Week but set her sights on witnessing the new pope’s election after the date of the conclave was announced.

“I thought I needed to be there, it’s going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, it’s going to be historic,” said Colomer, who waited on standby over the weekend before finally
securing a flight for Tuesday night.

She’s hoping to get there before the decision is made and plans to “run over to St. Peter’s Square and camp out until I see the smoke.”

Colomer said it’s long been her dream to be present for such a pivotal moment for the Catholic faith, but admits “the possibility of a Canadian pope is also a driving factor.”

Cardinals held a final debate on Monday on the type of man best suited for the job.

Some wonder whether Catholics need a solid manager to address the Vatican bureaucracy and controversies over scandals and alleged corruption or a more inspirational figure to bring more people into the church.

Some possible candidates are Italian Cardinal Angelo Scola, the archbishop of Milan, and Brazilian Cardinal Odilo Scherer.

With files from Paola Loriggio in Toronto

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today