Customer Reviews

The Final Conclave

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Martin has written of the Conclave, the secret ceremony wherein certain designated bishops elect the next Pope. What is not generally understood is the degree of politics and pressures that accompany the election of every Pope. Today, with the waning of Catholicism, the emphasis is not on theology or who can lead the Church Triumphant. Instead it is on how best the Church can function in an increasingly secular society.

Martin has all the key players - the traditionalists hankering for the days of Latin and total obedience, the Liberation Theology type heady with leftist ideology, the "continue the same at all costs" type and the "let's form an alliance with secular groups" type. It is difficult to grasp the author's own prejudices (I think a combination of traditional and make new friends). The story is based on the politicking that went into making John Paul I the Pope and his alleged "betrayal" once he understood how dire the situation really was. Although it is dated, it is still a good read.

When this book was written in 1978, the author was still generally a devotee of Pope Paul VI. Yet his analysis of Paul's pontificate is unintentionally quite damning. It becomes obvious to the reader that Paul's goal was a secular utopia quite contrary to Catholic teaching and prophecy; and that Paul's methods were quite Machiavellian, and their effects on the faithful often downright unChristian.

The second half of the book appears to be a speculative guess at what was happening at the August 1978 conclave which eventually elected the ill-fated Pope John Paul I.

Father Malachi Martin never fails to delight those of us who can always learn something from this brilliant theologian and church exorcist. Even though Final Conclave seems somewhat dated from the vantage point of 2010, it is nonetheless insightful and interesting. Fr. Martin's presentation of insider church politics adds another dimension to our understanding of the papacy. There is a bit of sadness in his writing, however, as he watches the traditional, unified, ideal, church of former years fade slowly into oblivion. This book may easily be read as an alternative church history during the years after Vatican II, whereby the author speculates in the final pages what might have happened if the Cardinals had followed their latent idealistic instincts instead of their stronger political ones. Could the outcome given in the novel really have happened? Yes. Did it? No. Will it ever? To this last question, the words of Hemingway seem especially appropriate: "Isn't it pretty to think so?" Highly recommended for fans of this type of literature.

Book arrived in great condition- exactly as described. Took ages to find this book and we really appreciated being able to find it in the US and have it sent to us in NZ. Thanks

This book deals with the politicking surrounding the election of a new Pope after the death of Paul VI. I would normally be interested in something like this but I couldn't even finish half of it. The entire first half consisted of the various dialogues between pessimistic Cardinals bemoaning the state of the world, and tallying up the votes of the various blocs in the College of Cardinals. Is it fiction? Is it history? I don't know. I just know that with its obsession with the Soviet Union and liberation theology, the book is extremely dated in addition to being boring.