CONCLAVE: The Why’s of Secrets & Breaking Free

Why do people keep secrets? Mostly, shame, terror, fear of being found out, or a desire for power and control. Edgar Berger’s Conclave shows a struggle with secrets, past and present. There are the Cardinals’ secrets and the Church’s widespread cover-ups. Lawrence, the Dean, is tasked with managing the Conclave, where the next Pope is chosen. Who will it be? A liberal or conservative? An ethical Cardinal or not? Lawrence takes this seriously. He cares about the Church’s people and fairness in the Curia process. What do secrets have to do with it?

There are factions in the Church. Liberals versus conservatives. Not a new story. The Pope was liberal and some Cardinals fear losing his legacy. And, Lawrence is a liberal. But his task as Dean requires neutrality, which is hard when he’s pressured inside himself and by Cardinal Bellini, too.

Potentially dangerous secrets create more conflict for Lawrence, beginning with information that the Pope dismissed Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow) before his death. This information breeds concern in Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), as Tremblay is one of the prime candidates for Pope in Conclave.

This could be serious. Tremblay is ambitious, and it will do anything to achieve the Papacy. How far will Lawrence go, to seek Truth and block an unfit Cardinal from a vote?

Cardinal Lawrence struggles with doubt – about his faith and role as Manager of the Conclave.

He tried to resign as Dean. The Pope wouldn’t let him. Now he’s faced with his fellow Cardinals’ greed and vying beliefs about the Church’s openness to LGBTQ rights, divorce, birth control, and tolerating different points of view, including women’s rights to play more of a role in the Church.

Sound familiar?

Keeping Secrets (Or, Not) in Conclave

What happens when you have doubts about those you need to trust? Do you face your feelings and instincts, and look for the truth? Or, do you keep secrets? Mostly from yourself.

If you’re scared, one defense against knowing something isn’t right is to keep your worries hidden inside you. You don’t want to know. It’s too painful. There’s nowhere to turn to make it all right.

This struggle pervades Conclave, but it’s also the aftermath of trauma. It’s hard to trust people after you’ve been traumatized. Plus, suspicions arise from power dynamics that make (or made) you feel your needs, feelings, or opinions aren’t ok. In Conclave, we see this lack of acceptance.

Lawrence knows it and firmly believes that the enemy of unity and tolerance is “certainty.” Certainty bleeds over into arrogance and makes no room for differences. You think you’re right.

That’s dangerous. Lawrence knows this and doesn’t want to fall into that trap. He knows the history of the Church’s lapses and believes there’s no reason for faith if you don’t have doubt.

Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto) doesn’t doubt himself or his traditionalist views. He’s the epitome of what Lawrence fights in the Church and himself. Tedesco is “certainty.”

And, Tedesco is the danger for Cardinals Bellini (Stanley Tucci), Lawrence, and even Tremblay in Conclave. The ways they go about fighting tell us different stories of their secrets and reasons for keeping them.

Let’s start with why certainty is a danger.

Cardinal Tedesco = Danger of Certainty

The danger of certainty is reflected in Tedesco. His arrogance. How he pontificates. Struts. Is loud about his stifling views about the Church: “Without tradition, the center will not hold.” Yet, what is that “center?” Power? Control? Over the voices of the many. Over those who are vulnerable.

That’s Tedesco. He’s against the Pope’s legacy. The liberal, inclusive changes in the Church. He and his cronies would get rid of progress, and openness to seeing those who need their protection.

Yes, certainty is dangerous when it bleeds over into egotism and superiority over others.

If you’re certain, there’s no room for questioning. You believe you know. And people who are “certain,” believe they know you. This brings misperception. Error. Blindness. Rejection of differences.

This Lawrence tries to fight. In himself. In his fellow Cardinals. But, there’s no convincing a “certain” person. It almost tears Lawrence apart. So, he must know the truth behind the secrets in Conclave.

These secrets date back to before the Pope’s death. Cardinal Lawrence’s determination to uncover the secrets brings us to some reasons secrets are kept. Each Cardinal has his own:

Reasons for Secrets in Conclave’s Cardinals & Nun

Cardinal Tremblay = Self-Interest

Tremblay is a liberal. That’s a good thing. But his methods are questionable. The problem is his self-interest. He’ll do anything to get what he wants. Go to any length to be sure he wins the Papacy vote, even digging up the past and hurting a fellow Cardinal and a well-liked contender in Conclave.

He’s brutal in his methods. Has no respect for others. Tremblay is shameless. He tells bald-faced lies to cover up any questions or doubts about him, even the truth about what he’s done.

This is one of the worst things about secrets. When they affect someone else without empathy or concern for the consequences. That’s Tremblay. He doesn’t care about hurting Adeyemi.

Cardinal Adeyemi = Hiding Shame

Cardinal Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati) made a mistake when he was young, over 30 years ago.

Yes, it seriously affected others. A nun, and the child born of their lust. He hurt them, and he lives with the shame of it. Should he be Pope? Probably not. Did he deserve public humiliation? No.

Did she? Never. She’s suffered enough. But Tremblay doesn’t care. He only cares about himself.

Humiliation hurts people. It builds shame upon shame. It’s a cruel tactic. Adeyemi lives with shame. That’s the reason for his secret. He’s repented. Tried to move on. Maybe not in the best way because he didn’t do right by his child. But is he in the same category as Tremblay? No. We see that clearly in Conclave.

It’s different to be shameless like Cardinal Tremblay, which “allows” Tremblay to do what he pleases, think only of himself, and leave others hurt and unfairly exposed in his ruthless path.

So, where does that leave the vote for the Papacy? How to ensure an empathic and fair Pope? These are the conversations between Cardinals Lawrence and Bellini. Friends. On the same side.

Cardinal Bellini = Fear of Wanting

Neither Cardinal Bellini nor Lawrence wants the Papacy. That’s what they say. For different and some of the same reasons. Bellini votes for Lawrence, and the other way around.

Neither have enough votes. Partly it’s because they don’t (won’t) promote themselves. But that leaves them with choices they can’t support, and not knowing what to do about it.

Bellini says he doesn’t want to be Pope himself. He hides his ambition. It’s as though any hunger or want of something is dangerous. Maybe it’s as if he would go over some line that Cardinals or Priests aren’t allowed. Like Adeyemi did. So, Bellini keeps his desires secret.

Bellini isn’t dishonest, but he wants a liberal to save the deceased Pope’s legacy (even if it’s Tremblay), because of his own passionate beliefs. Bellini is for everything Tedesco is not:

“A commonsense approach to gays and divorce; never returning to the days of the Latin liturgy; of families with 10 children because ‘Mama and Papa didn’t know any better.’ That was an ugly and repressive time. I’m glad it’s over. I stand for respecting other faiths and tolerating different points of view within our own church. I believe women should play more of a role in the Curia.”

Women, like Sister Agnes (Isabella Rosellini), who sees, but whose voice isn’t yet encouraged.

Sister Agnes = A Silenced, Unwanted Voice

To be seen, but not heard. And, to serve. That Conclave shows us.

Sister Agnes keeps secrets because her voice isn’t wanted. She does her work quietly. We see that in her response to Sister Shanumi’s (Balkissa Maiga) humiliation at the hands of Tremblay.

Adeyemi’s humiliation is also hers. Sister Shanumi is the mother of Adeyami’s son. She doesn’t want to be there. Seeing Adeyemi in the Dining Hall, she “makes a scene,” because of her upset.

Sister Agnes understands. She protects her. Shields her. Doesn’t force her to speak to Lawrence if she feels unsafe. In private, Agnes speaks up to Cardinal Lawrence when he tries to interfere.

Cardinal Lawrence is playing his role. He’s kind. But perhaps he understands something of Sister Shanumi’s shame. It seems he might have his own, being that he lives with such deep self-doubt.

Cardinal Lawrence = Am I Good Enough?

Doubt is good when it makes you question things and not jump to conclusions. But self-doubt is a different story. Self-doubt can erode confidence. Can make you feel not good enough.

Confidence isn’t arrogance. But maybe Lawrence isn’t sure of that. Is he as afraid of allowing desire as Bellini is? He later admits he too chose a name if he was elected Pope. Does he want more than he can allow himself to know? Secret wants that make him question his value?

“Am I good enough,” makes anyone live in fear of being “found out.” Lawrence is trying to do what’s right for the Conclave, but when this makes him have to hunt for “cover-ups”, it’s too much:

“I’m not a witch-finder. Forgive me. It’s not my job to go hunting for secrets in my colleagues’ pasts.” Or his own? (As Sabbadin says: “We’re all mortal men and we can’t always be ideal.”)

Bellini says: “So, we’re agreed, we urge all our supporters to back Tremblay?” Is that the answer?

Lawrence decides: “Let God’s will be done.” A miracle happens. An unexpected Pope is chosen.

One that can model the self-acceptance that’s sometimes hard to come by.

Cardinal Benitez = Self-Acceptance

Isn’t this what everyone needs? To learn to accept who you are? Despite the past, your mistakes or flaws (we all have them as Sabbadin said), or believing you aren’t good enough?

That isn’t easy unless you have help or a good model, or have faced yourself as Benitez has.

Cardinal Benitez (Carlos Diehz) had the Pope’s support. And, the Pope’s kindness helped him.

But he made his choice. Not the Pope’s. He had to face his “differences.” No one “controlled” him. Or told the “right way” to be, as Tedesco’s certainty tries to impose.

Benitez grew to accept himself for who he is. He didn’t always. He thought of having surgery to remove his “female” parts, which were discovered accidentally. (He’s intersex) But, in the end, he didn’t.

“I am what God made me. Perhaps it is my differences that will make me more useful. I know what it is to exist between the world’s certainties.” He speaks to Lawrence’s belief. It’s what we all need.

Breaking Free of Hate & Self-Hate

Tedesco, like any voice of “certainty,” inside you or in the world, disallows differences, spews hate, and makes you vulnerable to self-hate. Especially if you’ve had this kind of trauma and you’ve taken these voices in. They get into your mind, and they’re hard to shake when you believe them.

So, Benitez is the voice of Truth: “What we are fighting is in us, not out there in them. We are fighting hate.” Fighting hate (and self-hate) is what it takes for self-acceptance. He knows.

Benitez and Conclave show us that it’s not impossible to accept yourself, your differences, and the differences of others. You can break free by standing against the hateful voices in the world and your mind.