At conclave, ‘we are never passive bystanders’—Bishop Varden
April 30, 2025
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CWN Editor's Note: Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim, a Trappist monk who has gained a wide following for his spiritual insights (posted on his Coram Fratribus web site), spoke with The Pillar about the coming papal conclave, dismissing the notion that lay people can only watch the process helplessly.
“In the Church we are never passive bystanders,” Bishop Varden insisted.
Although the papal interregnum is “an uncomfortable state of affairs,” the Norwegian bishop argued that “there is no need, really, to fret. I’d say this is a good time to do the exact opposite: to practice silence and peace.”
Bishop Varden also cautioned against thinking that one prelate would “win” the election. “Do we think of the weight that will be placed on the future pope’s shoulders from the moment of his acceptance? Do we consider the account he will one day have to render to the Judge of all?”
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