The Claim of Papal Dismissal

The conflicting accounts of Tremblay’s final audience with the late Pope intensify into a crisis of credibility and institutional trust.

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A Secret Kept

A Secret Kept Woźniak’s account Janusz Woźniak tells Lomeli that the late Pope dismissed Tremblay at their final meeting. He says the Pope was furious and later confided the decision over supper. A delayed disclosure Woźniak waited weeks to speak because he had promised Tremblay not to tell. His fear and guilt make the information urgent but difficult to verify.

Morales Denies It

Morales Denies It A second witness withheld Tremblay says Monsignor Morales was present and will confirm that no dismissal occurred. Lomeli cannot question Morales directly while the electors are sequestered. Suspicion through emphasis O’Malley later reports that Morales referred to a withdrawn report and insisted the meeting was routine. The emphatic denial leaves the dean more suspicious, not less.

The Private Interrogation

The Private Interrogation A denial renewed Lomeli asks Tremblay directly whether he was dismissed. Tremblay denies the claim and portrays Woźniak as a drunken source of gossip. A question without proof The dean cannot establish who is telling the truth. The absence of a reliable outside inquiry forces him to weigh testimony against the risk of electing a compromised candidate.

The Report Corroborates Suspicion

The Report Corroborates Suspicion Hidden evidence found Lomeli discovers a report in the late Pope’s apartment dated the day he died. Its subject and contents support the possibility that a serious investigation existed. A decision to disclose The report does not itself prove the disputed conversation, but it makes silence harder to defend. Lomeli decides the electors should judge the evidence for themselves.

A Public Contradiction

A Public Contradiction Competing testimony Tremblay denies the report and the dismissal in front of the College. Lomeli repeats Woźniak’s account, while Bellini declines to confirm it. Credibility becomes the issue The electors must evaluate conflicting accounts without the usual means of investigation. The dispute contributes to Tremblay’s loss of authority and exposes how secrecy can shield both privacy and misconduct.

On the night of the Pope’s death

Before the first ballot

The night before the sixth ballot

The night before the eighth ballot

The morning before the seventh ballot