A Cry For Spiritual Guidance (TYP & DaveIronside)

[The Young Pope]

It wasn't an everyday occasion for Cardinal Mathias Mittermeier to undertake a trip to the Ecclesiastical State to meet with His Holiness Pope John Francis, but when matters of religiosity came to attention there was no other choice than to consult directly with the spiritual leader of the worlwide Catholic Church. Lionbourg had been considered to be a beacon of Ardian Christianity for as long as anyone could remember, where Catholicism in overwhelming majority with a Protestant minority dominated the spiritual spheres. However secularism and less emphasis on religion had effectively turned the tides to alarming degrees, where Catholic adherents numbered below 70% of Lionbourg's total population according to the latest census, with Protestantism coming in at an impressive 13% and the rest consisting of irreligious or those belonging to different faiths.

Being one of the latest Pontiff's utmost admirers and supporters, Cardinal Mittermeier was driven in a black-tinted sedan from the airport to the Vatican, exiting the vehicle in the courtyard of the Apostolic Palace where he was happily greeted by the Cardinal Secretary of State himself. "Great to see you once more your Eminence, please follow me as the Holy Father has been expecting you as well." Accompanying the Cardinal Secretary of State through the palatial corridor, flanked on either side by Papal guardsmen without a sight of flashing cameras, much to the relief of the Lionbourgish Cardinal, the duo eventually reached the private office of His Holiness.

Giving it a good knock, a voice from the inside compelled Cardinal Mittermeier to enter.

[DaveIronside]

Pope John Francis had only just really settled into his position as Pontiff and frankly would have preferred to have started getting out and about. He had a desire to go and see the faithful across Mundus believing that now was the time for the faith to be seen as pro-active in the world. For his first meeting he had elected to take it in his office's lounge with a balcony overlooking a small herb garden. The fragrant smell of mint and basil mixed and a group of birds sat chirping away on the rooftop of the building opposite that formed the quad in which the garden sat. He had sat enjoying the few moments of calm following a press meeting before giving his secretary the nod to call Cardinal Mittermeier in. The Secretary showed the man to the balcony where a pair of seats and a cast iron table were sat. "Cardinal" John Francis rose to greet the man offering two hands to shake his. "Please take a seat." He gestured to the one opposite him. "I thought we'd take advantage of the beautiful morning and talk out here. I'm finding the weather here very similar to that home in Vanora. I plan on returning there soon to pay my own pilgrimage as thanks for this opportunity to represent God. I assume you've been to Vanora?" He poured a couple of glasses of iced tea as he waved casually to a man in a grey monks habit who appeared and began tending the garden. "I think I'm going to enjoy the aroma's of the garden." He added as a side note. "So Cardinal, what news do you bring of things in your homeland."

[The Young Pope]

"Holy Father, thank you so much for granting this audience," Mittermeier greeted with a smile, taking the Pontiff's hand and kissing his ring before taking a seat in the beautiful garden encompassing the Vatican area. He nodded towards the grey monk tending the garden, before gazing at his superior once more. "I've been to Vanora indeed, many times in fact with servicemen of the Lionbourgish armed forces, whom I've given pastoral care to as their Bishop, as you probably already know." The Cardinal tasted the ice tea, and it was safe to say that it had been the best one so far, which was to be expected given that the Holy Father served it himself; a miracle in the works?

A tone of seriousness followed his voice as he was about to address the Pontiff's other question. "If only I came with excitingly good news, Holy Father. Our dioceses in Lionbourg are trying committing themselves fully to the maintenance of the Church's cultural and historical standing, aside from tending to spiritual needs...though such needs are unfortunately are becoming increasingly shunned, ignored and forgotten, especially among the youthful members of society. As His Holiness is aware, Secular and Hedonistic values have managed to penetrate the very heart and soul of Lionbourgish society for the worse...Abortion, Euthanasia, Same-Sex Marriage, Prostitution, Pot Smoking..."

Mittermeier could've continued with the immense amount of sinful actitivies permitted on Lionbourgish soul threatening the damnation of many Christian souls, though it ached too much from within; It didn't matter if it was a leftist-liberal-green government in place, as many of these had been approved under Christian-Democratic governments, shockingly enough. "It's the reason as to why I've requested an audience with His Holiness, for guidance and advice," Mittermeier said in a rather forward manner. "The only 'positive' notion I can deliver to you now is that this government under PM Lentz is still willing to support the Church, despite critical voices demanding a stop to it...for now."