Prinz Henry: Voting on edicts is now open:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=78296

In view of my father's intervention, I do wish to discuss whether we need to recruit more priests. Be in no doubt, fellow Electors, this issue is not about Stettin. It is much wider than that. A group of missionaries, tempered by experience in Stettin, will be a powerful asset to the Republic. I envisage sending them on, further east, to achieve more successes converting heathens. And ultimately, I see sending them to the Holy Land to prepare for our arrival there.

The issue relates to Maximillan's outburts and Cardinal Scherer's responses. The Pope acts as a restraint on the action of all god-fearing nations. The question is how do we respond to this? Do we ignore it and risk the wrath of all our fellow Catholics? I see no benefits to ignoring the Papacy, only risks and costs. That is one reason why I do not support any unprovoked war on our Catholic neighbours. And certainly not in this Diet, where the argument for a specific war has not been made.

The alternative is that we use the institution of the Papacy, by gaining influence with the Pope. This would be done directly by regular contributions as I proposed in the last Diet. And indirectly, by promoting our own Cardinals to positions of influence, as I have advocated may happen through sending many missionaires to Stettin and other godless places. If Cardinal Scherer achieves quick dramatic results in Stettin, his reputation for piety will rise and this may ultimately propell him into the Preferati or even beyond. Moreover, the young priests we recruit will also gain in stature and may join him as Cardinals, immune to heresy and capable of influencing the election of the future Pontiffs.

My own view is that we should use the Papacy, not ignore it. The rewards to working with Rome are substantial - for example, we gain the ability to launch crusades on our enemies and on infidels. With the Pope on our side, any would be invaders will be stalled or ostracised.

But if we are to use the Papacy it will cost us some coin. Regular gifts of around 100 florin every two years; the upkeep of a few priests. Electors, these are not large sums and it would be penny pinching if you vote for ostracisation for fear of spending a few hundred florin per annum. Religion has become a powerful force in the world of men - we ignore it at our peril.