KING JESUS IS COMING FOR US ANY TIME NOW. THE RAPTURE. BE PREPARED TO GO.
28 OF THE ELIGIBLE CARDINALS FOR POPE ARE FROM ROME-ITALY.
OVERALL CARDINALS FROM COUNTRIES FOR POPE
60 CARDINALS FROM EUROPE.
19 CARDINALS FROM LATIN AMERICA
14 CARDINALS FROM NORTH AMERICA
11 CARDINALS FROM AFRICA
11 CARDINALS FROM ASIA/PACIFIC
2-NON PARTICIPANTS INDONESIA-ILLNESS,SCOTLAND-SCANDLE
COMPLETE VATICAN-POPE STORIES SINCE FEB 11,13
http://israndjer.blogspot.ca/2013/02/stock-results-feb-112013.html
THE PAPAL CONCLAVE
http://live.lastampa.it/Event/THE_PAPAL_CONCLAVE
Vatican spokesman said cardinals voted not to hold afternoon assemblies on March 5 +6 so they can meet and discuss among themselves.No proposal yet presented to vote on date of conclave. Vatican spokesman FrLombardi has impression there is no desire to rush things.Over 5000 journalists and other media operators now accredited to Vatican for conclave from 65 countries and 24 languages +104 news outlets.33 cardinals from all continents have already intervened in pre-conclave meetings on various topics incl need for renewal of Church.110 cardinal electors now in Rome. 5 still to come before they can vote on date of conclave.
GET TO KNOW SOME OF THE CARDINALS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxCU499xVsU&list=UUxshhzR907v2w6DjICyAgLQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaNuzf9B6l8&list=UUxshhzR907v2w6DjICyAgLQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76gxy7axSlM&list=UUxshhzR907v2w6DjICyAgLQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVRSBVqqNYY&list=UUxshhzR907v2w6DjICyAgLQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roujnRZz35s&list=UUxshhzR907v2w6DjICyAgLQ&index=1
HERES SCOLA-THE ONE I THINK WILL BE YOUR NEXT POPE OF THE WORLD.
The Vatican’s spokesman, Fr. Federico Lombardi made the content of the telegram public during the course of a press conference this morning. Cardinals “wish to send a joint devout greeting expressing their renewed gratitude for His virtuous Petrine ministry and for acting as a shining example of generous pastoral concern for the good of the Church and the world,” the telegram read.Cardinals wish to express their gratitude “on behalf of the whole Church for his tireless work in serving the Lord,” the telegram continued. The members of the College of Cardinals also asked Benedict XVI to pray for them “and for the whole Church.”When asked about the reason why they decided to send such a brief message to the Pope Emeritus in the form of a telegram, the Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said: “the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Angelo Sodano proposed the content of the message to the Assembly which then approved it and gave his consensus.”It is still “too early” to give a precise date for the Conclave, Fr. Federico Lombardi stressed. “Cardinals want to reflect carefully in order to gain an in depth understanding of the facts. The fact that there are no congregations being held this afternoon or tomorrow says a great deal. Cardinals want to understand everything fully without hurrying things,” the director of the Holy See Press Office said.
Cardinal Donald Wuerl, 72, is archbishop of Washington and one of the 11 cardinal electors from the United States. He is participating in a conclave for the first time and in this interview he speaks about what he sees as the main challenges facing the Church today and the qualities he is looking for in the man to be next Pope.
Has the resignation of Benedict XVI changed the nature of the papacy?
I think the resignation of the Holy Father perhaps has more changed the way people perceive the office than what might happen in the future. I think the initial shock was simply because this hasn’t happened in six hundred years. I think that has now, in a way, settled; the dust has settled and people are saying yes this is something that should be able to happen, especially since Pope Benedict put it in such reasonable terms. He clearly loves the Church. He served well as Pope, and when he said I just don’t have the energy to do the job as well as I know I should, I think that resonated with a lot of people. Indeed when I talked with my priests in Washington about this, they had nothing but admiration for him. But I think what has changed is the perception now among the Catholic faithful that not only is this theoretically possible but now it can be a practice in the Church.
Given this possibility of resignation, how big a factor do you think age will be in the conclave?
I think probably more important will be the perception of two things: the perception that the person has the vision to carry us into the future and, second, the perception that the person has energy to do this. But I’m not certain that I’m necessarily talking about physical stamina.But getting back to vision, I think the person who will now fill the Chair of Peter has to carry on the vision of Blessed John Paul and of Benedict that the New Evangelization is where we have to be focused. That we are being submerged in a secularism and we are being engulfed in this vision of the world that has limited the horizon to the here and now, and we have to be able to look to the young people coming along in the future, and invite them to an experience of God. I think that has to be the overriding vision of the next pope. And I think he has to have, what I would call, a ministry of presence, but that ministry of presence today does not require travel, as it did for John Paul or even for Benedict. Today we live in a world of media, of instantaneous communication, of electronic communication, and I think the Pope has to have the vision to see this as the way to exercise the Petrine Office around the world, and the energy to devote a substantial proportion of his ministry to this virtual presence, an electronic presence. That will take energy, not necessarily physical stamina. So those would be some of the things I would look to see in the future direction of the Church.There are always the ordinary routine things, the Pope has to also govern the Church, but I would be much more interested in his spiritual vision for the future, and his understanding of how he is going to lead the Church into the New Evangelization.
As you enter the conclave, what do you see as the main challenges facing the Church today?
I think there are three challenges. One is on the level of the academia, intellectual, elitist world, and that is to re-introduce into that discussion - and this is something that Benedict has done well - the compatibility of faith and reason, the complimentarity of faith and reason. Secondly, on the pastoral level, we have to keep focused on the need, and in whatever way we do this, the need to be proclaiming the basic kerygma of the Gospel. A third is going to be the re-appraisal of how the Petrine Office is exercised, and I think that is going to require an enormous concentration on communications.
Could you unpack that last one a little: are you talking about how the Pope links with the Bishops of the world, and how he links with the Roman Curia?
The communications part, I think, is probably going to cover all of that. One of the things we have learned in the past two pontificates is that the Pope is now reaching globally to Catholic people around the world, always with the bishop when he is present, but he is now exercising the Petrine Office in a global manner, and it’s not directly mediated as say Popes Paul VI or Pius XII did through encyclical letters. That has to continue in some way, but it can’t continue with physical presence, it going to have to continue by being present electronically, by being present visually in all the ways that we are able today to communicate.
So selective visiting rather than blanket visiting as John Paul II did?
No, I would think that physically the visits might be selective, but I could see the Pope doing regularly – and this is what is going to require some stamina - videos for specific events around the world. A diocese is going to celebrate its 250th anniversary, why couldn’t there be a brief video message? The Pope is now physically present to that celebration without having to fly there.And then the communications with the bishops, I think that goes on quite well with the ‘ad limina’ visits, especially when one has the opportunity to sit down with the Pope. Communications within the Governance of the Church here in Rome, that’s going to require a new level of engagement.But I’m more interested in that first element, the visual presence, the video presence, the electronic presence of the Pope multiplied. I would see him taking a chunk of time each week and doing these small talks – we are not even talking about long talks, but even a five minute presentation that could be used in different events around the world, keeping him present visually.
Many people say, because of all the Vatileaks and all that has happened here, you need a real reform of the Roman Curia. Do you share that vision?
I don’t know enough about what all is going on, but I can only speak from my own experience to say it’s very important that there be a central direction in any central office, whether it’s a local curia and certainly where it’s a Curia for the whole universal Church, there has to be a clearly identified chain of command.
How important will nationality be when it comes to choosing the next pope?
I don’t think that’s going to be as import as is the vision he brings.
So for you the spiritual vision is the number one quality for the new Pope?
That for me is the overriding factor. How will this Pope lead us into this century, proclaiming the spiritual mission of the Church, holding up faith in Jesus Christ as the way to build a better world? I think that is going to be the overriding issue.
Do you see the conclave will last long?
I think a lot of that’s going to depend on the unfolding in the first days in the conclave.
I read the papers. I tried to be as informed as anybody. There doesn’t seem to be a cardinal going into the conclave that everybody says is clearly going to be the Pope. Of course they often say, he who enters as pope comes out as cardinal. So I think it is going to take a little while. How little or how long, that’s all in the hands of God.
Do you want the conclave to start early or later?
I’m very, very much in favor of a conclave that would start within five or six days of this period of General Congregations. There’s no funeral, there’s no mourning period, so we’re going to be here for enough time. All of us want to be back in our diocese for Holy Week.
The Vatican spokesman, Fr. Federico Lombardi, was finally able to give the exact number of cardinal electors currently in Rome: 142 out of a total of 207, 103 of which are cardinal electors under the age of 80. Therefore about a dozen cardinals missing of the 115 cardinal electors whose task it will be to elect Benedict XVI’s successor. Among those absent, is Indonesian cardinal Darmaatmadja who has announced he will not be taking part in the Conclave for health reasons and the Scotsman Keith O’Brien who was forced to withdraw from the Conclave after it was revealed he sexually molested some priests and a clergyman.Among the absentees were three of Ratzinger’s fellow countrymen: the Archbishop of Berlin, Woelki, the Archbishop of Mainz, Lehmann and the Archbishop of Cologne, Meisner and three European cardinals: Warsaw’s Nycz, Prague’s Duka and Madrid’s Rouco Varela. Most of those who have not yet arrived are cardinals who will be travelling from afar: Hong Kong’s Cardinal Tong, Ho Chi Minh City’s Pham Minh Man (Vietnam), Dakar’s Sarr (Senegal) and the two Middle Eastern patriarchs, Lebanon’s Marronite Patriarch Bechara Rai and Egypt’s Coptic Catholic Patriarch, Antonios Naguib whose health condition is unstable. Polish Curia member and Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski was also absent from today’s meeting.The College of Cardinals’ first meeting dealt mainly with technical aspects and cardinals took an oath on the Bible to keep the contents of all Conclave-related meetings secret. One of the decisions taken was to send a message to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and to entrust the evening session meditation to the Preacher for the Papal Household, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa.
Cardinals had three quarters of an hour to make free interventions, during which time 13 cardinals took the floor. The content of these interventions is unknown but Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi hinted that they had also discussed the date of the upcoming Conclave. This may not be any time soon: in a brief press conference, two American cardinals, Chicago’s Francis George and Washington’s Donald Wuerl seemed to suggest cardinals were in no hurry. “Someone quoted St. Thomas who said we must be slow at deliberating and quick at making decisions. In this case the decision refers to the Conclave and the deliberation refers to the Congregations,” George said. “I think that’s what was on everyone’s minds, we need to take as much time as we need,” he added. The new pope should be elected in time for the beginning of Holy Week, so 24 March.”U.S. cardinals also commented on the case regarding Scottish cardinal O’Brien. The sex abuse scandal in the Church “is an important issue that is in the minds and hearts of many of us,” George said. “There have been cases of abuse committed by priests and sometimes by bishops and also cases of bishops failing to deal with the problem,” the American cardinal continued. “We adopted a zero tolerance policy and it took a while before it was actually applied but now it is no longer contested, either in U.S. law or in the Church.”According to George, “pastors are convinced that this issue needs to be dealt with constantly, not just because the problem is still there - statistics show there are now fewer cases of sexual abuse in the Church - but because the victims still exist.”There are currently 4,300 accredited journalists, photographers and television and web staff providing coverage of the sede vacante and events surrounding the Conclave that will result in the election of a successor to Benedict XVI. The figure given by the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, and deputy director, Angelo Scelzo, includes all journalists and media operators that have been permanently accredited to the Holy See, plus those who have been given temporary accreditation to cover Ratzinger’s resignation.
Under a rule change by Pope Paul VI in 1970, cardinals who are younger than 80 at the time the papacy become vacant are eligible to vote. This time, two cardinals squeaked under the age limit, since their 80th birthdays come just after Benedict XVI's Feb. 28 resignation. As electing pontiffs is considered their most important job, all eligible cardinals are expected to participate in the conclave. So far, only two of the 117 qualified "princes" of the church have begged off — a seriously ill Indonesian cardinal and a Scottish cardinal who acknowledged sexually inappropriate conduct.
MUM'S THE WORD:
One by one, cardinals place their hand on a book of Gospels and swear to follow the conclave's strict and detailed rules, including never to reveal what went on during the conclave. But the adage "rules are made to be broken" seems to hold true here — even at the risk of excommunication. Months after Benedict XVI was elected in 2005, excerpts of an anonymous cardinal's diary were published. Among the unverifiable revelations: Argentine Jesuit Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was the German's closest rival in the voting.
NO TWEETING OR TEXTING:
While cardinals are sequestered in the Vatican City's hotel, the modern Santa Marta residence, the Vatican wants to make sure the Holy Spirit is the only influence on the red-hatted prelates as they vote. That means no TV, radio, newspapers, cell phones or landlines. The precaution cuts both ways. No info getting in OR out. Cardinals with Twitter accounts will have to be tweet-less during the conclave. The rule-bending diarist (see above) did note that one cardinal slipped out after dinner at the hotel, to puff on his cigar.
EAVESDROPPING:
While the elector cardinals swear themselves to secrecy, there's no such oath for non-Vatican types. Vatican security forces will therefore sweep the Sistine Chapel for any hidden microphones or other eavesdropping devices. Jamming equipment installed under a false floor should be able to detect any cellphones or other electronic devices potentially hidden in the folds of cardinals' crimson robes or behind the fabric skirting the simple tables that will double as desks for the cardinals when they fill out their ballots.
INSPIRATION:
While no chatting is allowed during the conclave, cardinals can always seek inspiration from higher levels. Just above their heads is Michelangelo's exquisitely frescoed ceiling. And if they need a reminder about the oath of secrecy, on the wall behind the chapel's altar is the artist's "Last Judgment" — with its frightening depictions of the damned.
LATIN BALLOTS:
Even the words the cardinals will write on the ballots will be in Latin, with each of them prefacing his choice for pontiff with the words "Eligo in summen pontificem," or "I elect as supreme pontiff" and then the name. Ballots are folded and stuffed into an urn to await being counted.
SMOKE SIGNALS:
After the ballots are counted, they are tied together with needle and thread. They are then placed in an iron stove, whose narrow chimney will channel the smoke up into the outside world, where the faithful will watch in St. Peter's Square to see if the smoke is black — no pope yet — or white — a pope has been chosen.
Confusion has reigned at times. In 1958, the damp straw that cardinals had tossed into their burning ballots apparently didn't catch fire, and the smoke was white instead of black. After John Paul's death in 2005, the Vatican used special chemicals in an effort to make the color clear — with only limited success. If in doubt, don't just look. Listen. The bells of St. Peter's Basilica will be set ringing when a new pope has been chosen.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE:
In centuries past, conclaves dragged on for weeks and months, sometimes years. In a 13th-century conclave, which stretched for weeks, a leading candidate died. In these quick-paced times, it is unlikely that the conclave will go on more than a few days. Except for the first day, when only one round of balloting takes place, cardinals will vote twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon until a pope is chosen. The longest conclave of the last century went on for 14 rounds over five days, and yielded Pius XI — in 1922.
This century's only conclave — which brought in Benedict as pope — went four rounds over two days before the Latin announcement rang out across St. Peter's Square from the basilica's balcony: "Habemus papam" — We have a pope!
28 OF THE ELIGIBLE CARDINALS FOR POPE ARE FROM ROME-ITALY.
OVERALL CARDINALS FROM COUNTRIES FOR POPE
60 CARDINALS FROM EUROPE.
19 CARDINALS FROM LATIN AMERICA
14 CARDINALS FROM NORTH AMERICA
11 CARDINALS FROM AFRICA
11 CARDINALS FROM ASIA/PACIFIC
2-NON PARTICIPANTS INDONESIA-ILLNESS,SCOTLAND-SCANDLE
COMPLETE VATICAN-POPE STORIES SINCE FEB 11,13
http://israndjer.blogspot.ca/2013/02/stock-results-feb-112013.html
THE PAPAL CONCLAVE
http://live.lastampa.it/Event/THE_PAPAL_CONCLAVE
Vatican spokesman said cardinals voted not to hold afternoon assemblies on March 5 +6 so they can meet and discuss among themselves.No proposal yet presented to vote on date of conclave. Vatican spokesman FrLombardi has impression there is no desire to rush things.Over 5000 journalists and other media operators now accredited to Vatican for conclave from 65 countries and 24 languages +104 news outlets.33 cardinals from all continents have already intervened in pre-conclave meetings on various topics incl need for renewal of Church.110 cardinal electors now in Rome. 5 still to come before they can vote on date of conclave.
GET TO KNOW SOME OF THE CARDINALS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxCU499xVsU&list=UUxshhzR907v2w6DjICyAgLQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaNuzf9B6l8&list=UUxshhzR907v2w6DjICyAgLQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76gxy7axSlM&list=UUxshhzR907v2w6DjICyAgLQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVRSBVqqNYY&list=UUxshhzR907v2w6DjICyAgLQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roujnRZz35s&list=UUxshhzR907v2w6DjICyAgLQ&index=1
HERES SCOLA-THE ONE I THINK WILL BE YOUR NEXT POPE OF THE WORLD.
03/ 5/2013 VATICAN INSIDER
Scola: Church is itching for truth and responsibility
Angelo Scola
The Archbishop of Milan has sent a message for the inauguration of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart’s academic year
vatican insider staff rome “The inauguration of the academic year 2012-2013 takes place just as the Holy Church of God is called to live: Benedict XVI’s resignation from the Petrine ministry and the prayerful wait for the election of the new Pope are a nudge towards the truth and responsibility.” Cardinal Angelo Scola said this in his message for the inauguration of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart’s academic year.“Benedict XVI never stopped calling for respect within the breadth of reason, expressed in the plurality of its faculties and functions and therefore neither arbitrary nor undifferentiated, which would make it meaningless,” Scola stressed.But, according to Scola, in order to put Ratzinger’s teaching into practice, “the University needs to be a real communitas docentium e studentium, where students can learn about this breadth of reason and witness it at work.” In this sense, the teacher-disciple relationship which makes it possible for a student to experience the teacher’s search for truth in person is priceless. No book and no amount of personal study can trigger a student’s fascination for the truth, without an encounter with a teacher whose fascination is written all over their face.”
03/ 5/2013 VATICAN INSIDER
Conclave: Cardinal electors send thank you telegram to Benedict XVI
Cardinals at the end of the third General Congregation
The remaining five cardinal electors, Naguib, Lehmann, Tong Hon, Pham Minh Man and Nycz are expected to arrive in Rome tonight, in time for the Conclave
vatican insider staff Rome Cardinal electors who are in Rome for a series of General Congregations in preparation for the Conclave, have sent a telegram to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI who is currently in Castel Gandolfo. The message was signed by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Angelo Sodano.The Vatican’s spokesman, Fr. Federico Lombardi made the content of the telegram public during the course of a press conference this morning. Cardinals “wish to send a joint devout greeting expressing their renewed gratitude for His virtuous Petrine ministry and for acting as a shining example of generous pastoral concern for the good of the Church and the world,” the telegram read.Cardinals wish to express their gratitude “on behalf of the whole Church for his tireless work in serving the Lord,” the telegram continued. The members of the College of Cardinals also asked Benedict XVI to pray for them “and for the whole Church.”When asked about the reason why they decided to send such a brief message to the Pope Emeritus in the form of a telegram, the Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said: “the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Angelo Sodano proposed the content of the message to the Assembly which then approved it and gave his consensus.”It is still “too early” to give a precise date for the Conclave, Fr. Federico Lombardi stressed. “Cardinals want to reflect carefully in order to gain an in depth understanding of the facts. The fact that there are no congregations being held this afternoon or tomorrow says a great deal. Cardinals want to understand everything fully without hurrying things,” the director of the Holy See Press Office said.
03/ 5/2013 VATICAN INSIDER
Cardinal Wuerl is looking above all for a Pope with a spiritual vision
Cardinal Wuerl
America’s Cardinal Wuerl is looking for a pope with a spiritual vision who can lead the Church into the 21st century, holding up faith in Jesus Christ as the way to build a better world. He hopes the new pope will use the new media more than travel to be present to people worldwide
Gerard O'Connell RomeCardinal Donald Wuerl, 72, is archbishop of Washington and one of the 11 cardinal electors from the United States. He is participating in a conclave for the first time and in this interview he speaks about what he sees as the main challenges facing the Church today and the qualities he is looking for in the man to be next Pope.
Has the resignation of Benedict XVI changed the nature of the papacy?
I think the resignation of the Holy Father perhaps has more changed the way people perceive the office than what might happen in the future. I think the initial shock was simply because this hasn’t happened in six hundred years. I think that has now, in a way, settled; the dust has settled and people are saying yes this is something that should be able to happen, especially since Pope Benedict put it in such reasonable terms. He clearly loves the Church. He served well as Pope, and when he said I just don’t have the energy to do the job as well as I know I should, I think that resonated with a lot of people. Indeed when I talked with my priests in Washington about this, they had nothing but admiration for him. But I think what has changed is the perception now among the Catholic faithful that not only is this theoretically possible but now it can be a practice in the Church.
Given this possibility of resignation, how big a factor do you think age will be in the conclave?
I think probably more important will be the perception of two things: the perception that the person has the vision to carry us into the future and, second, the perception that the person has energy to do this. But I’m not certain that I’m necessarily talking about physical stamina.But getting back to vision, I think the person who will now fill the Chair of Peter has to carry on the vision of Blessed John Paul and of Benedict that the New Evangelization is where we have to be focused. That we are being submerged in a secularism and we are being engulfed in this vision of the world that has limited the horizon to the here and now, and we have to be able to look to the young people coming along in the future, and invite them to an experience of God. I think that has to be the overriding vision of the next pope. And I think he has to have, what I would call, a ministry of presence, but that ministry of presence today does not require travel, as it did for John Paul or even for Benedict. Today we live in a world of media, of instantaneous communication, of electronic communication, and I think the Pope has to have the vision to see this as the way to exercise the Petrine Office around the world, and the energy to devote a substantial proportion of his ministry to this virtual presence, an electronic presence. That will take energy, not necessarily physical stamina. So those would be some of the things I would look to see in the future direction of the Church.There are always the ordinary routine things, the Pope has to also govern the Church, but I would be much more interested in his spiritual vision for the future, and his understanding of how he is going to lead the Church into the New Evangelization.
As you enter the conclave, what do you see as the main challenges facing the Church today?
I think there are three challenges. One is on the level of the academia, intellectual, elitist world, and that is to re-introduce into that discussion - and this is something that Benedict has done well - the compatibility of faith and reason, the complimentarity of faith and reason. Secondly, on the pastoral level, we have to keep focused on the need, and in whatever way we do this, the need to be proclaiming the basic kerygma of the Gospel. A third is going to be the re-appraisal of how the Petrine Office is exercised, and I think that is going to require an enormous concentration on communications.
Could you unpack that last one a little: are you talking about how the Pope links with the Bishops of the world, and how he links with the Roman Curia?
The communications part, I think, is probably going to cover all of that. One of the things we have learned in the past two pontificates is that the Pope is now reaching globally to Catholic people around the world, always with the bishop when he is present, but he is now exercising the Petrine Office in a global manner, and it’s not directly mediated as say Popes Paul VI or Pius XII did through encyclical letters. That has to continue in some way, but it can’t continue with physical presence, it going to have to continue by being present electronically, by being present visually in all the ways that we are able today to communicate.
So selective visiting rather than blanket visiting as John Paul II did?
No, I would think that physically the visits might be selective, but I could see the Pope doing regularly – and this is what is going to require some stamina - videos for specific events around the world. A diocese is going to celebrate its 250th anniversary, why couldn’t there be a brief video message? The Pope is now physically present to that celebration without having to fly there.And then the communications with the bishops, I think that goes on quite well with the ‘ad limina’ visits, especially when one has the opportunity to sit down with the Pope. Communications within the Governance of the Church here in Rome, that’s going to require a new level of engagement.But I’m more interested in that first element, the visual presence, the video presence, the electronic presence of the Pope multiplied. I would see him taking a chunk of time each week and doing these small talks – we are not even talking about long talks, but even a five minute presentation that could be used in different events around the world, keeping him present visually.
Many people say, because of all the Vatileaks and all that has happened here, you need a real reform of the Roman Curia. Do you share that vision?
I don’t know enough about what all is going on, but I can only speak from my own experience to say it’s very important that there be a central direction in any central office, whether it’s a local curia and certainly where it’s a Curia for the whole universal Church, there has to be a clearly identified chain of command.
How important will nationality be when it comes to choosing the next pope?
I don’t think that’s going to be as import as is the vision he brings.
So for you the spiritual vision is the number one quality for the new Pope?
That for me is the overriding factor. How will this Pope lead us into this century, proclaiming the spiritual mission of the Church, holding up faith in Jesus Christ as the way to build a better world? I think that is going to be the overriding issue.
Do you see the conclave will last long?
I think a lot of that’s going to depend on the unfolding in the first days in the conclave.
I read the papers. I tried to be as informed as anybody. There doesn’t seem to be a cardinal going into the conclave that everybody says is clearly going to be the Pope. Of course they often say, he who enters as pope comes out as cardinal. So I think it is going to take a little while. How little or how long, that’s all in the hands of God.
Do you want the conclave to start early or later?
I’m very, very much in favor of a conclave that would start within five or six days of this period of General Congregations. There’s no funeral, there’s no mourning period, so we’re going to be here for enough time. All of us want to be back in our diocese for Holy Week.
03/ 4/2013 VATICAN INSIDER
Conclave: Cardinals take oath of secrecy
Cardinals arrive for today's first General Congregation
Preparations for the Conclave began today in the College of Cardinals’ first general congregation. Cardinals gave speeches, took an oath of secrecy and in the afternoon heard a meditation from the Preacher for the Papal Household, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa. The Vatican’s spokesman has announced that there will only be one General Congregation session tomorrow morning
Alessandro Speciale vatican city There were 12 cardinal electors absent from the College of Cardinals’ first General Congregation held today in the Vatican. The General Congregations are held to manage the Holy See during the sede vacante period.The Vatican spokesman, Fr. Federico Lombardi, was finally able to give the exact number of cardinal electors currently in Rome: 142 out of a total of 207, 103 of which are cardinal electors under the age of 80. Therefore about a dozen cardinals missing of the 115 cardinal electors whose task it will be to elect Benedict XVI’s successor. Among those absent, is Indonesian cardinal Darmaatmadja who has announced he will not be taking part in the Conclave for health reasons and the Scotsman Keith O’Brien who was forced to withdraw from the Conclave after it was revealed he sexually molested some priests and a clergyman.Among the absentees were three of Ratzinger’s fellow countrymen: the Archbishop of Berlin, Woelki, the Archbishop of Mainz, Lehmann and the Archbishop of Cologne, Meisner and three European cardinals: Warsaw’s Nycz, Prague’s Duka and Madrid’s Rouco Varela. Most of those who have not yet arrived are cardinals who will be travelling from afar: Hong Kong’s Cardinal Tong, Ho Chi Minh City’s Pham Minh Man (Vietnam), Dakar’s Sarr (Senegal) and the two Middle Eastern patriarchs, Lebanon’s Marronite Patriarch Bechara Rai and Egypt’s Coptic Catholic Patriarch, Antonios Naguib whose health condition is unstable. Polish Curia member and Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski was also absent from today’s meeting.The College of Cardinals’ first meeting dealt mainly with technical aspects and cardinals took an oath on the Bible to keep the contents of all Conclave-related meetings secret. One of the decisions taken was to send a message to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and to entrust the evening session meditation to the Preacher for the Papal Household, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa.
Cardinals had three quarters of an hour to make free interventions, during which time 13 cardinals took the floor. The content of these interventions is unknown but Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi hinted that they had also discussed the date of the upcoming Conclave. This may not be any time soon: in a brief press conference, two American cardinals, Chicago’s Francis George and Washington’s Donald Wuerl seemed to suggest cardinals were in no hurry. “Someone quoted St. Thomas who said we must be slow at deliberating and quick at making decisions. In this case the decision refers to the Conclave and the deliberation refers to the Congregations,” George said. “I think that’s what was on everyone’s minds, we need to take as much time as we need,” he added. The new pope should be elected in time for the beginning of Holy Week, so 24 March.”U.S. cardinals also commented on the case regarding Scottish cardinal O’Brien. The sex abuse scandal in the Church “is an important issue that is in the minds and hearts of many of us,” George said. “There have been cases of abuse committed by priests and sometimes by bishops and also cases of bishops failing to deal with the problem,” the American cardinal continued. “We adopted a zero tolerance policy and it took a while before it was actually applied but now it is no longer contested, either in U.S. law or in the Church.”According to George, “pastors are convinced that this issue needs to be dealt with constantly, not just because the problem is still there - statistics show there are now fewer cases of sexual abuse in the Church - but because the victims still exist.”There are currently 4,300 accredited journalists, photographers and television and web staff providing coverage of the sede vacante and events surrounding the Conclave that will result in the election of a successor to Benedict XVI. The figure given by the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, and deputy director, Angelo Scelzo, includes all journalists and media operators that have been permanently accredited to the Holy See, plus those who have been given temporary accreditation to cover Ratzinger’s resignation.
Conclave runs on modern twists to ancient rules
By | Associated Press – 3 hrs ago MAR 5,13
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Ritual words, uttered in Latin,
open and close the secret selection process of the new pope. It starts
with "Extra omnes" — or "Everyone out" — expelling all but voting
cardinals from the Sistine Chapel where conclave
balloting takes place. It ends with "Accepto" — "I accept" — the solemn
word the victorious cardinal utters to confirm the judgment of peers
who have given him the two-thirds majority needed to become pope.Here is a look at what happens between those two moments:
WHO'S INSIDE:Under a rule change by Pope Paul VI in 1970, cardinals who are younger than 80 at the time the papacy become vacant are eligible to vote. This time, two cardinals squeaked under the age limit, since their 80th birthdays come just after Benedict XVI's Feb. 28 resignation. As electing pontiffs is considered their most important job, all eligible cardinals are expected to participate in the conclave. So far, only two of the 117 qualified "princes" of the church have begged off — a seriously ill Indonesian cardinal and a Scottish cardinal who acknowledged sexually inappropriate conduct.
MUM'S THE WORD:
One by one, cardinals place their hand on a book of Gospels and swear to follow the conclave's strict and detailed rules, including never to reveal what went on during the conclave. But the adage "rules are made to be broken" seems to hold true here — even at the risk of excommunication. Months after Benedict XVI was elected in 2005, excerpts of an anonymous cardinal's diary were published. Among the unverifiable revelations: Argentine Jesuit Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was the German's closest rival in the voting.
NO TWEETING OR TEXTING:
While cardinals are sequestered in the Vatican City's hotel, the modern Santa Marta residence, the Vatican wants to make sure the Holy Spirit is the only influence on the red-hatted prelates as they vote. That means no TV, radio, newspapers, cell phones or landlines. The precaution cuts both ways. No info getting in OR out. Cardinals with Twitter accounts will have to be tweet-less during the conclave. The rule-bending diarist (see above) did note that one cardinal slipped out after dinner at the hotel, to puff on his cigar.
EAVESDROPPING:
While the elector cardinals swear themselves to secrecy, there's no such oath for non-Vatican types. Vatican security forces will therefore sweep the Sistine Chapel for any hidden microphones or other eavesdropping devices. Jamming equipment installed under a false floor should be able to detect any cellphones or other electronic devices potentially hidden in the folds of cardinals' crimson robes or behind the fabric skirting the simple tables that will double as desks for the cardinals when they fill out their ballots.
INSPIRATION:
While no chatting is allowed during the conclave, cardinals can always seek inspiration from higher levels. Just above their heads is Michelangelo's exquisitely frescoed ceiling. And if they need a reminder about the oath of secrecy, on the wall behind the chapel's altar is the artist's "Last Judgment" — with its frightening depictions of the damned.
LATIN BALLOTS:
Even the words the cardinals will write on the ballots will be in Latin, with each of them prefacing his choice for pontiff with the words "Eligo in summen pontificem," or "I elect as supreme pontiff" and then the name. Ballots are folded and stuffed into an urn to await being counted.
SMOKE SIGNALS:
After the ballots are counted, they are tied together with needle and thread. They are then placed in an iron stove, whose narrow chimney will channel the smoke up into the outside world, where the faithful will watch in St. Peter's Square to see if the smoke is black — no pope yet — or white — a pope has been chosen.
Confusion has reigned at times. In 1958, the damp straw that cardinals had tossed into their burning ballots apparently didn't catch fire, and the smoke was white instead of black. After John Paul's death in 2005, the Vatican used special chemicals in an effort to make the color clear — with only limited success. If in doubt, don't just look. Listen. The bells of St. Peter's Basilica will be set ringing when a new pope has been chosen.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE:
In centuries past, conclaves dragged on for weeks and months, sometimes years. In a 13th-century conclave, which stretched for weeks, a leading candidate died. In these quick-paced times, it is unlikely that the conclave will go on more than a few days. Except for the first day, when only one round of balloting takes place, cardinals will vote twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon until a pope is chosen. The longest conclave of the last century went on for 14 rounds over five days, and yielded Pius XI — in 1922.
This century's only conclave — which brought in Benedict as pope — went four rounds over two days before the Latin announcement rang out across St. Peter's Square from the basilica's balcony: "Habemus papam" — We have a pope!
Vatican still waiting for 5 cardinals for conclave
By | Associated Press – 26 mins ago MAR 5,13
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Sistine Chapel closed to visitors on Tuesday and construction work got under way to prepare it for the conclave, where cardinals from around the world will gather to elect the new pope after Benedict XVI's resignation last month.The Vatican said that it was waiting for five more cardinals to arrive before setting the date for the election.Michelangelo's frescoed masterpiece closed at 1 p.m. to visitors, one
of the first visible signs that the election was nearing. Construction
work involves installing a false floor to cover the anti-bugging devices
and even it out, as well as installing the stove where the ballots will
be burned.A total of 110 of the 115
voting-age cardinals attended the second day of preparatory meetings
Tuesday to organize the conclave, discuss the problems of the church and
get to know one another, the Vatican said.Those still making their way to Rome included: Egyptian Patriarch Antonios Naguib, and Cardinals Karl Lehmann of Germany, Jean-Baptiste Pham of Vietnam, Kazimierz Nycz of Poland and John Tong Hon of Hong Kong, the Vatican said.Vatican spokesman
the Rev. Federico Lombardi said they were expected in the coming days
and that there was no concern about the delay; some had important
meetings of bishops to attend to, he noted.During the second day of pre-conclave meetings, cardinals asked for
information about the management of the Vatican bureaucracy — and
managers responded — after cardinals said they wanted to get to the
bottom of allegations of corruption and cronyism in the Holy See's
governance.Lombardi refused to say who responded and whether the questions
referred to the leaks of Vatican documents, which exposed evidence of
turf battles and political intrigue.Also Tuesday, cardinals signed off on a telegram sent to Benedict XVI
thanking him for his "brilliant" ministry and his "untiring work in the
vineyard of the Lord."And the Vatican showed off the urns into which the cardinals will
place their ballots, the same silver and bronze flying-saucer-like urns
used in the 2005 conclave that elected Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger pope.
