The rites for the Conclave begin: Mass for electing a Supreme Pontiff

And so the rites as found in the Ordo Rituum Conclavis… the Order of Rites for the Conclave begin. The first thing the Cardinals do today is celebrate Mass in St. Peter’s saying special prayers for help in their task. The Cardinal Dean is celebrant, as Joseph Card. Ratzinger was in 2005.

The Mass is in Latin.  For some commentary on the prayers for the Mass check out my piece in the UK’s best Catholic weekly, The Catholic Herald.

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With not a little melancholy, … the arms of Benedict XVI on the chasubles.

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The Church is not just the Roman Church.

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Below… The Confiteor.   The Cardinals pray to be forgiven for what they have done and what they have failed to do.

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Not all the Cardinals concelebrate.

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Alas, I just missed this.  I’ll try to go back and get the shot later.  This is a seminarian from the North American College in their College cassock.  Nice to see.  He did the first reading in English.  This was followed by the usual saccharine sweet singing by an Italian of the responsorial psalm.

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Again, not all Cardinals are selected from the Roman Church.

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Tu es Petrus….

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The Cardinal Dean’s sermon.  Who can forget the stunning sermon given by Joseph Card. Ratzinger in 2005?

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The Dean adopted a standard format… in the first reading… in the second reading… etc.  Then he spoke a bit about the role of the Successor of Peter.    Here is some of the working translation.  The Dean went off text a little in the original Italian, but in no way changing the substance of the text.  My emphases:

3. The Mission of the Pope

Brothers and sisters in Christ today’s Gospel takes us back to the Last Supper, when the Lord said to his Apostles: “This is my commandment: that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). The text is linked to the first reading from the Messiah’s actions in the first reading from the prophet Isaiah, reminding us that the fundamental attitude of the Pastors of the Church is love. It is this love that urges us to offer our own lives for our brothers and sisters. Jesus himself tells us: “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:12). [And is surely what a man does when he accepts the election in the Sistine Chapel.]

The basic attitude of every Shepherd is therefore to lay down one’s life for his sheep (John 10:15). This also applies to the Successor of Peter, Pastor of the Universal Church. As high and universal the pastoral office, so much greater must be the charity of the Shepherd. In the heart of every Successor of Peter, the words spoken one day by the Divine Master to the humble fisherman of Galilee have resounded: “Diligis me plus his? Pasce agnos meos… pasce oves meas”; “Do you love me more than these? Feed my lambs… feed my sheep!” (John 21:15-17)

[This next part seems to me to be what the Dean, Card Sodano, is suggesting as a major point for the Cardinal Electors as they go into the Conclave.  Remember, Sodano is over 80 and cannot vote even though he is the Dean of the College.] In the wake of this service of love toward the Church and towards all of humanity, the last popes have been builders of so many good initiatives for people and for the international community, tirelessly promoting justice and peace. Let us pray that the future Pope may continue this unceasing work on the world level. [Look.  Yes, Pope’s do these things.  But is that their principle role?  Is that the principle role of the Church in the world?  To promote initiatives of justice and peace in the international community?  I noted with interest that the Dean quoted Paul VI’s Populorum progressio, which was not a little controversial in its day.  At the time, there were concerns that to smacked of Marxism.  It also spoke to the North/South divide. Perhaps I am reading this wrong, but I have the sense that this is a call for Paul VII.  It is without question that Benedict XVI wrote eloquently of initiatives of justice and peace in Deus caritas est, etc.   But to stress this, during the Year of Faith, when Benedict XVI tried to launch the Church on a project of NEW EVANGELIZATION, that is, the recovery of Catholic identity in those places where it has been dying and a new direction even in places where the Church is emerging, the Dean flips back the calendar to the 1970’s.  This is my first reaction.  I may add and revise later.  To be fair, the Dean quoted Benedict XVI in a way that opens what Paul VI said in a more expansive way than I have suggested.  Here is what he said earlier in the sermon when he quoted Paul:  “This is what Benedict XVI wrote in his Lenten Message for this year (n.3). “Sometimes we tend, in fact, to reduce the term “charity” to solidarity or simply humanitarian aid. It is important, however, to remember that the greatest work of charity is evangelization, which is the “ministry of the word”. There is no action more beneficial – and therefore more charitable – towards one’s neighbour than to break the bread of the word of God, to share with him the Good News of the Gospel, to introduce him to a relationship with God: evangelization is the highest and the most integral promotion of the human person. As the Servant of God Pope Paul VI wrote in the Encyclical Populorum Progressio, the proclamation of Christ is the first and principal contributor to development (cf. n. 16).” BUT… let’s continue to be fair. This sounds like Sodano contra Sodano. Quoting Populorum progressio is a signal.]

Moreover, this service of charity is part of the intimate nature of the Church. Pope Benedict XVI reminded us of this fact when he said: “The service of charity is also a constitutive element of the Church’s mission and an indispensable expression of her very being; (Apostolic Letter in the form of a Motu Proprio Intima Ecclesiae natura, November 11, 2012, introduction; cf. Deus caritas est, n. 25).

It is a mission of charity that is proper to the Church, and in a particular way is proper to the Church of Rome, that in the beautiful expression of St. Ignatius of Antioch, is the Church that “presides in charity” “praesidet caritati” (cf. Ad Romanos (preface).; Lumen Gentium, n. 13).

My brothers, let us pray that the Lord will grant us a Pontiff who will embrace this noble mission with a generous heart. [The mission of promoting initiatives of justice and peace in the international community?] We ask this of the Lord, through the intercession of Mary most holy, Queen of the Apostles and of all the Martyrs and Saints, who through the course of history, made this Church of Rome glorious through the ages. Amen.

Mass continued with congregational singing of the Creed and the Eucharistic Prayer, the Roman Canon, former Secretary of State Card. Bertone, now the Camerlengo, and the senior Cardinal who will guide the Conclave, Card. Re are the principle celebrants.

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Some of the A-Team on the bench.

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No one changed this.  Let us hope that it doesn’t change.  No, rather, let us hope that it continues and is taken up everywhere.  Thus, my call to “Re-Elect Ratzinger”.  We need his vision of liturgial worship to be more widely embraced.  We won’t get another Ratzinger in that sphere, for there isn’t one.  But we can pray for a Pope who will embrace that vision and continue it.  No initiative we undertake as a Church can succeed unless we revitalize our liturgical worship, exactly along the lines that Benedict XVI pointed to.

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Some final shots, including a few images to show off the spectacular views and great camera work of CTV.

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And to show that we are having vile weather. I do NOT look forward to standing in the rain for an announcement.

Please, in your charity, pray also for good weather along with a good Pope!

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About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

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67 Comments

  1. kallman says:

    Do the conclave cardinals get to keep those chasubles?

  2. acardnal says:

    Benedict’s coat of arms on all of the red chasubles is a nice touch.

  3. acardnal says:

    Regarding the American seminarian who did the first reading, I’ve never seen that style of cassock before.

  4. Geoffrey says:

    Though the psalm for the Responsorial Psalm was in Italian, the response itself was in Latin. Overall, very beautiful Mass thus far. Latin with readings in the vernacular; chant and incense… I wish more OF Masses were like this!

  5. Father G says:

    That is Coptic Catholic Patriarch Emeritus Antonios Cardinal Naguib whose photo is shown.His Beatitude Antonios was originally scheduled to be in Cairo, Egypt for the enthronement of his
    successor, Patriarch-elect Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak , which is taking place at the same time as this Mass in Rome.

  6. Dustin and Jamie P. says:

    The American seminarian is Fr. Hollowell’s (of Brazil, IN archdiocese of Indianapolis) brother. Fr. Hollowell recently revived the celebration of the Latin Mass in his parish.

    http://on-this-rock.blogspot.com/2013/03/we-inerrupt-this-top-20-list-for.html

  7. kat says:

    Can someone answer some questions for me: 1) do the cardinals speak to each other once the conclave begins, or is it like a silent retreat? If they talk, do they talk during voting? Do they eat in common? Do they say their own private Mass each day? I.e what happens behind the locked doors? Are they all meeting privately to convince each other to vote with them? Thanks!

  8. Geoffrey says:

    I believe the cardinal electors celebrate Mass together every morning during the Conclave. They will also be praying Terce and Vespers together.

  9. TNCath says:

    Nice shot of the cardinals during the Confiteor, Father!

    While I rather like Cardinal Sodano’s clear and no-fooling-around approach to saying Mass, I did find his homily to be a bit…dated and bland. Even though he is over the age of 80, he is still the Dean, so does he get to oversee the conclave itself or is he part of the “Extra omnes”?

    My biggest concern is that the new Pope, whoever he is, continues the liturgical reform initiated by Benedict XVI and does not revert to a 1970’s style of worship to go along with the initiatives of justice and peace.

  10. JonPatrick says:

    Regarding the sermon – it seems to me the way we bring justice and peace to the world is by bringing Christ to the world by bringing people to or back to the church. It has to start with the many lapsed Catholics especially here in the US and in Europe. And that has to start with the liturgy as it is the foundation of our faith. Re-elect Benedict XVI!

  11. Geoffrey says:

    Holy Communion is being distributed by Cardinal Sodano to those who are kneeling… Deo gratias for that!

  12. Inigo says:

    I think Father, you missed the point. First pope Benedict is quoted saying “work of charity is evangelisation”, and later the carindal says “promoting justice and peace is work on the world level”. I think the latter is only a sidenote to make a distinction, because cardinal Sodano then proceeds by almost exhorting the cardinals on the inportance of the work of charity. He even uses the words “mission of charity” at the end, and soon after this finishes by “My brothers, let us pray that the Lord will grant us a Pontiff who will embrace this NOBLE MISSION with a generous heart.” There is no talk about peace and justice being a mission…

    Does this make any sence?

  13. C. says:

    Forgive my grammar, but when we pray “pro eligendo pontifice” are we praying for the electing of a pontiff, or for the pontiff who is to be elected?

    Or is it ambiguous?

  14. kallman says:

    Thank you for this wonderful coverage Father

  15. hilltop says:

    Liturgically, Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke is your Benedict XVII…

  16. pmullane says:

    “the last popes have been builders of so many good initiatives for people and for the international community, tirelessly promoting justice and peace. Let us pray that the future Pope may continue this unceasing work on the world level”

    A nice, cuddly, fluffy, chocolate sprinkled message that nobody in the world, or at the good dinner parties, could disagree with. I suspect that more weighty (and specific) concerns will be pressing on the shoulders of the Cardinal Electors, especially those in Diocesan Sees. It is funny though that in the big ‘social justice’ issues of the day (in the west) the Zeitgeist is against the Church. If, however, Cdl Sodano is asking for a Pope who will stand up for Justice for the unborn, or against the tyranny of a government that thinks it can change the meaning of humanities oldest institution, or the peace of Christ through Evangelising the world to come to him through his Church and his sacraments, then I’m all for it.

    God Bless our Cardinal Electors and Holy Mother Church.

  17. anniemw says:

    I thank God for the privilege of being alive at this time in history.
    Is there anyone who would be able to provide links for the best coverage of news of the conclave, etc?
    Praying for the cardinal-electors – may they be docile to the Holy Spirit!

  18. CatholicMD says:

    Kat – The cardinals speak informally at meals and around the casa sancta marta. This is probably one of the most important parts of the conclave.

    Tncath – Cardinal Sodano will not participate at all in the conclave.

  19. GAK says:

    I was surprised to see what looked like the cardinals walking up to the altar to receive communion and dunking the host in the chalice. (Maybe I saw wrong, it wasn’t the closest shot.) I’ve been to masses all over Rome with parish priests who did that, but I always assumed it was an aberration (i.e., not how one is supposed to receive).

    Random aside, I wish in the Roman rite we’d receive like the Byzantines. I’m all for tipping my head back like a baby bird to receive both species together. (I see this as quite different from dunking the host in the chalice which seems like it gives widens the chances for Precious Blood droplets to land on the altar linens, one’s own clothing, etc.).

  20. Supertradmum says:

    Not good to be pushing one’s personal preferences at such a college. It would have been more perfect if this Dean had stuck to the readings and made general comments on the personal holiness needed to be an excellent pope rather than this pointed language.

    Will not make the traddies think that Burke will be elected, now, will it?

  21. GAK says:

    True, yet I’m of the thinking that if he felt the need to push his personal preferences then the papacy’s not in the bag, so to speak. Also, consider all the cardinals who don’t know Italian and didn’t have a clue as to what he was saying. That was evident by the many blank stares when he thanked our Pope Emeritus. A good 1/3 of the cardinals didn’t clap and looked around trying to figure out why the others were clapping. So probably not much harm done.

    X number of Italian cardinals may have an agenda, but at the end of the day, they don’t speak Vietnamese, or Swahili, or whatever, whereas the Holy Spirit does. ;) I think their reach is limited.

  22. Jon says:

    “Paul VII?”

    I’d yet to see that written. Father, you sent a chill up my spine.

  23. PA mom says:

    Inigo- maybe I am just an optimist, but I agree that this is a very reasonable interpretation of his words as well. Could it be worded “in code” in order to not overly alarm the “peace and justice crowd? Using their language with a (more proper) twist by refocusing it towards evangelization.
    On the topic of careful speech, I unfortunately came to th conclusion yesterday that I am not particularly rooting for Cardinal Dolan. His recent support of more gun control, again the seemingly constant support of all initiatives Democrats without adequate reference to the Faith, I am hoping tha if th Pope were to be an American (unlikely anyway) that I should not like to be able to so easily identify him as an active member of the Party of abortion and the HHS mandate. It demonstrates an uncarefulness of language that is too dissimilar to Benedict.
    Anyhow, I will be in adoration this morning and will keep this intention in mind.

  24. Phil_NL says:

    I think we should take away a different conclusion from Card Sodano’s words : Sodano is not the kind of guy likely to root for a Pope that brings strong curial reform or ramps up BXVIs Marshall Plan. (I’m leaving it in the middle if he should be classed as neutral or hostile, I don’t know him, and it doesn’t matter too much). Also, he won’t be voting so this is his last-ditch effort to influence matters. That he considers it necessary to ask the cardinals for a Paul VIII figure, and does so quite openly (by Vatican standards) suggests that he is far from certain that he’ll get what he wants. Which in my book is a good sign. Moreover, Sodano can reasonably be expected to be replaced by the time the next Pope is firmly settled in. Would he expect someone close to his liking or one allowing sufficient leeway in the direction of Sodano’s preferences, he could have been more neutral.

  25. Legisperitus says:

    C.: “Pro eligendo Pontifice” is one of those elegant expressions in Latin that can mean both. There is a sort of parallel in English if we say we are praying “for the Pontiff to be elected.” It could mean for his being elected, or for him. But I think the primary intention of the phrase is “for the election of the Pontiff.”

  26. CatholicMD says:

    Hopefully this conclave is the last we see of Sodano, Re and the rest of Maciel’s cronies.

  27. Fr. Thomas Kocik says:

    Jon: While one may fault Paul VI for authorizing the “Bugnini liturgy” and many of the post-1970 options/permissions which have made it even problematic, let’s not forget that Paul VI also gave us Mysterium Fidei (defending the dogma of transubstantiation and calling for a retention of that term), the Credo of the People of God, and Humanæ Vitæ. (You didn’t mention the liturgical reform under Paul VI, I acknowledge, but I assume it has something to do with the chill that went up your spine upon reading “Paul VII.”) The next pope’s choice of “Paul VII,” should he choose that name, wouldn’t necessarily bode poorly for the Church.

  28. Fr. Thomas Kocik says:

    “… have made it [the Bugnini liturgy] even MORE problematic…”

  29. e.davison49 says:

    Did I understand correctly that the photo of those cardinals saying the Confiteor… the “in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do” prayer… that we see Card. Mahony? Is that the same Card. Mahony from Los Angeles?

  30. Athelstan says:

    We won’t get another Ratzinger in that sphere, for there isn’t one.

    No, there isn’t.

    But there is a Ranjith…

  31. Art says:

    @Athelstan:

    There’s also a Burke.

    Does anyone know who the other non-RC cardinal is other than the Coptic Patriarch Emeritus? He looks Syro-Malankara but I’m not too sure.

  32. Rouxfus says:

    The Mass can be replayed on PCs and Macs here:

    http://www.vatican.va/video/
    (Requires Microsoft Silverlight player. )

    Above link oes not work on iOS devices. Use The Pope App instead in the Videos section to watch the replay.

  33. mamajen says:

    Ugh. I can’t stand the social justice tripe. If the Church’s priorities were in order, people would learn to live moral and responsible lives on their own without relying so much on the government, or the Church or whatever to do everything for them. Yes, there are some people who legitimately need help, but a part of me dies every time the Vatican issues statements about global warming or immigration. Here’s hoping and praying that the Holy Spirit overrides the personal preferences of the cardinals and we get somebody who will do what really needs to be done.

  34. jjoy says:

    GAK,

    What you are seeing there is the cardinals communicating themselves by intinction. It is perfectly licit, although rarely seen, pro dolor.

  35. acardnal says:

    mamajen, I concur.

    We need Pope Benedict’s continued renewal of the liturgy and a “new” evangelization more than anything right now!

  36. UncleBlobb says:

    Father Z.: Thank you for your commentary. It gives hope.

  37. acardnal says:

    GAK, as jjoy said, self-intinction was licit because the Cardinals were concelebrants of the Mass.
    They could have drank from the chalice but I suppose for practical reasons (over 100 Cardinals) many decided to intinct the host. I’m confident there was a corporal underneath the chalice and ciborium to catch any of the Eucharist that may inadvertently fall.

  38. Imrahil says:

    I do not accuse of a sin someone who does what the law allows,

    but on principle: A concelebrant (!) should at the very least receive Holy Communion in the full form of receiving under either species. If necessary, have more chalices or less concelebrants.

    Whatever there is to be said about intinction for non-celebrants. (Which I do not see so favorably either. I do not mind receiving under both species, that is the full form of the Sacrament: but if so, please fully so. If it is not possible, then the next idea is to remember that one species alone contains all of Christ.)

  39. dans0622 says:

    Mamajen, what is the “social justice tripe” you see in the Cardinal’s homily?

  40. Suburbanbanshee says:

    Self-intinction _by the co-celebrating cardinals_ is perfectly proper. It’s ancient, it’s legal, and it does include both species (if that’s what you want). There’s no scandal; there’s use of a choice.

    Self-intinction by laypeople is something totally different.

  41. acardnal says:

    dans0622 wrote, “Mamajen, what is the “social justice tripe” you see in the Cardinal’s homily?”

    I can’t speak for mamajen, but after rereading her comment she didn’t say there was social justice tripe in the Cardinal Sodano’s homily.

    Perhaps she was responding to Fr. Z’s remarks.

    Again, I defer to mamajen to explain.

  42. Pingback: Conclave 2013: a battle between 'Rome' and 'reform'? – Telegraph Blogs

  43. Father G says:

    @Art
    The other non-RC cardinal shown under the caption “Again, not all Cardinals are selected from the Roman Church.” is the Maronite Patriarch, Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi.

  44. Pingback: Conclave 2013: a battle between ‘Rome’ and ‘reform’? | mangSebyo

  45. green fiddler says:

    We are so blessed!

    Please forgive a silly question: was His Holiness Papa Benedict XVI at Castel Gandolfo watching the Mass on television also? or was he in the Basilica but hidden somehow?

    I am very grateful, extremely grateful, for EWTN’s coverage. But if I may add in a charitable way, in hopes that an EWTN person may see: the opinion-type commentary (what panel members thought about Cardinal Sodano’s homily, etc.) should wait for an appropriate time, after the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass has ended. I had to quickly mute that. Especially during Holy Communion, there should be no talking. The commentators interruption is upsetting to viewers at home who are trying to make a Spiritual Communion and pray in silence (except for hearing the choir). On the other hand, the subdued comments of the Vatican commentator sporadically throughout the celebration of the Mass were not distracting to me; it is helpful when brief clarifications and translations are given for those of us who are not fluent.

    We are so blessed.
    Continuing prayers for our cardinals and soon-to-be Holy Father!

  46. acardnal says:

    I believe there are four Cardinals present from the Eastern Catholic church.

  47. catholicmidwest says:

    Yes, and that is exactly the issue this time around: questions about the mission of the Church. Are we first and organization that makes disciples for religious reasons, or are we an international organization that aims for peace and justice in the world first? Scripture is quite clear on this but not many people, it seems, are so interested in Scripture these days.

    Christ gave the Church a very clear mission in Matthew 28: 16-20.
    “The Commissioning of the Disciples
    16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

    And he summarized up the commandments, as follows:
    He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

    It’s very clear what order this is supposed to be in. If we take the wrong path, as always, God will right us eventually, but taking one’s own path is an arduous and pointless thing. And it can be painful. Very painful.

  48. catholicmidwest says:

    Cardinal Sodano made his own views known, but it’s probably fine, because I’m sure they all know that this is the issue (mission of the Church) this time around anyway. At least it’s out of the bag in a big way, and maybe they’ll deal with it properly. I can only hope and pray.

  49. mamajen says:

    @dans0622

    I was reading between the lines a bit the same way Father Z did. The cardinal did not directly reference the “tripe” that bothers me, but given recent history I am suspicious of his meaning. Hopefully it turns out that I, Father Z and anyone else who found the “peace and justice” bit to be slightly worrying are wrong about what he meant. If the Church gets herself in order, the rest will follow. If she doesn’t, then “peace and justice” efforts will continue to be largely futile.

    @acardnal Thank you.

  50. Father G says:

    @cardnal

    Yes, they are:
    1) the Maronite Catholic Patriarch, Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi,
    2) the Coptic Catholic Patriarch-emeritus, Antonios I Naguib,
    3) the Syro-Malankara Catholic Catholicos, Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis,
    4) the Syro-Malabar Catholic Major-Archbishop, Mar George Alencherry.

  51. Jack Regan says:

    Card. Barbarin was quoted a few days ago as saying that in 2005 one Cardinal stood head and shoulders above all the others. He went on to say that this time that’s simply not the case at all. There is no clear front runner. Indeed, not even a top 5 or 10 from which you can say that the next Pope will definitely emerge.

    I await a surprise form the Holy Spirit on this one!!

    One thing this got me thinking about is how Josef Ratzinger/ BXVI will go down in history. He was a key figure for the last third of JP2’s papacy and he was then the obvious successor. I’m not sure if there has been another conclave in recent years with such a prominent front-runner, but I doubt it. He was/ is also one of the truly great minds of his generation. When he was elected I, like make people, thought he would just be a caretaker Pope with a short walk-on part as “the one after JP2” but not so. In the same way, I guess, that many people thought John XXIII would just be “the one after…” too!

    They say before Conclaves that ‘he who goes in as Pope comes out as a Cardinal.’ Maybe it’s equally true that he who comes out as a caretaker Pope comes out as one of the greats.

  52. robtbrown says:

    Keep in mind that Cardinal Sodana is a career diplomat, and this is reflected in his homily. He is mostly interested in the relation of the Holy See to various governments around the world. IMHO, this has been the main problem since the papacy of Papa Montini–too much emphasis on that at the expense of the internal life of the Church. The Church exists to lead the faithful to heaven, not to be the clearing house for international politics.

    My preference: Ranjith

    My prediction (born from ignorance): Bagnasco

  53. Art says:

    @Father G:

    Thanks!

  54. jaykay says:

    Out of interest I went back to see what had been said in 1978, at the Missa pro eligendo for the second conclave on 4th October 1978. Cardinal Villot celebrated. His homily was very short and to the point, and didn’t contain any “politicking” that I could see. The gist seems to be summarised towards the end when he says:

    “We should not take pride in our abilities — some with more, some with less, according to human ways of judging — and insist on our own point of view. Let us recall that our ability to fulfil our task as electors is rooted “in the free choice of the Lord”, mystically understood, and not in such human merit as we may individually possess.”

    Pretty sound advice, I thought. It’s available on the EWTN site.

  55. I do read the social justice plea with a bit of suspicion…not knowing Cardinal Sodano, I will give him the benefit of the doubt in this regard…

    Cardinal Ranjith is probably the one with the most “Ratzingerian” Liturgical vision…and one of the few Cardinals to implement said vision at a diocese level…thus on my list: 1) Ranjith 2) Bp Schnieder, 3) Thorne…God’s will be done though :)

  56. Gaetano says:

    Mere words cannot express the tremendous good those pictures did for my soul. Tu es Petrus!

  57. acardnal says:

    As I recall Pope BXVI spoke of redefining the work of charity when he got rid of the female director of Caritas by saying ( I’m paraphrasing) that charity must include evangelization and the Church! After all, even atheists carry out acts of charity but that’s insufficient. The Church’s role is to preach Jesus Christ crucified and His saving grace.

  58. acardnal says:

    FYI, EWTN will rebroadcast the Mass of Election tonight at 7 PM EDT.

  59. New Sister says:

    @ Joe of St Thérèse – I hadn’t read about Cardinal Thorne prior to your comment; thank you.
    My humble petition to Our Merciful GOD, Our Lady, & St Joseph is for Cardinal Ranjith, but I agree with you – the election of either Cardinals Schneider or Thorne would be great, too!

  60. New Sister says:

    @ Joe of St Thérèse – oh you got me spun up for nothing; the only “Cardinal Schneider” is a woman author of a book called “The Little Mouse” :-< !!

  61. acardnal says:

    EWTN will rebroadcast the Procession into the Sistine Chapel (my favorite event of this day) at 10 pm EDT.

  62. Giuseppe says:

    Cardinals Ranjith and Burke have an equal chance at becoming pope: close to zero. I honestly do not think liturgical reform is the highest priority (or even in the top 5 of priorities) of a majority of cardinals.

    Seriously — how many cardinals say mass in Latin? How many concelebrate when they say mass publicly? How many have presided over circus-masses (think of any some of those JPII Mass with dancing, drums, and youth)? How many have Vatican II in their lifeblood? Do you really think this group will choose Burke or Ranjith? I know the Spirit works in mysterious ways, but this would be mind-boggling.

    My prediction (not wish) – going out on a limb here – is Cardinal Sean O’Malley, whose interest in liturgical reform is probably only marginally greater than his interest in gluten content of celiac-friendly hosts.

    I know that the traditional-friendly approach to liturgy is central to most here (me too), but I really do think this is a fringe interest to most cardinals. I am happy to be proved wrong by the cardinals, but I do not think I will be.

  63. C. says:

    Thank you, Legisperitus! So perhaps one can also say, even now,

    Oremus pro eligendo Romano Pontifice
    V. Dominus conservet eum…

  64. Giuseppe says:

    Thank God for EWTN repeats. (Usually I am grateful for ESPN, so EWTN is a change for me.)

  65. Pingback: Conclave 2013: A battle between ‘Rome’ and ‘reform’?

  66. catholicmidwest says:

    There is a 2-word phrase in Cdl Sodano’s speech that’s being omitted in the versions of his homily for public consumption in the news media. Interesting.

  67. Mike says:

    The fact that Holy Communion is still received kneeling and on the tongue, even in this sede vacante state, makes me very happy.

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