Tag Archives: cardinals

Pope Francesco I. – Jorge Mario Bergoglio

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Jesuit Jorge Mario Bergoglio is the new Pope

The Jesuit Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Argentina is the new Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Francis I. is the first Jesuit in the papal office and also the first non-European.

The Roman Catholic Church experienced a double premiere: for the first time in history there is a Pope who comes from South America. And for the first time a member of the Jesuit order holds the highest ecclesiastical Office. The Argentinian Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected Pope on Wednesday evening in the fifth round of votes. Until now, the 76-year-old had been the Archbishop of Buenos Aires. Bergoglio’s name as Pope is Francesco (Francis), he is the first Pope who has chosen this name.

bergoglio

Supposedly second in 2005

Bergoglio is a surprise for most Vatican experts, although he had, according to a “diary” which in 2005 had been smuggled out of the Conclave by one of the Cardinals, received the second most votes after Joseph Ratzinger. His withdrawal paved the way for the later Pope Benedict XVI., the document says.

Like many of his compatriots, the new Pope holds both the Argentine and the Italian citizenship and speaks Spanish and Italian, additionally some German due to a sojourn in Germany, were he wrote his doctoral thesis in 1985. The graduate chemist is regarded a multi-talent – good cook, opera lover, friend of the Greek classic, Shakespeare and Dostoevsky, good swimmer and strong, although he is struggling with lung problems since his childhood.

Bergoglio is considered a modest, down-to-earth and ecologically-minded person. As the “Cardinal of the poor”, he uses mostly public transportation and waived episcopal splendor. He confirmed this impression in his first appearance on the balcony of the St. Peter’s Basilica.

Modest appearance

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Black Smoke Signals on First Day of Conclave

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The Cardinals held their first ballot on Tuesday to elect a new Pope, with black smoke signaling no winner on the first day of their conclave inside the Sistine Chapel.

Black smoke rose into the evening sky over the Vatican as a conclave of Cardinals failed to select a new Pope on its first vote Tuesday.
Thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square to watch the results, but trickled quietly out of Vatican City shortly after the black smoke rose around 8 p.m. local time.

black-smoke

The outcome of the first ballot was expected, since all 115 of the Cardinals are theoretically candidates, and the winner must receive two-thirds, or 77, of the votes.

The election will continue on Wednesday, with with ballots each in the morning and afternoon.

Short Conclave 2013 expected

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The election of a new Pope starting on Tuesday is expected to be only a short procedure. Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told the ANSA News Agency the election process could be over “very quickly”.

Observers expect a relatively short Conclave 2013. The Roman newspaper “La Repubblica” reported on Sunday, that many Cardinals expected that a new Church leader would be found soon. With four daily ballots, the Cardinals want to elect a new pontiff in the upcoming conclave.

Smoke after two ballots

On Tuesday evening, the opening day, a first vote is already scheduled, in accordance with the electoral code. “With four rounds per day, it is easy to orient the votes on those candidates who can unite the strongest consent on themselves,” Lombardi said.

As of Wednesday, the 115 electors want to cast a vote twice each morning and afternoon. If the ballot fails, the second followes immediately; afterwards, the ballots are burned along with a dark smoke cartridge. This should be the case each day around noon and 7:00 p.m., Lombardi announced reported. Once the election was successful, the notes will be burned immediately with a white smoke cartridge.

Full day program

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Date of Conclave to be announced today

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The Cardinals gathered in the Vatican want to set a date for the beginning of the Conclave to elect a new Pope this very day (Friday, March 8). The date would be announced in the evening, told the Vatican.

The election of a new Pope will start probably early next week. “It could be Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday”, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said earlier today. “We can assume that the Congregation is going to vote in its afternoon meeting on the date for the beginning of the Conclave”, told Lombardi.

The Cardinals, assembled in the Papal States from all over the world, will meet again at 5:00 pm. The session will last until 7:00 p.m.. Currently, more than 150 Cardinals are meeting in the so-called General Congregations in the Vatican. At the time of resignation, 115 of them were younger than 80 years, making them eligible to elect a new Pope in the premises of the Sistine Chapel.

The Cardinals gathered to prepare for the election, on Friday officially accepted the notice of removal of the two Cardinals Julius Riyadi Darmaatmadja from Jakarta and the Scotsman Keith Michael Patrick O’Brien. The Indonesians renounced for health-, the Archbishop of Edinburgh for “personal reasons” from participating in the Conclave.

Pope received the Cardinals of the “Vatileaks” Commission

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Ongoing speculations about a secret dossier on the so-called “Vatileaks” affair. Benedict XVI. received those three Cardinals that had presented him the report in December.

pope-benedict-thoughtful

On Monday, Benedict XVI. received the three Cardinals in charge of the investigation regarding the “Vatileaks” affair. It was four days before the end of his pontificate, that Benedict had held talks with the retired cardinals Julian Herranz, Jozef Tomko and Salvatore De Giorgi, according to sources from the Vatican. The three Cardinals had presented their second secret report to the Pope on December 17. This, so the view of the Italian media, had been the decisive factor for Benedict’s the resignation.

Files will keep new Pope busy

The mandate of the Cardinal’s Commission ended last year, the Vatican spokesman said. The Pope thanked the Cardinals for their investigations. “In fact, their work made it possible to detect, given the limitations and imperfections of the human component of each institution, the generosity, honesty and dedication of those who work in the Holy See at the service of the mission entrusted by Christ to the Roman Pontiff.”, it said in a press release.

Meaningful Meetings

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Sede Vacante: The Cardinals take over

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With the end of the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI, the time of the Sede Vacante starts next Thursday, February 28, at 8:00 pm. This is how the period is called, in which the office of the Pope is not occupied.

Typically, this period extends from the death of the head of church until his successor is elected. The term comes from Latin and literally means “empty chair”. During the papal transition, the College of Cardinals, eventually all 209 currently living Cardinals, are in charge of the church. Their powers are limited to tasks and decisions that can not be postponed. Laws issued by the Pope cannot be corrected or modified during this period.

Administrated by Cardinal Chamberlain

The interim government of the Church is taken over by the Cardinal Chamberlain (Camerlengo). The current Camerlengo is Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. Together with three Cardinal assistants, that are chosen by lot and replaced every three days, he forms a so-called special congregation, wich decides, among other things, when the entire College of Cardinals shall meet for the first General Congregation, to prepare the Pope election.

The General Congregation meets daily at the Apostolic Palace, and is headed by the Dean of Cardinals Angelo Sodano. The College of Cardinals prepares in particular the election of the new Pope. The Pope election traditionally takes place in the Sistine Chapel under strictest security and confidentiality measures. However, during their stay in Rome, the Cardinals live  – also during the time of the conclave – reasonably comfortable in the Vatican Guest House Santa Marta.

All Cardinals participating in the General Congregation, must swear an oath on the Gospel, to respect the rules and to absolute secrecy. The same applies to participants who are older than 80 years and may therefore not participate in the election of the new Pope. The cardinals swear, among other things, that they “will keep everything secret, which relates in any way to the election of the Pope.

The faithful are encouraged to pray

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Speculations about “Latino”-Pope

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Cardinals from Latin America have in different ways expressed their preferences for a “Latino”-Pope. The Brazilian Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer is considered the Latin American favorite.

According to the Peruvian Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, the political and geographical background of the candidates will  not tip the scales in the upcoming Papal Election. At the Conclave, these criteria will remain sidelined, said the Archbishop of Lima on Wednesday  in the Peruvian capital. The Cardinals would be guided  in their decision only by the personal attributes of candidates. Since the announced resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, there is also speculations whether Latin Americans or Africans could be his successor.

Even the choice of a non-Cardinal Cipriani considers to be possible: “That would be unusual, but the resignation of the Pope was unusual too. It cannot be ruled out.” When asked whether he himself would be on hand, the Archbishop said: “No. This is too hard and also a special preparation is necessary to do so.” Many persons were better prepared than he is. Cipriani is the only representative of the Peruvian Church in the forthcoming Conclave.

However, if Venezuelan Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino had to decide, then the successor of Benedict XVI. would come from Central or South America. “Hopefully this time we can bring this joy to Latin America, but we leave it to God, who will lead the hearts and minds of the Cardinals to decide,” the 70-year-old archbishop of Caracas, saidon Wednesday in his episcopal city.

The Mexican Cardinal Jose Francisco Robles Ortega (63) calls for “a more open and globalized vision” of the Catholic Church by the future Pope. Topics such as the rejection to same-sex marriage, abortion, and women in the priesthood are however “non-negotiable”,  the Archbishop of Guadalajara, said at a press conference on Wednesday.

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