Cardinal electors

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Cardinal Darmaatmadja of Indonesia will skip the Conclave due to health reasons : Cardinal-electors for the Conclave now stand at 116

http://www.ucanews.com/news/cardinal-unable-to-go-to-conclave/67484

Cardinal Julius Riyadi Darmaatmadja, Metropolitan Archbishop Emeritus of Jakarta, Indonesia, who is now 78, has declined to go and attend the Conclave due to health reasons, particularly badly failing eyesight and other health issues, which he determined would prevent him from effectively participating in the Conclave processes.

We pray for Cardinal Darmaatmadja that God will continue to bless him, and sustain him, even through the health problems that he face at the moment. May God bless and protect him from afflictions, that he will remain in great vigour to continue the mission entrusted to him by God even in retirement.

As originally, barring any death between now and the beginning of the Conclave, there would have been 117 Cardinals, Cardinal Darmaatmadja’s decision reduce the number of the Cardinal-electors at the conclave to 116.

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College of Cardinals : Passing of Cardinal Julien Ries, at the age of 92

Cardinal Julien Ries from Belgium, who was 92, has passed away yesterday, on Saturday, 23 February 2013. He was elevated to the Cardinalate as a Cardinal non-elector at the consistory of 18 February 2012 last year with 22 other cardinals, and was the first one to pass away among them. He was made the Cardinal Deacon of S. Antonio di Padova a Circonvallazione Appia.

Let us pray for the Cardinal, that God will welcome him home, and open the doors of heaven for him, after his long and tireless work in the spread of the Gospel and in bringing mankind closer to God. Requiescat in Pace, Your Eminence.

College of Cardinals now stand at 208. Cardinal Electors remain at 118, and Cardinal non-Electors at 90.

 

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Papal Conclave will begin between 15 March 2013 to 20 March 2013

http://www.romereports.com/palio/vatican-conclave-will-begin-between-march-15-and-20-english-9048.html

It is confirmed that in accordance with the rules of the Papal Conclave, the Universi Dominici Gregis (UDG), that a conclave must begin within 15 to 20 days from the time the See of Rome is vacant, either by death or the renouncement by the previous Pope, the Conclave date has been set to be sometime in mid-March.

Let us all pray together that God will send His Holy Spirit to all the Cardinal-electors, that we will soon have a new shepherd, the Bishop of Rome, successor to our beloved Pope Benedict XVI, Blessed Pope John Paul II, and St. Peter the Apostle. God be with us all, His Church!

+Ut Omnes Unum Sint, ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam+
(That they all may be One, for the greater glory of God)

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Conclave for the election of the new Pope : When are the possible dates and why?

http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/world/story/vatican-says-new-pope-be-elected-easter-20130211

As traditionally the Conclave follows the death of the previous Pope, and this requires the traditional 9-days mourning period (Novemdiales) after the funeral (which happens a few days, 6 days in the case of Blessed Pope John Paul II) before the Conclave can begin, this is why it takes about 15 days or so for the Conclave can begin. This period of time is also for Cardinals from all over the world to have the time to come to Rome to elect the new Pope and for preparation of the Conclave.

However, as the announcement of the date of retirement came early, more than two weeks before the actual date, the Cardinals have plenty of time to come to Rome, and without the Novemdiales, in fact, the Conclave can begin as early as 1 March 2013, and we’ll have a new Pope perhaps even by 3 March 2013 or so.

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Full text of Pope Benedict XVI’s announcement on resignation/retirement, effective Thursday, 28 February 2013 at 20:00 Rome time

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-benedict-xvi-announces-his-resignation-at-end

Dear Brothers,

I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity toadequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me.

For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.

Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer.

From the Vatican, 10 February 2013
BENEDICTUS PP XVI