On his first day as Pope, on Thursday morning, 14 March 2013, Pope Francis made his surprise visit to the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major) to ask for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for his Pontificate.
Habemus Papam
Wednesday, 13 March 2013 : 60th Birthday Anniversary of the Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli
Yesterday, besides being the day when our new Pope, Pope Francis was elected the 266th Pope and the 265th Successor of St. Peter the Apostle, was another joyous day.
http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/nunciature/nunc152.htm#8848
This is because, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore, who was born on 13 March 1953, celebrated his 60th anniversary yesterday.
Let us pray together for Archbishop Girelli, that God will continue to shower him with His love and strength, that he will continue to faithfully carry out the mission that has been entrusted to him as the representative of the Holy See to Singapore, Vietnam, and to ASEAN.
Ad multos annos, Your Excellency!
Pope Francis’ Schedule in his first few days as Pope
Our new Pope, Pope Francis will be busy in his first day as Pope, and here is the list of his appointments for the first days of his Pontificate :
1. First Mass with the Cardinals at the Sistine Chapel, Thursday, 14 March 2013 at 5 pm Rome time (UTC+1)
2. Private visit to Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major / Santa Maria Maggiore to ask for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary
3. Meeting with all Cardinals in the Clementine Hall / Sala Clementina, on Friday, 15 March 2013 at 11 am Rome time (UTC+1)
4. Audience for journalists and media representatives in Hall of Paul VI, on Saturday, 16 March 2013
5. First Angelus on Sunday, 17 March 2013 at 12 pm (Noon/Midday)
6. Papal Inauguration Mass at St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday, 19 March 2013 at 9.30 am Rome time (UTC+1), Feast of St. Joseph
My personal thoughts on the election of Pope Francis I and the current state of the Church
I can only hope that Msgr. Guido Marini, the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations (Papal MC) can indeed stay where he is, as many uttered their concern whether he will still stay as papal MC given the apparent change in this new Pope.
As this is just the first day, I do not know much yet about the direction that our new Pope, Francis I, will bring us all, but I hope that he will not overemphasize inculturation and liberation for the sake of evangelisation, as what was once done under Archbishop Marini, the previous papal MC, but rather focus and renew the spirit of the liturgy as was done by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI when he was Pope, with the help of Monsignor Marini as the chief liturgical reformer.
There is a need to balance between tradition and innovation, and not to tilt too far to the other side. Already these past few years we had seen a great rebound in the number of seminarians joining the seminary, and also the growing accustomisation among many people all over the world of the use of Latin in the Mass, despite of course emphasis remaining on the vernacular language.
Already, many apparently made comments (as I do) on his choice of not wearing the mozzetta and the stole upon making his first appearance, despite the proper winter papal mozzetta had been prepared for the new Pope. These are little things, but I hope this won’t be a precedent, which if not carefully handled, may undo many of the great things and reforms of the reform of Vatican II that had been painstakingly done in the past few years, and have begun to bear fruit in the Church today.
Balance is important. Already we have seen in many cases after Vatican II, churches and groups going too far towards innovation and liberal thoughts that ended up losing their very Catholic identity. What we need is to preserve our tradition, and yet remain open for innovations that can help new evangelisation, and evangelisation must also be carried in the spirit of the preservation of Apostolic teachings and traditions, and not conform to what the world think, that is relativism.
Social media like twitter, Facebook, blogs, and many others are these great innovations that can help spread the teachings of the Church, and yet let us not be like many Catholics, particularly in the USA, which had been commented as being ‘market Catholics’ where they pick and choose what they want to believe in, as long as it suits them, and reject those that they feel don’t fit with them. No, to be a Catholic means accepting the whole teaching as a whole, and not taking just those parts that you like, and discard the rest.
I need to add that going into extremes into the other direction is also abhorred, as what was made obvious by the SSPX Society, which continued to linger in their ultra-conservatism, and refused to take in several important modifications made by Vatican II.
Just some examples : We no longer blame Jews for the death of Christ, and instead they are our elder brothers in faith, having been chosen and called by God first among all nations.
Then, although indeed I firmly believe in salvation only through the One Church of Christ, but I also believe in the Universal Call to Holiness (by Blessed Pope John Paul II), and there are righteous people outside the Church, who do God’s will, but lacking only the necessary faith in Christ, but that doesn’t mean that they are immediately condemned to hell for that. It is our task to bring the Good News and salvation to them, which can be done through new evangelisation, rooted firmly in tradition and prayer.
However, one wish that I want to make is that, I hope Pope Francis I can thoroughly reform the Roman Curia, to purge from it all ties to corruptions and evil, and to purify our Holy Church that it will once again be immaculate and pure as it should always be, as the One, and only Church God had established in this world, through Peter the Apostle.
And I am touched by his selection of name, Francis, which honoured both St. Francis of Assisi, whom I held in high regard, and St. Francis Xavier, the great missionary and co-founder of the Jesuits (with St. Ignatius Loyola) whom Pope Francis I is a member of. St. Francis Xavier is close to my heart as he is also the patron saint of my early education, and which helped me to learn about the faith, and eventually welcomed into the Church.
I am also deeply touched by his humility, especially when he asked that the people pray for him, and even bowed down to show his humility, which does remind me to another Pope, John Paul I, whose motto is Humilitas, but as history went, he did not have the time to accomplish much. Therefore I hope, the legacy of Pope John Paul I can be continued in Pope Francis I, who had the same quality and personality as Pope John Paul I.
However, humility and simplicity must not lead to the simplification of our faith, but rather let these be tools to further deepen our ties to our faith, and understand more about it.
I noted that Pope Francis I is deeply devoted to the Virgin Mary, whose name is part of his personal name, Jorge Maria Bergoglio. He will be another Marian Pope in the likelihood of Blessed Pope John Paul II. It is important for us to have a strong devotion to the Virgin Mary, as she is the best helper that we can have, in guiding our way towards the Lord, and ensuring that we do not go astray from our path.
May God bless our new Pope Francis I, and at this important juncture at the beginning of the new Pontificate, I hope that the Holy Spirit that has elected him to carry this task, will also guide him, that he will make correct choices that will continue the good works that began with Blessed Pope John Paul II, and was accelerated by Pope Benedict XVI, now Pope Emeritus.
Habemus Papam! Our new Pope, Jorge Maria Cardinal Bergoglio as Pope Francis I
Habemus Papam! We have a Pope!
Jorge Maria Cardinal Bergoglio, Metropolitan Archbishop of Buenos Aires, who is 76 years old, had been elected the 265th Successor of St. Peter the Apostle, the 266th Pope and Bishop of Rome, on March 2013.
He has taken the name of Francis, and shall henceforth reign as Pope Francis I. The first non-European and first South/Latin American Pope.
Fifth Ballot : White smoke (Fumata bianca). A new Pope has been elected. Habemus Papam!
Habemus Papam! We have a Pope!
Names to watch out for at Habemus Papam announcement : Angelum, Petrum, Odilonem, Marcum, Aloisium, Christophorum
Whose names to watch out for when Cardinal Protodeacon Jean-Louis Tauran reads out the Habemus Papam (We have a Pope) announcement?
http://wdtprs.com/blog/2013/03/latin-names-of-cardinals-well-hear-one-of-these-from-the-loggia-of-st-peters/ (Thanks to Fr. Z’s blog for the latin names he provided for all the Cardinal-electors – I focused into some of them considered papabili/frontrunner)
Here is the announcement text :
Annuntio vobis Gaudium magnum. Habemus Papam! Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum.
Dominum (First Name) Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem (Surname).
Qui sibi nomen imposuit (regnal name) (number)
At the point when we listen the ‘First Name’ in fact we may already know who is the new Pope.
1. Angelum (Angelo) :
Cardinal Angelo Scola, Metropolitan Archbishop of Milan
Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, Metropolitan Archbishop of Genoa
Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect for the Congregation of the Causes of Saints
Cardinal Angelo Comastri, Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome
As there are several Angelo considered as Papabili, for Angelum, there is a need to wait for the surname before confirmation. Similarly with Petrum.
2. Petrum (Peter) :
Cardinal Peter Erdo, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest
Cardinal Peter Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace
But other names are straightforward :
3. Odilonem (Odilo) :
Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer, Metropolitan Archbishop of Sao Paulo
4. Marcum (Marc) :
Cardinal Marc Ouellet : Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops
5. Aloisium (Alois/Luis) :
Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle : Metropolitan Archbishop of Manila
6. Christophorum (Christoph) :
Cardinal Christoph Schonborn : Metropolitan Archbishop of Vienna
7. Ioannem Franciscum (Gianfranco) :
Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi : President of the Pontifical Council for Culture
8. Timotheum (Timothy) :
Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan : Metropolitan Archbishop of New York
Time to watch for smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney
These are the times to watch the smoke from the Sistine Chapel’s famous chimney.
As mentioned :
1. First and third ballot of the day will only have smoke if the Pope has been elected. This smoke will always be white.
2. Second and fourth ballot of the day will always have smoke, and can either be black or white.
a. Black smoke : no Pope has been elected
b. White smoke : a new Pope has been elected
3. 45 minutes will pass between the white smoke, and the appearance of the Cardinal Protodeacon, who will announce the Habemus Papam, which will reveal the name of the newly elected Pope, then another 15 minutes will likely pass before the new Pope made his appearance.
List of possible regnal names for the new Pope, from Benedict to Peter
These are the list of all the possible regnal names (may not be entirely complete, since I may miss some in the way), that the new Pope can and may take as his own regnal name. In parentheses are how the name will look like if the Pope takes the name.
The ones listed below are the names that Popes had been taking since 1775 till today (2013) :
1. Benedict (Benedict XVII) last Benedict still living as Pope Emeritus
2. John Paul (John Paul III) last John Paul died in 2005
3. Paul (Paul VII) last Paul died in 1978
4. John (John XXIV) last John died in 1963, no John before that since 1334
5. Pius (Pius XIII) last Pius died in 1958
6. Leo (Leo XIV) last Leo died in 1903
7. Gregory (Gregory XVII) last Gregory died in 1846
Below are the names that the Popes had taken before 1775, but this does not rule them out from being picked by the new Pope, but chances are remote, with the above 7 names in use for the past 238 years.
8. Clement (Clement XV) last Clement died in1775
9. Innocent (Innocent XIV) last Innocent died in 1724
10. Alexander (Alexander IX) last Alexander died in 1691
11. Urban (Urban IX) last Urban died in 1644
12. Sixtus (Sixtus VI) last Sixtus died in 1590
13. Marcellus (Marcellus III) last Marcellus died in 1555
14. Julius (Julius IV) last Julius died in 1555
15. Adrian (Adrian VII) last Adrian died in 1523, last non-Italian Pope before 1978
16. Callixtus (Callixtus IV) last Callixtus died in 1458
17. Nicholas (Nicholas VI) last Nicholas died in 1455
18. Eugene (Eugene V) last Eugene died in 1447
19. Martin (Martin VI) last Martin died in 1431
20. Boniface (Boniface X) last Boniface died in 1404
21. Celestine (Celestine VI) last Celestine died in 1294, also a Saint, the famous Pope who resigned
22. Honorius (Honorius V) last Honorius died in 1287
23. Lucius (Lucius IV) last Lucius died in 1185
24. Anastasius (Anastasius V) last Anastasius died in 1154
25. Eugene (Eugene IV) last Eugene died in 1153
26. Gelasius (Gelasius III) last Gelasius died in 1119
27. Paschal (Paschal III) last Paschal died in 1118
28. Victor (Victor IV) last Victor died in 1087
29. Stephen (Stephen X) last Stephen died in 1058
30. Damasus (Damasus III) last Damasus died in 1048
31. Sylvester (Sylvester IV) last Sylvester died in 1045
32. Sergius (Sergius V) last Sergius died in 1012
33. Agapetus (Agapetus III) last Agapetus died in 955
34. Marinus (Marinus III) last Marinus died in 946
35. Lando/Landus (Landus II) only used once, died in 914, last Pope whose name is only used once
36. Theodore (Theodore III) last Theodore died in 897
37. Romanus (Romanus II) only used once, died in 897
38. Formosus (Formosus II) only used once, died in 896
39. Valentine (Valentine II) only used once, died in 827
40. Zachary (Zachary II) only used once, died in 752
41. Constantine (Constantine II) only used once, died in 715
42. Sisinnius (Sisinnius II) only used once, died in 708
43. Conon (Conon II) only used once, died in 687
44. Agatho (Agatho II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 681
45. Donus (Donus II) only used once, last one died in 678
46. Adeodatus (Adeodatus III) last Adeodatus died in 676
47. Vitalian (Vitalian II) only used once, died in 672
48. Severinus (Severinus II) only used once, died in 640
49. Sabinian (Sabinian II) only used once, died in 606
50. Pelagius (Pelagius III) last Pelagius died in 590
51. Vigilius (Vigilius II) only used once, died in 555
52. Silverius (Silverius II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 537
53. Felix (Felix V) last Felix died in 530
All the names below have been used only once, ever. Most of them are the early Church Fathers and Saints, and therefore, it is rather extremely unlikely any of these names would be picked.
54. Hormisdas (Hormisdas II) only used once, died in 523
55. Symmachus (Symmachus II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 514
56. Simplicius (Simplicius II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 483
57. Hilarius (Hilarius II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 468
58. Zosimus (Zosimus II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 418
59. Siricius (Siricius II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 399
60. Liberius (Liberius II) only used once, died in 366
61. Mark (Mark II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 336
62. Miltiades (Miltiades II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 314, First Pope after Edict of Milan
63. Eusebius (Eusebius II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 310
64. Marcellinus (Marcellinus II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 304
65. Caius (Caius II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 296
66. Eutychian (Eutychian II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 283
67. Dionysius (Dionysius II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 268
68. Cornelius (Cornelius II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 253
69. Fabian (Fabian II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 250
70. Anterus (Anterus II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 236
71. Pontian (Pontian II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 235
72. Zephyrinus (Zephyrinus II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 217
73. Eleuterus (Eleuterus II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 189
74. Soter (Soter II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 174 or 175
75. Anicetus (Anicetus II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 166
76. Hyginus (Hyginus II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 140 or 142
77. Telesphorus (Telesphorus II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 136 or 138
78. Evaristus (Evaristus II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 105 or 107
79. Anacletus (Anacletus II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 88 or 92
80. Linus (Linus II) only used once, last one is Saint, died in 76 or 79
81. Peter (Peter II) only used once, and he is the founder of the Church, Apostle of Jesus Christ, and it is extremely unlikely any future Pope, or any Pope will ever adopt the name of the Prince of the Apostles.
Cardinal Angelo Scola, Archbishop of Milan, the Papabile
http://www.eitb.com/en/news/world/detail/1282802/candidates-new-pope–profile-cardinal-angelo-scola/
From the article (My commentary at the end) :
Election of new pope
Profile of Cardinal Angelo Scola, Archbishop of Milan
APTN
03/11/2013
A conservative, and theologically close to both Pope Benedict and his predecessor John Paul II, Cardinal Scola is regarded as one of the leading European candidates to become Pope.
Cardinal Angelo Scola, the archbishop of Milan, shot to the top of a list of possible successors to Pope Benedict XVI almost immediately the resignation was announced.
A conservative, and theologically close to both Pope Benedict and his predecessor John Paul II, Cardinal Scola is regarded as one of the leading European candidates to become Pope.
Some observers tipped him to succeed after the death of John Paul II in 2005, but the conclave instead chose Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger who became Benedict XVI, the 265th pope.
But if there was rivalry between the candidates in 2005, it had little effect on their close relationship, and Scola remained a favourite of Pope Benedict’s, who appointed the Cardinal archbishop of the Milan Diocese in June 2011.
In the small town of Malgrate on Lake Como in northern Italy, many of the 5,000 residents are backing their hometown boy to become Pope. Scola was born in Malgrate on 7 November 1941 to a truck driver and a homemaker.
He entered the priesthood in 1970, became a Cardinal in 2003, serving first as Patriarch of Milan until he was elevated to his current post of archbishop.
Scola’s cousin, Angelo Colombo, remembers that during World War II he would spend time at his cousin’s home because Scola’s father was a truck driver and could get access to flour and bread.
Colombo said he would go to Scola’s family home, and his aunt and the future Cardinal would always share their food. When he asked if he thought his cousin would make a good Pope, Colombo laughed and responded: “he was a tough boy”.
Scola spent the early years of his life in a small home on Malgrate’s Salita Sant’Antonio. Alfredo Cagliandi was a classmate of Cardinal Scola and lived in the apartment below him.
“We would invite Angelo to come and play and he would repeatedly respond ‘I am sorry, but I don’t have time.’ He was too busy because was already involved in something religious,” said Cagliandi, who still lives in Malgrate.
Scola spent the first two decades after his 1970 ordination in the lecture halls and libraries of renowned Catholic universities and theological training grounds, notably in Fribourg, Switzerland, and the Lateran Pontifical University in Rome.
While pursuing theological studies, Scola was involved in Communion and Liberation, a conservative Italian Catholic group which blends political activism with faith-based fervour as it seeks to make its weight felt in the country’s decision-making.
Back in Scola’s home town, the local priest Father Andrea Lotterio proudly showed off the baptismal font where he says the town’s babies are still baptised today, noting that Scola was baptised there in 1941.
Father Lotterio said Scola has pleased the residents of Malgrate by never losing his strong ties to his hometown. “He has maintained his relationships with many local citizens, with his friends, with his relatives,” Lotterio said. “So much so that in this town he is called Don Angelo, instead of Cardinal or Patriarch of Venice.”
Pope Benedict resigned as leader of the Catholic Church on Thursday, becoming the first pope in 600 years to resign. For the time being, the governance of the Catholic Church shifts to Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the camerlengo, or chamberlain. Bertone, along with the College of Cardinals will guide the church and make plans for the conclave to elect the 266th leader within the next few weeks.
Commentary and additions:
Indeed, Cardinal Angelo Scola has many strengths and characteristics that we need as the new Pope to lead the Roman Catholic Church, the one and Universal Church. He does have his weaknesses, but his strengths more than made up for him. After all, it is human to have weaknesses and to make mistakes.
Cardinal Scola is media-savvy, able to reach out into the hearts of many, including youths and those in the world, who are longing for the Lord to come to them. Being media-savvy, and also internet-savvy, Cardinal Scola is not shy of using modern media tools, such as the internet, twitter, YouTube, his own site, and many other means to evangelise to the world, and to reach out, especially to youths.
Cardinal Scola also has a positive outlook and optimism in the Church, and indeed, instead of being pessimistic on the Church, and instead of looking at a Church in trouble, he dismissed all this, and all the lies that the media had brought about the Church, that the Church instead of being in chaos and trouble, is in fact growing, and filled with vibrant and strong faith and love in God, and Cardinal Scola has the capacity to tap into all these energies.
Cardinal Scola also came from a poorer family background, and he understood the plight of the poor and the less fortunate. His hometown people has often remembered him as someone who not only did not forget about where he came from, and where he was born, but also someone who constantly gives them his care and his love, in imitation of Christ and His care for the poor.
Cardinal Scola speaks Italian, English, French, and Spanish, and although his English is not that good, but he has quite a strong command of these languages, which are essential in the Pope’s ministry as the leader of the Universal Church.
Cardinal Scola’s initiatives to reach out to the Christians in the Holy Land and in other areas where Christians are minorities, and his involvement in interreligious dialogue and cooperation, and even with atheists, had been fruitful and crucial in strengthening Christians in the areas where they had been persecuted, and where persecutions are ongoing.
His experience in the Archdiocese of Milan, Patriarchate of Venice, and Diocese of Grosseto clearly showed that he is a pastoral leader with a humble and yet intellectual mind, that matches that of our beloved Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Yet, his experiences in the Roman Curia too were many, with works as leader of Pontifical Institute of Marriage and the Family, which he also took a strong stand with the Church in the sanctity of both marriage and the family.
His intellect, knowledge, and publications especially in topics like bioethics, in the midst of the attacks against Church’s stand on bioethics, cloning, and contraceptions will be essential for the future leader of the Church, and his ability to connect and reach out to people, more than Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, will be valuable asset to have in the new Pope.
Nevertheless, now that the Conclave will begin soon, we continue to pray that God will pour His Holy Spirit on all the Cardinal-electors, that they can make a wise and inspired decision, to elect someone whom the Lord has chosen, as the best possible person to succeed His Apostle, Peter, and lead the whole Universal Church, that God Himself built in this world, to be the manifestation of His love, justice, and presence.
petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang 