Motu Proprio

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Reflections on the Motu Proprio Traditionis Custodes, for the good of the Universal Church

Brothers and sisters in Christ, I am sure that many of you are left with questions and even disappointments after listening to the publication of the new Motu Proprio ‘Traditionis Custodes’ (Custodians of Tradition) by His Holiness Pope Francis on 16 July 2021 regarding the rules and regulations on the celebration of the Holy Mass in the Roman Rite using the 1962 Missal, also known as the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite or Usus Antiquior.

There are undoubtedly many different responses from all segments of the Church, from utter dismay and anger by those who felt betrayed and oppressed by the new stricter regulations, to those who are rejoicing and exuberant because they had long opposed and were vocal critics of the ancient Mass and tradition. Unfortunately, the nature of these responses is exactly why the release of this Motu Proprio is an opportunity for the entire Church to reflect carefully on what our faith and our authentic liturgical expression is all about.

First of all, Traditionis Custodes does not equate the banning or attempt to make the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite illegal, unlike what quite a few individuals and groups had been saying. Unsurprisingly, these are the same groups and individuals that had been the very reason why Traditionis Custodes had been promulgated and published in the first place. These are the clear minority among those who treasure faith and tradition, and yet, are the most vocal and radical in their viewpoints, which unfortunately led to the broad characterisation and prejudice against the entire communities of the faithful favourable to the Extraordinary Form and tradition as a whole.

On the other extreme, we also have those who will not stop at anything to ‘change’ the Church and its teachings, a relativistic attitude to conform to worldly preferences and desires, to change the Church teachings and ways to suit the comforts and conveniences of men. These are also usually the same ones who are most jubilant and happy at the imposition of strict regulations as stipulated in the Motu Proprio Traditionis Custodes. In any case, these people who represent extreme attitudes are incompatible with the Universal Church, and were the ones that caused divisions within our Church and the communities of the faithful.

As such, we have to first of all appreciate that the ultimate goal of Popes since the efforts of Pope St. John Paul II in liberalising the use of the Extraordinary Form through the Motu Proprio Ecclesia Dei in 1988 and Pope Benedict XVI with Summorum Pontificum in 2007, is to bring together all the faithful in one expression of faith through the liturgy, encompassing both the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council while appreciating the riches of the tradition of the ancient liturgy, from which the Ordinary Form ultimately also stemmed from.

What the Popes intended is for all the faithful communities to benefit mutually from the best of each liturgies, the theology and the rich symbolism of the ancient Extraordinary Form, its adherence to the rubrics and emphasis on the Sacrificial nature of the Holy Mass, while also appreciating the beauty and outreach of the vernacular and the more widespread use of the Scriptures and its contents in the Ordinary Form, which remained faithful in all to the true essence of the Mass, that is the celebration of the Lord’s one and only Sacrifice at Calvary.

Unfortunately, there were those who continued to be stubborn and refused to acknowledge, respect or accept the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Although indeed there were abuses and grave errors in how some interpreted the Council and how they took the liturgy to the extent of liturgical abuse, but it can’t be denied that the actions of those who refused to accept the decisions, documents and developments of the Second Vatican Council have led to division within the united Church, the Body of Christ, with some even insisting on more extreme ideologies, rejecting even the Pope and other teachings of the Church.

That is why as we continue moving on forward as one united Body of Christ, the Church, we must make sure that the provisions of the Motu Proprio Traditionis Custodes are adhered to and followed. We have to trust in the Lord and the Holy Spirit, that the bishops to whom the authority had been entrusted in the management of the celebration of the Holy Mass in the Extraordinary Form, will exercise prudence and sound judgment, charity and generosity in extending the permission to celebrate to all those who have been deemed suitable to celebrate with reverence, the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, for the benefit of all the faithful.

We also pray that the Lord will continue to bring us to true unity, that we will no longer be divided by our ideologies, and especially not by our liturgical preferences. The Holy Mass is after all, the same, valid and worthy, regardless whether it is done in the Ordinary Form or in the Extraordinary Form. What is important is the need for us to be reverent in our celebration of the Holy Mass, to be inclusive in our worship and to put God first and foremost in all things, especially in our worship above all else. That is why we should neither discriminate or be prejudiced against either the Ordinary or Extraordinary Form, or to be lacking in proper reverence and respect of the Lord, as some of the worst liturgical abuses had done in the past decades.

Let us all look deep into our faith and the traditions that our forefathers had upheld, and together with the Pope, our bishops and priests, and as one Universal Church, be more united to the Lord through prayer, and resolve to commit ourselves to better and ever more perfect unity through Him, that we may benefit from the riches of both Forms of our most noble Roman Rite, and grow ever stronger in our faith, with each and every passing moment. Let us all grow ever stronger in charity and compassion towards others, and develop a most loving and inclusive community of the faithful, united in the Lord, in purpose and mission, in our love and reverence to the Lord.

Peter C.M. David Kang

康銘琮

Singapore

18 July 2021

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Tenth General Congregation of the College of Cardinals and the Oath taking of the personnels involved in the Conclave

The tenth and most likely last of the General Congregation meetings of the College of Cardinals will take place on Monday, 11 March 2013 in the usual Hall of the Synod of Bishops in the Vatican City.

As the Cardinal-electors had all been assigned their rooms in the Domus Sancta Marthae, their residence during the Conclave, the Tenth General Congregation is likely therefore as the last opportunity for the Cardinals, both electors and non-electors to raise any remaining issues or clarify the need for certain qualities in the new Pope to be elected, as well as completing any outstanding issues before the Conclave commence on Tuesday, 12 March 2013.

Fr. Federico Lombardi, head of the Holy See Press Office, will conduct his usual press briefing at 1 pm, Rome time, on Monday, most likely to divulge the outcome of the Tenth General Congregation and likely to answer any remaining questions the journalists have on the Conclave.

In the evening, at 5.30 pm Rome time (CET/UTC+1) on Monday, 11 March 2013, live from Rome at Vatican Player (www.vatican.va/video/) can be viewed the oath-taking of all the personnels involved in the Conclave and locked together with the Cardinal-electors.

They will take the same oath as the Cardinal-electors (who will only take the oath when they enter the Conclave the next day, Tuesday), as prescribed by the Motu Proprio Normas Nonnullas released by Pope Benedict XVI to modify the rules of the Conclave as written in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis.

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My Guide to the Papal Conclave : Part II (From the beginning of the Conclave to the election of the new Pope)

Part I here : https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2013/03/09/my-guide-to-the-papal-conclave-part-i-from-before-to-the-conclave-to-its-beginning/

 

1. The Conclave begins after selected prayer done by each of the Cardinal-electors, after which then the Cardinal Dean or the senior Cardinal Bishop who is an elector (Cardinal Giovanni Batista Re) who will then ask if there is any need to confirm and re-explain the rules of the Conclave as written in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, and the modifications made by the two Motu Proprios released by Pope Benedict XVI, or whether the election can begin immediately without any issue.

If there is no questions raised or no request for reiteration of the rules, then the balloting to elect the new Pope can begin in earnest.

 

2. According to the Apostolic Constitution, Universi Dominici Gregis, the election of the new Pope can only be done by scrutiny, that is through secret ballot, in which each of the Cardinal-electors write the name of the Cardinal or the person the Cardinal-elector wishes to vote for as his candidate for the Papacy.

 

3. Pre-Scrutiny period : Three Cardinal-electors are selected as Scrutineers, another three as Infirmarii, and another three as the Revisers. All selections are done by drawing of lots among the Cardinal-electors. Their duties are :

 

a. Scrutineers : Add up all the votes that the Cardinal-electors have submitted, and if noone obtains two-thirds of the vote, no Pope has been elected, but otherwise, the new Pope had been elected, with a necessary minimum of more than two-thirds of the vote of all the Cardinal-electors (For 2013 conclave, this requires at least 77 votes).

b. Infirmarii : Carry the voting slips for the Cardinal-electors who are sick and therefore unable to attend the voting directly in the Sistine Chapel. Their task is to obtain the votes from the ill Cardinal-electors and then place them in a sealed container and bring the votes back to the Sistine Chapel to be tallied by the Scrutineers with the rest of the votes.

c. Revisers : Revisers act to check the calculation and tallies made by the Scrutineers to ensure that all the calculations are done meticulously, faithfully, and without any modifications or changes.

 

4. Scrutiny Proper : The Cardinal-electors receive two or three ballot slips each, with a blank line representing the place where they should place the name of the person they wish to vote for (only one name allowed, otherwise that ballot is invalid). They write the name, and then they bring it one by one to the receptacle on the Altar of the Sistine Chapel for the votes, in the presence of the Scrutineers, and before they place the ballot slip, they recite the words :

Testor Christum Dominum, qui me iudicaturus est, me eum eligere, quem secundum Deum iudico eligi debere.

I call as my witness Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who before God I think should be elected.

Then they place the ballot slip into the receptacle, and then return to their respective places.

 

5. Once the ballot slips are all collected, the first Scrutineer shake the container to mix the votes, and then the last Scrutineer must count the number of votes inside the receptacle. The number of votes must tally with the number of Cardinal-electors (to avoid double-voting). If the number tallies correctly, the counting of the votes can begin. Otherwise, the votes are burned, and a second vote must immediately be taken.

 

6. For the vote counting, the first Scrutineer take one ballot paper, unfolding it, and taking note the name on the ballot, then pass the ballot to the second Scrutineer, who also takes note the name on the ballot, and then passing the ballot again to the third Scrutineer, who will then read the name on the ballot aloud to all the Cardinal-electors.

Only one ballot paper is allowed in each. If two ballot papers had been folded to make it look like one ballot, then if the name on both papers are the same, they count only as one vote. But if the names are different, they are invalid.

 

7. Once all the ballots are accounted for, and the names in them had been read out, the ballot papers are then secured together with a string to ensure that all the papers are in order, and the total votes are tallied together in order to get the number of votes that particular candidates receive in that voting session.

If no one receives more than two-thirds of the vote, then there is no new Pope elected.

If someone receives more than two-thirds of the vote, then a new Pope had been elected.

 

8. On the first day of the conclave, only one afternoon ballot may be held. Then if there is no Pope elected on that day, four ballots are held in the following days, with two ballot sessions in the morning, and two ballot sessions in the afternoon, until a new Pope is elected when someone receives more than two-thirds of the vote.

 

9. If after three days there had been no Pope elected, the voting session is suspended for maximum of one day to allow time for prayer and reflection among the Cardinal-electors, to allow them to discern carefully on their choices and pray for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in electing a candidate as the new Pope.

Seven ballots occur afterwards, and if the Conclave has yet been able to elect a new Pope by then, another day is taken for the same break period for prayer, which is then followed by another seven ballots, and then break if the Conclave still yet fails to elect a new Pope, and so on and so forth until the new Pope had been elected.

If until 30 ballots had passed, and no one has been elected as the new Pope, the Cardinal Camerlengo will ask the Cardinal-electors on how to best proceed with the election of the new Pope. With the Motu Proprio released by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007, the provision allowing the Cardinals to go into absolute majority (50% + 1 vote) had been removed, and therefore election will definitely have to be settled with more than two-thirds majority.

After that discussion (after the 30th ballot), the two names with the greatest number of votes will be selected, and if the two names belong to the Cardinal-electors, these two Cardinal-electors lose their right to vote in the next ballot, in which this ballot will only include these two names. The new Pope however has to be still elected by two-thirds majority out of these two names. (This is to avoid a certain group of Cardinal-electors who fail to secure two-thirds majority for their candidate to stall the conclave so that they can elect their candidate by absolute majority as previously allowed by the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, but such provision was removed by Pope Benedict XVI’s 2007 Motu Proprio).

 

10. After two ballots (in the morning, and in the afternoon), the votes from both ballot sessions in the morning or in the afternoon, immediately after the second ballot session (morning/afternoon) is burnt at the special stoves prepared for that purpose. Colouring chemicals are then used to make the smoke either black or white depending whether a new Pope had been elected or not.

The smoke will then come out from the chimney linked to the stoves, which is placed on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, and will be the first sign for the outside world whether a new Pope had been elected. The bells of St. Peter’s Basilica and churches around Rome will also be rung when a new Pope had been elected.

Black smoke (la fumata nera) : No new Pope had been elected, more ballots to go.

White smoke (la fumata bianca) : A new Pope had been elected, and the Conclave has ended.

 

11. When a new Pope had been elected, the Cardinal Dean, or his Vice Dean if the Dean is elected Pope (as the case in 2005 conclave when Cardinal Dean, Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope), or the senior Cardinal Bishop present in the Conclave as an elector (Cardinal Giovanni Batista Re), will then approach the newly elected Pope, and ask him the formula of the acceptance :

Acceptasne electionem de te canonice factam in Summum Pontificem?

Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?

 

He will then answer “Accepto or I accept” if he accepts his election as Pope.

 

Then he will be asked :

Quo nomine vis vocari?

By what name do you wish to be called?

 

The new Pope will then answer the name he wish to be called (Benedict for Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict XVI, as there had been 15 other Popes named Benedict before him).

 

The names that the Popes had used in the past two centuries (from 1800) and what they will be like if the new Pope uses them in parenthesis :

1. John (John XXIV)

2. Benedict (Benedict XVII)

3. John Paul (John Paul III)

4. Paul (Paul VII)

5. Pius (Pius XIII)

6. Leo (Leo XIV)

7. Gregory (Gregory XVII)

 

12. After the newly elected Pope accepts his election, the Conclave ends, unless the new Pope says otherwise.

 

Continue to Part III here : https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2013/03/09/my-guide-to-the-papal-conclave-part-iii-from-the-election-of-the-new-pope-to-the-urbi-et-orbi-blessing-by-the-new-pope/

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My Guide to the Papal Conclave : Part I (From before the Conclave to its beginning)

What will happen inside the Conclave, from before the Cardinal-electors enter the Sistine Chapel and be sealed from the outside world, until a new Pope had been elected? Follow the proceedings of the Conclave step-by-step as I explained them here in three parts (Part I, Part II, and Part III) :

 

1. Before the Conclave, the Cardinals gather in the General Congregations, or meetings where they will raise issues and discuss these matters pertaining to the Church, its governance, and many other matters they may want to bring up to attention to the whole College of Cardinals.

Of great importance is also the necessary and wanted qualities in the next Pope, which will therefore allow the Cardinals to make an informed decision on who to elect. Then finally, the General Congregation also decides the date of the Conclave, when they will actually enter the Sistine Chapel and begin the Conclave officially.

The Conclave can begin only after 15 days of the vacancy of the Apostolic See, but must not begin later than 20 days after the vacancy according to the rules governing the Conclave as written in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis. However, the provision provided by the Motu Proprio Normas Nonnullas allow the Cardinals to begin the Conclave less than 15 days from the date when the Apostolic See became vacant, providing that all the Cardinal-electors that will take part in the Conclave had all arrived in Rome by then.

The Cardinal-electors will also be assigned their rooms in their residence throughout the Conclave period, the Domus Sancta Marthae by the means of random lots.

 

2. Particular Congregations also meet during this period before the Conclave, led by Cardinal leaders elected every 3 days, to discuss issues within specific groups within the College of Cardinals, and to complement the General Congregation meetings.

Unlike the General Congregation meeting which can be attended by Cardinal-electors and non-electors (those above the age of 80) alike, Particular Congregations are only attended by Cardinal-electors, and unlike General Congregation which meets before the Conclave, the Particular Congregations continue into the Conclave.

 

3. Before the Conclave begins, the Cardinals gather and celebrate together the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff or the Missa pro Eligendo Pontifice in St. Peter’s Basilica, to pray for the successful election of the new Pope in the Conclave.

 

4. Then the Cardinals gather in the Pauline Chapel just before the start of the Conclave in complete choir dress (biretta and mozzetta), and then lead by the Cardinal Dean of the College of Cardinals (currently Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who is a non-elector, and therefore he will not join the Conclave after that) or the most senior Cardinal Bishop who is an elector (Cardinal Giovanni Batista Re), they proceed into the Sistine Chapel while singing together the Hymn Veni Creator Spirit, to invoke the Holy Spirit, and also the Litany of the Saints to ask the prayer from the holy Saints of God on the Cardinal-electors in the election of the new Pope.

The Cardinals will proceed in reverse order of precedence, beginning with the most junior Cardinal Deacon, to the most senior Cardinal Deacon, and then the most junior Cardinal Priest, and to the most senior Cardinal Priest, and then the most junior Cardinal Bishop to the most senior Cardinal Bishop. The last will be the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations (Monsignor Guido Marini) and the Cardinal Dean (In 2013 conclave, as the Cardinal Dean, Cardinal Angelo Sodano is over 80 and thus is not an elector, he was replaced with the most senior Cardinal Bishop who is an elector, in this case, Cardinal Giovanni Batista Re).

 

5. Once in the Sistine Chapel, the Cardinal-Dean or the senior Cardinal Bishop-elector will then read out aloud the oath that all the Cardinals have to take, according to the formula written in the Apostolic Constitution, Universi Dominici Gregis, and with the modifications made by the Motu Proprio Normas Nonnullas, all the other personnels involved in the Conclave, and sealed inside the Conclave also have to take the same oath. Then the Cardinal-electors by their order of precedence, march one by one to an open Book of the Gospels, to make the oath by touching their hands on the Gospels and solemnly vow to keep the oath.

 

The oath in Latin :

Ego N. N. promitto et iuro me inviolate servaturum esse secretum absolutum cum omnibus quotquot participes non sunt Collegii Cardinalium electorum, hoc quidem in perpetuum, nisi mihi datur expresse peculiaris facultas a novo Pontifice electo eiusve Successoribus, in omnibus quae directe vel indirecte respiciunt suffragia et scrutinia ad novum Pontificem eligendum.

Itemque promitto et iuro me nullo modo in Conclavi usurum esse instrumentis quibuslibet ad vocem transmittendam vel recipiendam aut ad imagines exprimendas quovis modo aptis de iis quae tempore electionis fiunt intra fines Civitatis Vaticanae, atque praecipue de iis quae quolibet modo directe vel indirecte attinent ad negotia coniuncta cum ipsa electione. Declaro me editurum esse ius iurandum utpote qui plane noverim quamlibet eius violationem adducturam esse excommunicationis mihi poenam latae sententiae Sedi Apostolicae reservatae.

Sic me Deus adiuvet et haec sancta Dei Evangelia, quae manu mea tango.

The oath in English :

I, N.N., promise and swear that, unless I should receive a special faculty given expressly by the newly-elected Pontiff or by his successors, I will observe absolute and perpetual secrecy with all who are not part of the College of Cardinal electors concerning all matters directly or indirectly related to the ballots cast and their scrutiny for the election of the Supreme Pontiff.

I likewise promise and swear to refrain from using any audio or video equipment capable of recording anything which takes place during the period of the election within Vatican City, and in particular anything which in any way, directly or indirectly, is related to the process of the election itself.

I declare that I take this oath fully aware that an infraction thereof will incur the penalty of automatic (‘latae sententiae’) excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See.

So help me God and these Holy Gospels which I touch with my hand.

6. After all the Cardinal-electors and the personnel locked inside the Conclave had taken their oath, the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations (Monsignor Guido Marini) will stand at the door of the Sistine Chapel, and all the people not sealed in the Conclave are asked to leave, with the traditional pronouncement, “extra omnes” that means “All/Everybody else, out!”

 

7. The Master of the Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, Monsignor Marini will stay behind for a while, while the second meditation is delivered by the ecclesiastic chosen to do so (Cardinal Prosper Grech, Cardinal non-elector from Malta) to the Cardinal-electors.

After the second meditation is completed, both the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations and the ecclesiastic will leave the Sistine Chapel, and the Conclave will officially begin, and the Sistine Chapel closed off to all except the Cardinal-electors and those sealed with them during the duration of the Conclave.

 

Continue to Part II here : https://petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang.com/2013/03/09/my-guide-to-the-papal-conclave-part-ii-from-the-beginning-to-the-election-of-the-new-pope/

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Press briefing on the conclusion of the General Congregations of the College of Cardinals

The Ninth General Congregation of the College of Cardinals have been concluded this Saturday morning, 9 March 2013, and as the date of the beginning of the Conclave came closer (Tuesday, 12 March 2013), Fr. Federico Lombardi, head of the Holy See Press Office clarifies certain matters involving the sede vacante period and the upcoming Conclave.

The Conclave will be preceded by a Solemn Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff or the Missa pro Eligendo Pontifice/Papa on Tuesday morning, 12 March 2013 in St. Peter’s Basilica, and then on the same day, Tuesday, in the afternoon, the Cardinals will proceed into the Sistine Chapel to officially begin the Conclave.

The famous chimney which will release the signal whether a new Pope had been elected, had been installed on the roof of the Sistine Chapel on Friday morning, after long work by the technicians in the installing the two stoves where the ballots will be burned after the ballots, and the chimney itself, linked directly to the stoves inside the Sistine Chapel.

The Ring of Fisherman, two papal stamps bearing the image of the Ring of the Fisherman, and the master lead seal, also bearing the Ring’s image, which is used for major documents, have been decommissioned by defacement of the Ring’s image, and therefore while the Ring of the Fisherman has not been completely destroyed,

A commission has been created to ensure that the Conclave has indeed been sealed entirely from the outside world, with no external portal of entry and ensuring that no one tampers with the seal of the Conclave until a new Pope had been elected. Strong frequency and signal jammers had also been installed to prevent any wiretapping and bugging of the Sistine Chapel and the areas where the Cardinals will reside throughout the Conclave.

It is noted that if the Conclave has not been successful to elect a new Pope after three full days (a new Pope can only be elected if he receives more than two-thirds of all the votes of the Cardinal-electors, or 77 votes), the voting sessions will be adjourned for a day of prayer and reflection, so that in the event of the upcoming voting sessions, the Cardinals can gain a new inspiration of the Holy Spirit and therefore hopefully elect a new Pope as soon as possible.

The Motu Proprio released earlier by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007 has modified the rules of the election as written in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, as it no longer allows the Cardinal-electors to revert to an absolute majority system once a certain number of days have passed (many days), and the Motu Proprio once again made the election of the new Pope by two-thirds majority alone.

The bells of St. Peter’s Basilica and also the other bells of the churches throughout Rome will also be rung once the new Pope had been elected, just as they were in 2005 conclave, to reinforce and affirm the white smoke signal released through the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.

About 45 minutes or more may pass between the election of the new Pope and his appearance on the Loggia or the balcony of the St. Peter’s Basilica, as there are rites that the new Pope had to go through in the time between, beginning with the acceptance of the election, the entry into the Room of Tears where the Pope will change into his new white Papal cassock, and then homage from all the Cardinals, and of course the announcement of the Habemus Papam by the Cardinal Protodeacon, Jean-Louis Tauran himself, before the new Pope will make his appearance on the balcony.

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Seventh General Congregation of the College of Cardinals, and the Eighth (decision on the Conclave date)

During the Seventh General Congregation of the College of Cardinals this Friday morning, 8 March 2013, the College of Cardinals had accepted the letters of the two Cardinals who are unable to attend the Conclave due to health issue (Cardinal Darmaatmadja of Jakarta) and other reasons (Cardinal O’Brien of Scotland, UK), according to the provisions of the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis and the modifications in the Motu Proprio Normas Nonnullas.

The morning meeting had also discussed the modifications made on the Article 37 of the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, which deals on the earliest starting date of the Conclave, which originally must be at least 15 days from the Vacancy of the Apostolic See, but then because the modifications made by the Motu Proprio Normas Nonnullas, which provided for a waiver of the 15 days waiting period, allow for an earlier start providing all the Cardinal-electors are already in Rome.

As all the Cardinal-electors are already in Rome, they can immediately decide on when to begin the Conclave, which is scheduled to be done and voted in the Eighth General Congregation on Friday afternoon. Fr. Federico Lombardi confirmed that the Conclave will not begin either tomorrow (Saturday) or Sunday. The Conclave is likely to begin either Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday (11-13 March 2013)

There will be only one General Congregation session on Saturday morning, that is the Ninth General Congregation of the College of Cardinals. The Cardinals too may go and visit (may not be all of them) their titular Churches in Rome (I will publish the list of the titular Churches for each Cardinals, and if possible, the addresses of each in Rome, in case anyone looking to meet any of the Cardinals in Rome for the Sunday Mass) for Sunday Mass to pray for the election of the new Pope and for the Conclave. Each of the Cardinals are given a titular church in Rome upon his appointment as a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church.

Cardinal Prosper Grech from Malta, who is a Cardinal non-elector, will be the one giving out the second of the two meditations as mandated by the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, to be given out prior to the beginning of the Conclave.

18 Cardinals spoke in the morning meeting and several inteventions had also been made, on several issues from rules of the Conclave to other matters. Issues covered are bioethics, interreligious dialogue, collegiality, role of the Church in the world, in justice, and others.

A video is shown to the reporters during the press briefing by Fr. Federico Lombardi, head of the Holy See Press Office, on Friday afternoon, on the place where the Cardinal-electors will reside during the duration of the Conclave (currently the Cardinals are staying in different locations in Rome, but will move in to the place after the Conclave begins), which is called Domus Sancta Marthae, commissioned by the late Blessed Pope John Paul II, and was also used in the 2005 Conclave. Shown was the spartan but comfortable lodgings of the Cardinal-electors. The Cardinals will be assigned the rooms randomly.

Add : 220,000 people had ‘adopted’ a Cardinal through the Adopt a Cardinal website, and pray for them during this period.

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Summary of the Third General Congregation of the College of Cardinals (Tuesday, 5 March 2013)

http://www.news.va/en/news/general-congregations-5-electors-yet-to-arrive

 

Here is a rough summary of what was concluded yesterday morning in the Third General Congregation of the College of Cardinals :

1. 110 Cardinal-electors are already in Rome by yesterday morning, only 5 more Cardinal-electors remaining to arrive.

2. No rush to fix the date of the Conclave, but it is still possible to begin by next Monday, 11 March 2013.

3. Sistine Chapel had been closed to public as of yesterday morning, Tuesday, 5 March 2013 to prepare for the Conclave.

4. 33 Cardinals had spoken so far and 11 interventions were made in yesterday’s General Congregation, with issues pertaining to activities of the Holy See and the Church, evangelisation, and many others.

5. Focus on the timeline of the Conclave as specified in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis and the modifications made by the Motu Proprio Normas Nonnullas.

6. The Cardinals sent a thank-you letter to the Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, now living in the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo.

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When will the papal conclave begin? Possibly between 9-11 March 2013, 10 days after Sede Vacante starts

http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/conclave-expected-to-begin-between-march-9-11/

Conclave likely to begin between 9 March 2013 and 11 March 2013 according to a Vatican official. Based on the Motu Proprio Normas Nonnullas released by Pope Benedict XVI to clarify and modify the rules of the Conclave as stated in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, the Conclave can begin earlier than 15 days after sede vacante began.

However, the decision on the date of the beginning of the Conclave rests entirely on the College of Cardinals, who will decide in the General Congregation of Cardinals and other meetings that will begin today, Friday, 1 March 2013.

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Sede Vacante has begun. The See of Rome is Vacant

Therefore, as of now, Thursday, 28 February 2013, at 8 pm CET (UTC+1), Pope Benedict XVI is no longer our Pope, and the See of Rome is vacant.

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Let us all pray, first for His Holiness Benedict XVI, Bishop Emeritus of Rome, that God will continue to guide him in his prayerful life as a simple pilgrim, to the end of his journey in this world. We will always remember him as our beloved Pope.

Then, of course, let us pray that God will soon appoint the new shepherd, successor of St. Peter the Apostle, through the Holy Spirit and guidance to the Cardinal-electors who will elect the new Pope in the conclave which will begin likely in about 10 days from now, according to the rules of Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis and the corresponding modifications by the Motu Proprio Normas Nonnullas.

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Explanation on the changes brought by Motu Proprio Normas Nonnullas on the Conclave

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/motu-proprio-benedetto-xvi-benedict-xvi-benedecto-xvi-conclave-22655/

Modifications to the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis that regulates the Papal Conclave, as explained in English by Vatican Insider, with three main changes highlighted :

 

1. Conclave can begin earlier than 15 days after the vacancy of the See of Rome, but the exact date depends entirely on the College of Cardinals.

2. Cardinal-electors can opt not to attend the Conclave based on health and other valid reasons, but otherwise, all electors should attend, and those with the rights should not be impeded attendance at the Conclave.

3. All people locked inside the Conclave, including even the laity must take the oath of secrecy, the same as that of the Cardinals. More specific latae sententiae excommunication is given immediately to those who broke the oath during and even after the Conclave, unless permission given by the new Pope.