sede vacante

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Wednesday, 27 February 2013 : 2nd Week of Lent (Scripture Reflection)

Today we again hear about the virtues of humility, and that humility is indeed not the symbol of humiliation, but rather, the symbol of internal strength and justification before God. We also listen today that as the ones who are faithful to the Lord and to His message, life will not be easy for many of us, as the world who hates Christ and His truth, the evil one who hates Him, will definitely also hate all of us, who believe in Him.

Then, through humility, we learn the value of service, to serve one another, following the example of Christ who led by example, the very example of His own life, that ended with His sacrifice on the cross, His ultimate service to all of us. He taught us that to be a leader, we have to render service to others, and ultimately to be responsible for the people entrusted to us. Such is Christ as the Good Shepherd showed His example to us, as a good shepherd lay down his life for his sheep. So too a leader must lay down his ego, and strive to work for the good of the people that he is the leader of.

It is always difficult to do good, to do charitable and loving acts in this world, as there will be many who will not be pleased at such acts, and there will be many who are against the Lord and His ways. But we have to persevere to do so, for the good of the people around us, and for the world itself, even if it hates us so.

Today, in his speech at his last General Audience with the public, our beloved Pope Benedict XVI has mentioned that although he will no longer be Pope, he will never abandon the Church, but rather he will continue in prayer and therefore, as we all should know, lead us in the spiritual battle against the evil one and his mischievous ways, through prayer. For indeed, a praying retired Pope is more powerful than even when he was still active as Pope and leader of our Church. Our Pope too, imitating Christ, in his great humility, has decided to step down, and therefore allow others who are more capable to continue the good works he had started for the good of everyone, especially that of the faithful in Christ.

Our Pope mentioned that although he stepped down from the cross that he has undertaken as our leader, he remains at the foot of the cross in prayer, to support the new Pope who will bear the cross of Christ, together with all the faithful. It is a symbol indeed of great humility, which we too can follow. Remember too, Christ who is divine, but yet lowered Himself such that He was willing to die on the shameful cross, only for the symbol of that shame to be transformed into the victorious cross. We, who are to bear our own crosses with the Lord, should therefore follow in our Lord’s footsteps, to carry our crosses in humility, in order for the burdens of our crosses to be transformed too, into the victorious cross.

But, we are not in this alone, for God walks with us, He who suffered through mockery, humiliation, and death for us. And remember too that all of us, brothers and sisters in Christ, walk together this path of faith, towards the Lord. The path will not be easy, and many challenges would await us, but if we stay faithful in Christ, and believe in one another, and most importantly help one another in our journey, and keep love at the centre of our being, we will prevail. The Lord too would not have prevailed, had He not, out of His infinite love for all of us, willing to continue, bearing the weight of all of our sins, through falling and rising, and through curses and lashes, towards Calvary, and from there towards salvation of all mankind.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, today, let us pray for ourselves, pray for one another, and also pray for our Pope, that together, despite all the sufferings and the obstacles laid in our path towards God, that we can stay together, help one another, and shoulder our crosses, that when the time comes, our burden and our shame will be transformed to that of the victorious cross of Christ, the symbol of salvation. Let us pray too that all of us will be able to embark on missions to reach out to others around us, to alleviate suffering from all, and to show love to all those whom we meet, even to those who hates us and wish for our destruction.

God bless us all, God bless His Holy Church, and God bless our Pope, Benedict XVI. Amen!

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Full video of the last General Audience of Pope Benedict XVI by EWTN

The full video coverage of the last General Audience of Pope Benedict XVI by EWTN, on Wednesday, 27 February 2013, 10.30 am Rome time at St. Peter’s Square.

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Reminder : Pope Benedict XVI’s last General Audience and farewell to public throughout the world

Pope Benedict XVI will preside over his last General Audience today, Wednesday, 27 February 2013, which will be held at St. Peter’s Square due to expected massive crowds that will come to say their farewell and thanks to our Pope who will be stepping down tomorrow at 8.00 pm. This will be his last public event as our Pope. So, do follow the event live and pray for him!

The event will begin at 10.25 am CET (Central European Time or UTC+1), and therefore accordingly here are the times for some areas in the world :

1. PST (Western USA) (UTC-8) : Wednesday, 27 February 2013 at 1.25 am

2. EST (Eastern USA) (UTC-5) : Wednesday, 27 February 2013 at 4.25 am

3. UTC (GMT) : Wednesday, 27 February 2013 at 9.25 am

4. WIB (Western Indonesia) (UTC+7) : Wednesday, 27 February 2013 at 4.25 pm

5. SG time (UTC+8) : Wednesday, 27 February 2013 at 5.25 pm (also for HK, China, Philippines, and Malaysia)

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What will happen at the last days of the Pope and the day when he retires (28 February 2013) by Salt and Light TV

 

Wednesday, 27 February 2013

10.30 am – Pope Benedict XVI’s last General Audience at St. Peter’s Square (Pope’s farewell to the faithful around the world)

 

Thursday, 28 February 2013

11.00 am – Pope Benedict XVI’s last private meeting with the College of Cardinals in Sala Clementina

5.30 pm – Pope Benedict XVI leaves for Castel Gandolfo by the helicopter

8.00 pm – Pope Benedict XVI’s Papacy ends, sede vacante begins (no Pope present in the Church)

 

All time listed above are in CET (Central European Time) or UTC+1 hour

 

Conclave may begin between 9 March 2013 and 11 March 2013 as announced by the Vatican officials.

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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.

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Cardinal Lubomyr Husar reaches age 80 and therefore becomes ineligible to vote in the Papal Conclave

Today, Tuesday, 26 February 2013, Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop Emeritus of Kyiv-Halic, and thus the former leader of the Ukrainian Catholic Church (Eastern Rite Catholic Church) in full communion with Rome, turns 80, and by the rules laid out in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, can no longer participate in the Conclave to elect the new Pope.

The College of Cardinals now stand at 208 members, with 117 electors (2 will not attend the Conclave in March 2013) and 91 non-electors.

We wish His Eminence a happy birthday and pray for him that God will always guide him and strengthen him, that even in his old age and retirement, he will still be able to do great things for the greater glory of God. May God bless Cardinal Husar and the Ukrainian Church. Amen!

Ad multos annos, Your Eminence!

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English version of the Pope’s latest Motu Proprio : Normas Nonnullas

http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/motu-propio-apostolic-letter-regarding-the-election-of-the-roman-pontiff

Here is the English version of the Motu Proprio Normas Nonnullas on the election of the Supreme Pontiff (Pope) by Zenit. Happy reading and God bless!

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Cardinal Keith O’ Brien of Edinburgh resigned amid controversy, and will not participate in Conclave

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/25/cardinal-obrien-resigns-full-statements

The resignation of Cardinal Keith O’ Brien, now Metropolitan Archbishop Emeritus of St. Andrews and Edinburgh in Scotland, UK, has been accepted by Pope Benedict XVI, and allegations of improper conduct have also arisen against him. As such, he found it wise not to participate in the Conclave, which will happen sometime in March 2013.

Therefore, at this moment, we will have 115 Cardinal-electors barring any other Cardinals who may also skip the Conclave due to poor health such as Cardinal-Patriarch Antonios Naguib of the Coptic Catholics who is reported to be in ill health.

 

With regards to Cardinal O’ Brien, it is easy for many within, and especially from outside the Church of Christ to accuse not only him, but the whole Church itself. Many would be very happy to see the Church destroyed, and therefore, crushing the last bastion of truth and light in our struggle against evil. The world does hate Christ and those who believed in Him. We in the Church, and our leaders are human, and we are all sinners. Indeed, to those who have been given the trust and authority, much responsibility is given too.

Whatever bad things Cardinal O’ Brien had done, much good he had also done as well, in the service of our Lord. We thank him for his long service to God and His Church and pray that he will cooperate in all matters necessary, so that our Church, indeed, will be purged from all evil that has encroached into it in recent years. Indeed, Satan has been so busy working against God and His people that not only that he is not satisfied with just turning the world against us, it also corrupts even those inside, to destroy us.

This is why, the Year of Faith is important, because we must remember first and foremost that no matter what Satan throws at us, our faith must ever be impeccable and strong, and we must always centre ourselves in the love of God, through the Church. So, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray that the Lord will send His Holy Spirit to cleanse, not only our Church, but also the whole world, from Satan the deceiver. Pray for our Pope Benedict XVI who will be retiring soon, and for his soon-to-be elected successor. God bless the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church!

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Changes to the rules for the Papal Inauguration Mass (by Pope Benedict XVI)

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1300800.htm

Pope Benedict XVI has authorised a change in the rules for the Papal Inauguration Mass, as part of a larger attempt to ensure that non-liturgical rites and practices are placed outside the Mass. The change is also to reflect the traditional practice of all Cardinals paying homage to the Pope at the Installation ceremony (Papal Inauguration), as the practice was prior to 2005’s Papal Inauguration. Previously in 2005, a modification cause only a few Cardinals and other individuals to give homage to the Pope during the ceremony.

Let us pray for our retiring Pope Benedict XVI, that in his prayerful retirement, he will grant ever greater strength to our Church, and that through his prayers, the works of the Lord will continue to prosper and grow in this world.

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2013 Papal Conclave Update : Conclave may begin earlier than 15 March 2013

The Vatican has announced that there is indeed a possibility that the Conclave may begin earlier than the earlier announced 15-20 March 2013 timeframe. This is because unlike normal period of sede vacante (or vacant See ‘of Rome’) due to the death of the previous Pope, Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to retire and renounce the Papacy has been announced well ahead of the actual date of beginning of the sede vacante.

Thus, the Cardinals have ample time to prepare for the Conclave and travel to Rome by the time the See becomes vacant on 28 February 2013 at 8.00 pm Rome time. This would then allow the Conclave to begin much earlier, perhaps in early March 2013, and will allow a new Pope to be elected immediately, and then the new Pope can already be installed (at St. Peter’s Square ceremony of the imposition of the pallium and the Fisherman’s Ring) and enthroned (at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Cathedral of Rome), before the Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday (24 March 2013).

If the Conclave begins only on the 15th of March or even later, there would be no time left available for the Pope to be properly installed and enthroned before the busy Holy Week begins. Another advantage is also that the Cardinal-electors (especially the residential Archbishops and bishops of Archdioceses and dioceses around the world) can return to their home and celebrate the Holy Week with their diocese/archdiocese, rather than be stuck in Rome due to the late Conclave.