The Catholic Church marks a significant moment today as the Conclave begins, initiating the process of selecting a new leader following the death of Pope Francis 17 days ago. Francis, who led the Catholic Church for almost 10 years, died at 88. His funeral in the Vatican 12 days ago sent waves of grief and prayer through the Church universal, a singular day of remembrance and hope.
To navigate this Conclave will be the 133 cardinals who have convened in the historic Sistine Chapel. These cardinals have spent the days before this date, swirling as candidates, campaigning among themselves and advocating for different candidates. Their long conversations have been instrumental in shaping the vision of qualities and congregational leadership style they want to see developed in a new pope.
At 4:30 p.m. local time (10:30 a.m. ET), the Conclave will officially commence with an elaborate procession into the chapel. This event is rich in tradition, as the name “Conclave” comes from the Latin word for “with key.” This great practice has the unfortunate effect of locking the cardinals into the chapel. They will not depart until they have elected an agreed successor to the current pope.
The beautiful service that opens the Conclave is “Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice.” Ecclesiae universae This title has been different European languages translation: For the Election of the Roman Pontiff. The Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Re, will preside over this solemn rite. Cardinal Re is currently 91 years old and therefore ineligible to vote in the next Conclave. Yet he remains a central actor in all of its proceedings.
On this special Conclave ceremonial Mass, our first reading will be a bit of a flashback to the Conclave of 2013. As it turned out, that Conclave went on to elect Pope Francis. This continuity is designed specifically to call the cardinals back to their task and the awesome responsibility which comes with their choice.
The cardinal’s responsibilities are underscored by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re’s remarks during the Mass preparation. He emphasized that they must “prepare to undertake an act of the highest human and ecclesial responsibility and to make a choice of exceptional importance.” He further noted the necessity of maintaining unity within the Church, stating it is “a strong call to maintain the unity of the Church on the path traced out by Christ to the Apostles.”
And the process won’t be over until they select a new pope. You’ll know it’s real when white smoke starts coming from the chapel’s smokestack. If not, and if no cardinal reaches the required two-thirds plus one super-majority vote, black smoke will billow, signaling that voting will go on. How long this process will take remains to be seen. It could take hours, days or even weeks to come to an agreement.
As the cardinals enter the chapel, they are reminded of their shared mission to lead and guide the Church through challenging times. May the prayers we offer during this solemn occasion burn that fire of your love deep within them. They do this by praying for divine wisdom and guidance as they deliberate over policies and important decisions.
