(In a point of interest the word "Conclave" means "without key" in Latin and indeed Italian).
It indicates that the Cardinal Electors are actually locked into the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican by the Camerlengo with no key to get out, sleeping, eating and comfort facilities are provided in case it takes time to reach a decision. The Conclave will now commence on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 when the final deliberations begin and the Cardinal Electors vote on their individual choices as to whom amongst them or perhaps outside them will be the next Pope.
After each round of voting the ballots are burned with a chemical that causes black smoke if there is a negative result and white smoke if there is a positive result. Finally the last remaining Cardinals arrived in Rome and now all 145 are assembled of which 115 are the Cardinal Electors.
There have been some intense discussions on both the problems within the Roman Catholic Church and the type of person needed at this time to be elected as Pope in the hope of solving these problems and rebuilding the Church to move forward. Of the 145 Cardinals attending the series of Meetings 133 spoke what are termed Interventions. They addressed all the problems facing the Church and there seem to be some very strong views on just about everything happening within the Church and the views of the Lay Community on how to move forward.
Now with the Meetings completed we the Lay Community shall have to wait and see as the votes are taken, counted, then the ballots burned and whom is selected, indicated by the white smoke, to become Pope. Hopefully a very strong capable person will achieve the "Throne of Peter" otherwise the Roman Catholic Church may not survive into the future.
Count D. Peter Boucher, Kt. SMOM.
4 comments:
As the sole Catholic on board, I'm quietly watching with interest- I'm hoping that the rule of St. Benedict will be lifted in my lifetime, but the American news is just wall-to-wall talk about ultra-liberal issues. Apparently they can't tell the difference between Unitarians and Catholics.
PAUL: This is a part of the problem of the RC Church not distinguishing between the Lay Community and its present day needs and those, being Monks, who live by the Rule. For the rest of us "ora et labora" does not fit our needs.
As to the ultra-liberal attitude the whole country is in the grips of this malaise.
Hi Peter,
I believe that "conclave" rather means "with a key" and, in a way, "with a lock", that is the Cardinal Electors have locked themselves until they can reach a decision on the next Pope.
I'm not really following this, but as society keeps evolving, the Church surely needs to adapt too, in my opinion.
Islamism/fundamentalism we've seen for many years now is an example of what happens when religion is trying to go the other way and keep to old traditions (or mistaken interpretations of old texts).
Personally, as much as I understand the role of the clergy, I believe religion (or atheism) remains an individual path for each of us.
Perhaps you should follow it. The Cardinal Electors are locked into the Sistine Chapel by the Camarlengo. Once they have chosen the Pope and indicate so the Camarlengo (Chamberlain) unlocks the door.
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