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Herald Malaysia
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Cardinal Re: United in prayer before the Conclave, we ask the Holy Spirit for guidance
On Wednesday morning, 7 May, in Saint Peter's Basilica the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff took place with the Cardinals and over five thousand faithful in attendance. May 07, 2025 By Thaddeus JonesOn Wednesday morning, 7 May, in Saint Peter's Basilica the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff took place with the Cardinals and over five thousand faithful in attendance. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, presided over the celebration, saying that in a special way "we feel united with the entire People of God in their sense of faith, love for the Pope and confident expectation." Recalling the reading in the Acts of the Apostles how after Christ's ascension into heaven all were united and persevering in prayer together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the Cardinal said in his homily that all gathered here are praying together as well just a few hours before the start of the Conclave, "under the gaze of Our Lady beside the altar, in this Basilica which rises above the tomb of the Apostle Peter." United in faith and prayer Cardinal Re explained that at this celebration we invoke the help of the Holy Spirit, asking for "his light and strength so that the Pope elected may be he whom the Church and humanity need at this difficult, complex, and troubled turning point in history." 'To pray, by invoking the Holy Spirit, is the only right and proper attitude to take as the Cardinal electors prepare to undertake an act of the highest human and ecclesial responsibility and to make a choice of exceptional importance. This is a human act for which every personal consideration must be set aside, keeping in mind and heart only the God of Jesus Christ and the good of the Church and of humanity.' Love that knows no limits As proclaimed in the Gospel reading during the celebration, Cardinal Re recalled how Jesus calls on everyone to love one another as He has loved them, even to the point of laying down one's life, a message of boundless love that the Lord calls a "new" commandment. 'The love that Jesus reveals knows no limits and must characterise the thoughts and actions of all his disciples, who must always show authentic love in their behaviour and commit themselves to building a new civilisation, what Paul VI called the 'civilisation of love.' Love is the only force capable of changing the world.' Call to fraternal love and communionContinuing in his homily, Cardinal Re recalled how the readings proclaimed during the celebration call us to fraternal love, mutual help, ecclesial communion and universal human fraternity. And a key task of every successor of Peter is fostering communion in all forms: "communion of all Christians with Christ; communion of the Bishops with the Pope; communion of the Bishops among directed towards communion among persons, peoples and cultures." Unity in diversity The readings also remind us about the duty "to maintain the unity of the Church on the path traced out by Christ to the Apostles." This unity of the Church "is willed by Christ," he explained, a unity that is strong and marked by "profound communion in diversity, provided that full fidelity to the Gospel is maintained." 'Each Pope continues to embody Peter and his mission and thus represents Christ on earth; he is the rock on which the Church is built (cf. Mt 16:18). The election of a new Pope is not a simple succession of persons. The election of a new Pope is always the Apostle Peter who returns.' United in prayer As the Cardinal electors cast their votes in the Sistine Chapel, Cardinal Re urged everyone to pray that the Holy Spirit, "who in the last hundred years has given us a series of truly holy and great Pontiffs, will give us a new Pope according to God's heart for the good of the Church and of humanity." 'May we pray for "a Pope who knows how best to awaken the consciences of all and awaken the moral and spiritual energies in today's society" that "tends to forget God."' The Cardinal remarked how the world expects much from the Church in safeguarding the "fundamental human and spiritual values" that human coexistence and future generations depend upon. 'May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, intercede with her maternal intercession, so that the Holy Spirit will enlighten the minds of the Cardinal electors and help them agree on the Pope that our time needs.'--Vatican News


Herald Malaysia
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Cardinals ask faithful to pray for their discernment for new Pope
The College of Cardinals has requested that all Catholics pray for them, so that they may listen the Holy Spirit as they discern whom to choose as the next Pope. May 01, 2025 Cardinals pray before the Blessed Sacrament in a chapel near the New Synod Hall (@Vatican Media) VATICAN: The Holy See released a declaration on Wednesday in which the Cardinals preparing for the upcoming conclave ask the faithful to pray for them. 'The College of Cardinals gathered in Rome, engaged in the General Congregations in preparation for the Conclave, wishes to invite the People of God to live this ecclesial moment as an event of grace and spiritual discernment, listening to the will of God,' read the statement. The Cardinals said they feel 'the need to be supported by the prayers of all the faithful,' since they are aware of their responsibility in choosing the next Successor of Peter. Prayer, they added, 'is the true force that in the Church promotes the unity of all the members of the one Body of Christ.' 'Faced with the enormity of the task ahead and the urgency of the present time,' said the Cardinals, 'it is first of all necessary to make ourselves humble instruments of the infinite wisdom and providence of our Heavenly Father, in docility to the action of the Holy Spirit.' The Cardinals noted that the Holy Spirit is 'the protagonist of the life of the People of God, the One to whom we must listen, accepting what He is saying to the Church.' 'May the Blessed Virgin Mary accompany these prayers with her maternal intercession,' concluded the Cardinals' declaration.--Vatican News


MTV Lebanon
28-04-2025
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
28 Apr 2025 14:15 PM Catholic Cardinals Meet to Set Date for Pope's Conclave
The world's Catholic cardinals met on Monday for the first time after the funeral of Pope Francis to discuss a possible date to enter a secret conclave and elect the next leader of the global Church. Any decision could be announced around mid-day (1000 GMT). The conclave is not expected to begin before May 6. The 16th-century Sistine Chapel, where conclaves are held, was closed to tourists on Monday to allow for preparations for the vote. The past two conclaves, in 2005 and 2013, lasted just two days. But Swedish Cardinal Anders Arborelius said on Monday he expects this conclave may take longer, as many of the cardinals appointed by Pope Francis have never met each other before. Francis made a priority of appointing cardinals from places that had never had them, such as Myanmar, Haiti, and Rwanda. "We don't know each other," Arborelius, one of about 135 cardinals under the age of 80 who will enter the conclave, said. Francis, pope since 2013, died aged 88 on April 21. His funeral on Saturday and a procession through Rome to his burial place at the Basilica of St. Mary Major attracted crowds estimated at more than 400,000. German Cardinal Walter Kasper told La Repubblica newspaper that the outpouring of mourners for Francis indicated that Catholics wanted the next pope to continue with his reforming style of papacy. Francis, the first pope from Latin America, largely tried to open up the often staid Church to new conversations. He allowed debate on issues such as ordaining women as clergy and outreach to LGBTQ Catholics. "The People of God voted with their feet," said Kasper, who is 92 and will not take part in the conclave. "I am convinced that we must go ahead in the footsteps of Francis." However, a bloc of conservative cardinals are certain to push back against this and seek a pope who reasserts traditions and restricts Francis' vision of a more inclusive Church.


ARN News Center
28-04-2025
- Politics
- ARN News Center
Conclave to elect new pope starts on May 7, Vatican says
Roman Catholic cardinals will begin their secret conclave to elect the new leader of the global church on May 7, the Vatican said on Monday. The date was decided during a closed-door meeting of cardinals at the Vatican, the first since the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday. Some 135 cardinals, all under the age of 80 and from across the world, are eligible to take part in the conclave and decide who should be the next leader of the 1.4-billion-member church. The 16th-century Sistine Chapel, where conclaves are held, was closed to tourists on Monday to allow for preparations. The previous two conclaves, held in 2005 and 2013, lasted just two days. But Swedish cardinal Anders Arborelius said on Monday that the coming conclave may take longer, as many of the cardinals appointed by Pope Francis have never met each other. Francis made a priority of appointing cardinals from places that had never had them, such as Myanmar, Haiti and Rwanda. "We don't know each other," said Arborelius, one of about 135 cardinals under the age of 80 who will enter the conclave. The earliest the conclave could have begun was May 6, the Vatican said. Starting it a day later means cardinals will have slightly more time for their general discussions ahead of the momentous ballot. The average length of the past 10 conclaves is three days. Francis, pope since 2013, died aged 88 on April 21. His funeral on Saturday and a procession through Rome to his burial place at the Basilica of St. Mary Major attracted crowds estimated at more than 400,000. German cardinal Walter Kasper told La Repubblica newspaper that the outpouring of mourners for Francis indicated that Catholics wanted the next pope to continue with his reforming style of papacy. "The People of God voted with their feet," said Kasper, who is 92 and will not take part in the conclave. "I am convinced that we must go ahead in the footsteps of Francis." However, a bloc of conservative cardinals are certain to push back against this and seek a pope who reasserts traditions and reins in Francis' vision of a more inclusive Church.


India Today
28-04-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Conclave to elect new pope to start on May 7: Report
Roman Catholic cardinals will meet in a secret conclave to elect the new leader of the global Church starting from May 7, a senior Vatican source said on date was decided during a closed-door meeting of cardinals at the Vatican, the first since the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday, the source said, speaking at the end of the gathering. An official announcement is due 135 cardinals, all under the age of 80 and from across the world, are eligible to take part in the conclave and decide who should be the next leader of the 1.4-billion-member Church. The previous two conclaves, held in 2005 and 2013, lasted just two 16th-century Sistine Chapel, where conclaves are held, was closed to tourists on Monday to allow for preparations for the past two conclaves, in 2005 and 2013, lasted just two days. But Swedish Cardinal Anders Arborelius said on Monday he expects this conclave may take longer, as many of the cardinals appointed by Pope Francis have never met each other made a priority of appointing cardinals from places that had never had them, such as Myanmar, Haiti, and Rwanda."We don't know each other," Arborelius, one of about 135 cardinals under the age of 80 who will enter the conclave, earliest the conclave could have begun was May 6. Starting it a day later means cardinals will have slightly more time for their general discussions ahead of the momentous pope since 2013, died aged 88 on April 21. His funeral on Saturday and a procession through Rome to his burial place at the Basilica of St. Mary Major attracted crowds estimated at more than 400, Cardinal Walter Kasper told La Repubblica newspaper that the outpouring of mourners for Francis indicated that Catholics wanted the next pope to continue with his reforming style of the first pope from Latin America, largely tried to open up the often staid Church to new conversations. He allowed debate on issues such as ordaining women as clergy and outreach to LGBTQ Catholics."The People of God voted with their feet," said Kasper, who is 92 and will not take part in the conclave. "I am convinced that we must go ahead in the footsteps of Francis."However, a bloc of conservative cardinals are certain to push back against this and seek a pope who reasserts traditions and restricts Francis' vision of a more inclusive Watch