Posted on 02/27/2013 3:28:53 PM PST by NYer
.- A cardinal from Chile who will be participating in the general meetings leading up to the conclave said that the next Pope will most likely be relatively young.
“One of the external characteristics that the Church needs is for a person not very advanced in age to be chosen and this is very probable,” said Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa, former archbishop of Santiago.
The 80-year-old cardinal, who has taken part in previous conclaves, arrived yesterday in Rome to participate in the general meetings of the College of Cardinals.
Although his age prohibits him from voting, he will meet with other cardinals to discuss possible papal candidates and to determine the exact date of the conclave.
“There is a huge difference between a conclave and choosing a country’s prime minister or a president,” the cardinal told CNA on Feb. 27 at the Vatican.
“There are always electoral pacts, parties and candidates involved, but not in this process.”
Cardinal Errázuriz Ossa clarified that cardinals of a certain continent or congregation do not form alliances to choose someone.
“The Apostolic Constitution that governs the conclave says that each one is before God, without pact, without compromising anyone and that is the interesting part,” he said.
“When the meetings begin we will speak about the Church’s challenges, the grace that the Holy Spirit has given them and problems that they have.”
He noted “that many cardinals will get to know each other better,” and “some will think, 'well that’s nice what that cardinal has to say, but he’s not quite ready to be a Pope.'”
After many of 115 cardinals' names are eliminated, “only a few will remain,” he remarked, and “after that they will consult with people who know that cardinal better.”
“You can probably find on internet what his last pastoral letter was, decisions he has taken, the orientation he has had, or what he has done in a Roman dicastery or in his diocese,” Cardinal Errázuriz Ossa said.
“Then little by little three or four names will be left that match all the conditions.”
He added that in the first or second voting there will be a “dispersion of votes” but a list of names that are more trusted to be Pope Benedict's successor will start to take shape.
“That is how the Holy Spirit will have to work, open hearts and open the intelligence until, little by little, those two thirds majority are reached,” he said.
“The Church doesn’t want to chose a head of a group of people but one Pope who will be himself the factor of communion with an openness and understanding for all his brothers and the entire Church.”
Wow! This is most encouraging, ping.
Dolan!
Just a thought.
I am concerned about the current political climate of the Church. Little that I have seen since Pope Benedict has announced his retirement has been reassuring to me.
Check out Tagle!
Dolan will be in the running but they are putting his chances at 40 to 1. Why? He’s American.
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Dolan will be in the running but they are putting his chances at 40 to 1. Why? He’s American.
Just pray that who ever gets in isn’t gay. I’ll bet the left coast is already planning on a movie.
You never know what the Holy Spirit will do. I say let the Holy Spirit do HIS WORK.
There is always a lot of talk about the Holy Spirit choosing during these times, and I think it is overstated to a degree. There have been many very evil popes, and I doubt that God wants the Church to be led by horrible people. Those choices are obviously not the will of God, but of the men who are involved. If those voting are open to the Spirit then I have no doubt he will guide the Church perfectly, however, they have to be open to that grace. Very often people are not, and God will not compel if past events are any indication. So, we should pray during this period that the cardinals listen to the Spirit and are open to his guidance in their selection, but we should not presume that the outcome will be dictated by God.
I am just beginning to read some of the bios on possible Cardinals.
Tagle stands out immensely and is very young.
As I recall, that was the speculation last time too.
bookmarking...
My money’s on Cardinal Marc Ouellet who, at 68, could have a healthy reign of at least 10-15 years, which is the norm for popes in the past hundred years or so.
If he’s elected, I’d like to see him take the name Pope John-Mark (or Jean-Marc) I.
From yes, there were some very bad popes. This is why this HAS TO be put into God’s hands this upcoming process.
Brit bookies got Black Bishop from Africa at 3 to 1 as next Pope LOL!
Amen!
Dolan is not ready to be pope. He may never be ready to be pope.
You are correct and you know some history. We always end up going approximately in the direction we need to go, but it isn’t always pretty, and it’s very far from linear.
The cardinals will need to pray and listen very carefully, and if they don’t, we might go off on yet another crazy, and perhaps costly, detour.
But isn’t that the Christian life, in general? We all have this discernment task because God usually doesn’t flag us down and use a megaphone turned on high volume. When we screw up, it doesn’t mean he’s absent; it means we’re not listening. Here’s hoping and praying the Cardinals listen, and listen closely.
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