Tuesday March 12th...the Conclave Begins

Beginning on Tuesday March 12 the cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel in Rome to elect the successor to His Holiness Benedict XVI.

What is required...

For a candidate to be elected he must receive two thirds majority.  If the cardinals fail to elect a new pope on a vote they will burn the ballets and black smoke will come out of the chimney.

However, if a cardinal receives the two thirds majority needed to win election he is approached and asked if he accepts election.  If he doesn't except then the ballets are burned, and they go through the process again.  But if he accepts, at that moment the cardinal becomes the Holy Father and is asked what name he wishes to take.  At that moment he is led into the room of tears and puts on the white cassock and vestments we have become accustomed to seeing.  In the meantime the ballets are burned with a chemical causing white smoke to signal to the world "Habemus Papam" we have a pope.

Once the cardinals greet the new Holy Father, the pope is formally introduced to the faithful from the balcony of Saint Peter's Basilica.

I invite you the next couple days to stay turned to the television for updates as the events in Rome unfold, but most importantly I invite you to pray for the Cardinals that they may be guided by the Holy Spirit as they prepare to elect a new Holy Father!!!

Father C.