2025-05-02-eEdition

PAGE 14 THE CATHOLICWEEK I MAY 2, 2025 By JUSTINMCLELLAN Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY —The 135 cardinals eligible to elect the next pope will enter the Sistine Chapel to begin the conclave May 7, the Vatican announced. The cardinals will first cel- ebrate the "Mass for the Elec- tion of the Roman Pontiff" in St. Peter's Basilica that morn- ing before processing into the Sistine Chapel that evening. The Vatican Museums announced that the Sistine Chapel would be closed to visi- tors beginning April 28 to allow preparations for the conclave to begin.The preparations include the installation of a stove to burn the cardinals' ballots and a chimney on the roof to signal the election results to the world. The date for the conclave was set during the fifth general congregation meeting of car- dinals April 28, Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, told reporters at a brief- ing later that day.The general congregation meeting was the first after a two-day pause to allow cardinals to participate in the funeral rites for Pope Francis. More than 180 cardinals attended the April 28 meeting, including over 100 cardinal electors. During the session, about 20 cardinals offered reflections on the state of the church, its mission in the world, the challenges it faces and the qualities needed in the next pope, Bruni said. Topics addressed included evangelization, interfaith rela- tions and the ongoing need to address clerical sexual abuse, he added. The cardinals also discussed whether Cardinal Angelo Bec- ciu, who relinquished the rights associated with being a cardinal after he was forced to resign in 2020, would be permitted to participate in the conclave. Bruni said no decision had yet been made, and Cardinal Becciu has been attending the general congregation meetings. Looking ahead to the next session, Bruni said the general congregation meeting April 29 would open with a reflection by Benedictine Father Do- nato Ogliari, abbot of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome and a member of the Dicastery for Bishops. As cardinals entered the Vatican for the morning's ses- sion, Cardinal Anders Arbore- lius of Stockholm was asked by reporters if he expected a long conclave. "I think it will be," he said, "because up to now we don't know each other." Meanwhile, Cardinal Walter Kasper, former president of the Pontifical Council for Promot- ing Christian Unity who is past the age limit to vote in the con- clave, told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica that he hopes the cardinal-electors "come to a consensus on the next pope very soon, in the footsteps of Francis." POPE FRANCIS: 1936-2025 CNS photo/Vatican Media Cardinals gather in the New Synod Hall at the Vatican for their fifth general congregation meeting April 28. Conclave to elect next pope will begin May 7 By CAROL GLATZ Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY —The conclave that begins May 7 is expected to be the largest in history, with a wide geographical mix of cardinal-electors. There are 135 cardinals under the age of 80 and eligible to vote in a papal election. By con- trast, 115 cardinals took part in the conclaves in 2005 and 2013. The cardinals represent 72 different coun- tries if one counts the nations where they are serving and not just where they were born. Take the example of three Italians: Cardinals Pierbattista Pizzaballa is the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem; Giorgio Marengo is the apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; and Mario Zenari is the apostolic nuncio to Syria. The cardinals' average age on April 28 was 70 years and 5 months.That is slightly younger than the average age of electors who participat- ed in the last conclave in 2013, which was 71.8. According "Universi Dominici Gregis," the document giving rules for the election of a new pope, cardinals who celebrate their 80th birth- day before the day the Apostolic See becomes vacant — that is, with a papal death or resigna- tion — do not take part in the election. While the geographical breakdown of conclave voters has become more diverse since 1978, Europeans are still the largest block. Fifty-two of the electors, or 37%, come from Europe. However, Asia is more represented now than ever before with 24 electors or almost 18% of the total.There are 23 cardinal-electors representing Latin America, about 17% of the total, followed by Africa with 18 electors. Upcoming conclave has most cardinals, widest geographical mix in history In newly released video, pope urged young to learn to listen By Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — In a video message recorded in mid- January but released only after he died, Pope Francis urged young people to learn to really listen to others. "Dear young people, listening is something very important in life, learning to listen," he said in the video posted to YouTube April 27, the day after his funeral. "When someone speaks, wait until they finish so you can really understand," the pope said. "Then, if you feel like it, you can say something, but it's important to listen" first. Pope Francis recorded the video for Luca Drusian, an Italian who runs a program called "Listening Laboratory," to help people of all ages learn the art of listening and to experience being heard. The pope told the young people that if they looked around, they would notice that "people don't listen. Halfway through an expla- nation, they will reply, and that does not help peace." "Listen," he urged them. "Listen a lot." And, since he was speaking to young people, he added, "Don't forget your grandparents; grandparents teach us a lot." The pope ended by telling the youngsters, "I pray for you; pray for me," and giving his blessing by making the sign of the cross.