UK cardinal feels ‘quite intimidated’ as world watches for brand spanking new pope | EUROtoday

One of the UK’s most senior Catholic leaders has appealed for prayers as he and different cardinals put together for the key voting course of to elect a brand new pope.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who’s one in every of greater than 130 cardinal electors getting into the conclave on Wednesday, mentioned he feels “quite intimidated” by the worldwide consideration targeted on the election course of.

Following a particular mass in St Peter’s Basilica, the group will enter the Sistine Chapel, chopping off all contact with the skin world, till white smoke rises into the air in Vatican City to verify there’s a new pope.

Up to 4 votes can be held every day, apart from the primary day, as proceedings won’t get underway till the afternoon.

Cardinal Nichols, who’s the chief of England and Wales’ Catholics, has been in Rome since shortly after the loss of life of Pope Francis and described attending to know his fellow cardinals throughout prolonged conferences within the days since.

The cardinal, who can be Archbishop of Westminster, mentioned that earlier than going into the conclave, “we will have met almost 10 times in the formal meetings of the Congregation of Cardinals”.

“These meetings, which have been long and during which we have been very attentive to the contributions from cardinals across the world, now lead us to the conclave at which only those under 80 who will vote for the next pope in the Sistine Chapel attend.

“During these days we have got to know each other and to appreciate the variety of gifts, insights and dedication among us. It is a truly universal church and a reflection of the breadth and diversity of human experience.”

This conclave can have extra cardinals from Africa and Asia than earlier conferences, principally chosen by the late Francis.

Cardinal Nichols, who’s collaborating in his first conclave, has beforehand spoken of the burden on the shoulders of the electing cardinals, understanding theirs is a selection which can have vital penalties for the Church on the world stage.

On the eve of the assembly, he mentioned: “Going into the conclave, I feel quite intimidated knowing that the outcome of this election is awaited by people all over the world and of many faiths.

“The voice of the pope, especially following Pope Francis, can serve as a call to everyone to fashion a society more fitting to the dignity of every human. That is a big call.”

He mentioned cardinals are getting into the assembly “in a profound spirit of prayer and attentive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit who will, I am sure, guide our decisions”.

The cardinal, from Liverpool, added: “I do hope that Catholics and indeed all people will say a prayer asking for God’s blessing at this important moment.”

Asked about his ideas on the type of qualities vital for the highest position within the Church, he mentioned: “I hope that the next pope will be, in his own manner of acting and speaking, an attractive expression of the invitation of God in Jesus Christ for all people to know that they are loved by God and destined for glory.”

He has beforehand successfully dominated himself out of the working to be the subsequent pontiff, describing himself as “too old, not capable”.

The cardinals have a “hugely responsible task” forward of them and won’t wish to seem divided of their efforts, based on one UK theologian.

Cardinal Nichols is one in every of 5 cardinals throughout the UK and Ireland, though solely three – himself, Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe and Rome-based Cardinal Arthur Roche – are youthful than 80 and due to this fact of voting age.

Professor Anna Rowlands, who spent two years seconded to the Vatican throughout Francis’s papacy, mentioned the cardinals will wish to select somebody who can lead the Church “into a new moment” moderately than merely changing a person whose reputation noticed him dubbed “the people’s pope”.

The professor of Catholic social thought and apply at Durham University mentioned: “The cardinals will have had just over a week to meet and discuss openly their priorities and to try to work together to discern who they think God is calling to be the successor to St Peter.

“In their minds, this isn’t so much a replacement for Francis as a moment where they are trying to work out which of them could lead the Church into a new moment.

“Formal and informal meetings have been preparing them for that hugely responsible task of voting in conclave from May 7. And the eyes of the world will be watching.

“No-one can be sure of the length of the conclave itself but one can assume the cardinals would prefer days rather than weeks. They will want to choose very carefully but also appear united rather than divided.”

A two-thirds majority is required for somebody to be elected.

The nameless ballots are burned after voting, with black smoke from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel indicating nobody has been elected, however white smoke confirming a brand new pope has been chosen.

What is a conclave?

A conclave refers back to the secret assembly of cardinals who will collect within the Sistine Chapel to vote for the subsequent pope.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, it comes from the Latin which means a room that may be locked with a key.

Vatican News – the information web site linked to the Church in Rome – mentioned 133 cardinals will participate on this conclave, which is able to start on May 7.

The day will start with mass attended by all voting cardinals in St Peter’s Basilica, earlier than they enter the Sistine Chapel – and are reduce off from communication with the skin world – to start voting within the afternoon.

How lengthy would possibly it take?

That is anyone’s guess. Each day, apart from the primary, cardinals can vote 4 occasions – twice within the morning and twice within the afternoon.

Both of the latest conclaves, in 2005 to elect Pope Benedict and 2013 to elect Pope Francis, lasted simply two days.

This conclave may have begun on May 5, however the delayed beginning date of May 7 would possibly enable the cardinals to get to know each other higher and discover consensus on a candidate or no less than the frontrunners.

Who is the subsequent pope more likely to be?

Technically, any baptised Catholic man may turn out to be the subsequent pontiff, however it’s extremely unlikely the chosen one could be anybody apart from a cardinal.

Only cardinals who had been aged underneath 80 on the day of the pope’s loss of life are eligible to vote, however older cardinals not sitting in conclave could possibly be elected.

While there was a lot hypothesis as to the frontrunners, one knowledgeable described this conclave as “totally unpredictable”.

UK theologian Professor Anna Rowlands mentioned it is because the make-up of this College of Cardinals is “very different from anyone that’s been here to elect a pope before”, with greater than common numbers of electors from Africa and Asia, chosen by Pope Francis.

Catholic commentator Georgia Clarke mentioned there may be “a tension between wanting a scholar and wanting a pastor”.

“We saw with Pope Benedict we very much had a scholar, and then in Pope Francis we very much had a pastor. Obviously it would be great if we could have both.”

There have to be some favourites, although?

As the assembly is secret, it truly is simply hypothesis. But among the many names being talked about as doable successors are Cardinal Luis Tagle, a 67-year-old from the Philippines who was mentioned to be Francis’s choose for the primary Asian pope.

Others embody Cardinal Peter Erdo, 72, the Archbishop of Budapest; Cardinal Reinhard Marx, 71, the Archbishop of Munich and Freising; and Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70, an Italian who has served as Pope Francis’s secretary of state since 2014.

What concerning the UK and Ireland’s cardinals?

It shouldn’t be thought that any of the UK or Irish cardinals are among the many favourites to succeed Pope Francis.

Cardinal Sean Brady, Ireland’s solely Catholic cardinal, will flip 86 this summer season and so can be unable to vote due to his age, as is Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald, from Birmingham, who will flip 88 in August.

Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols, from Liverpool, and the chief of Catholics in England and Wales, is collaborating in conclave, as is Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe, who’s from London.

Aged 75, Cardinal Arthur Roche, from West Yorkshire and primarily based in Rome, is the youngest of the UK and Ireland’s cardinals.

Both Cardinal Radcliffe and Cardinal Nichols appeared to rule themselves out of the working, quickly after Francis’s loss of life was introduced.

Cardinal Nichols advised reporters he was “too old, not capable”, whereas Cardinal Radcliffe mentioned he believed the Holy Spirit was “far too wise to even think of me (as pope) for the shortest moment”.

Scotland presently has no Catholic cardinals.

There can be Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who’s Irish-born however is seen as an American cardinal, having ministered primarily within the US. He has been primarily based in Rome for some years.

Cardinal Farrell was the one to announce the loss of life of Pope Francis and, as camerlengo, has been the senior official guaranteeing the sleek working of the church till a brand new pontiff is chosen, together with organising the conferences of cardinals previous the conclave.

How will we all know when a brand new pope has been elected?

All eyes can be on the color of the smoke rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.

The ballots are burned after voting – with black smoke being emitted to point nobody has been elected, whereas white smoke confirms a brand new pontiff.

A two-thirds majority is required for a brand new pope to be elected.

Catherine Wallis-Hughes, from the Catholic Voices charity primarily involving lay individuals within the Church, described it as “really beautiful” that everybody will discover out on the similar time – “the world’s media and someone watching on their mobile phone in Guinea-Bissau, everyone who has access to the internet all together can see that white smoke”.

Once a brand new pope accepts his election, it’s common that he would seem pretty shortly thereafter on the entrance balcony of St Peter’s Basilica which overlooks St Peter’s Square.

An announcement in Latin of “Habemus Papam” – which means “we have a pope” is made alongside the brand new pontiff’s look.