Dear Parishioners,

Here is what happens upon the death of the ruling pope. Before the election of a new pope, most of the cardinals who lead the Vatican’s

administration called the Roman Curia, will leave their offices so a new pope can appoint his own staff. There are three exceptions:

the camerlengo, who takes charge of property and money matters; the vicar of Rome, who continues to provide for the pastoral

needs of the people of Rome; and the major penitentiary, the official who grants absolutions and dispensations.

Until a conclave to elect the new pope opens, cardinals in Rome will meet daily in a “general congregation” presided over by the

dean of the college. Attendance is optional for cardinals age 80 and over, and they do not vote in the conclave. All cardinals under

the age of 80 are eligible to vote for a new pope. There are 138 cardinals eligible as I am writing, to vote in a conclave to elect a

new pope, however 14 Cardinal electors will lose their right to vote this year due to age.

To ensure that electors in a papal conclave are sequestered, away from any outside influences, all voting cardinals are housed in the

Domus Sancta Martha (St. Martha’s House), a plain but capable $20 million hotel built just for this purpose by Pope John Paul II in

1996. Once the conclave begins, a cardinal-elector may leave only because of illness or other serious reason accepted by a majority

of his fellow cardinals. Everyone associated with a conclave—doctors, nurses, confessors, masters of liturgical ceremonies, sacristans

and various priest assistants, and housekeeping and catering staff—must swear never to tell anything they learn about the election.

A conclave opens in the morning with a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. In the afternoon, the cardinals, vested in scarlet robes, walk in

procession in order of seniority from the Pauline Chapel in the Apostolic Palace to the Sistine Chapel, to the chant of the ninth-century

Latin hymn, “Veni, Creator Spiritus.” The cardinals take an oath of secrecy. They swear to accept no interference in the election and

to observe the rules set down in the Apostolic Constitution on the election of a pope.

Following a meditation by a priest, whom the cardinals have chosen earlier, voting can begin immediately or the next morning. The

cardinals walk to the altar, one by one, holding the ballot aloft. Each cardinal kneels briefly to pray and on rising declares, “I call as

my witness Christ the Lord, who will be my judge that my vote is given to the one whom, before God, I think should be elected.” He

then places the ballot on a plate which covers a receptacle, usually a chalice. Lifting the paten, he allows the ballot to drop into the

receptacle.

The ballots are counted and if the number of ballots is correct, the scrutineers begin the count seated at a table in front of the altar.

The first scrutineer unfolds each ballot, silently notes the name written on it, and hands it to the second scrutineer who does the same,

and hands it on to the third scrutineer who reads the name aloud and records it. At the end of the count, the scrutineers announce the

total number of votes each candidate has received. The candidate who has received two-thirds of the votes of those present is elected

pope.

Thank you to all the ministers, choirs, musicians, decorators and everyone else who helped make our Lenten and

Easter celebrations beautiful.