Pope Francis - A glimpse into his ideals

Catholics are still buzzing over his speech last year accusing fellow church officials of hypocrisy for forgetting that Jesus Christ bathed lepers and ate with prostitutes is quoted in saying:

“In our ecclesiastical region there are priests who don't baptize the children of single mothers because they weren't conceived in the sanctity of marriage,” Bergoglio told his priests. “These are today's hypocrites. Those who clericalize the church. Those who separate the people of God from salvation. And this poor girl who, rather than returning the child to sender, had the courage to carry it into the world, must wander from parish to parish so that it's baptized!”

Bergoglio compared this concept of Catholicism to the Pharisees of Christ's time: people who congratulate themselves while condemning others.

“Jesus teaches us another way: Go out. Go out and share your testimony, go out and interact with your brothers, go out and share, go out and ask. Become the Word in body as well as spirit,” Bergoglio said. [news source]

Papal Election vs. Political Election

Unlike political elections, papal elections is performed within an atmosphere of a brotherhood – nationality and culture becomes secondary. These Cardinals, because they are few in numbers, at the end of the day wish each other well.  If, during the votation, the names of their colleagues are called out one more often than the other, it is not due to a competition of who can get most votes and with all its polemics brought forth by it, but rather it is seen as a narrowing and shortening the list of the "papabili" (the papable) so that only one person remains at the end. This to many journalists is incomprehensible, because for many of them the electoral process is practically a replay of a the U.S. presidential election race or similar to it, when, in fact, it is just the opposite. --- jlf

Daily Schedule for Conclave 2013 --- "Holy Smokes"

Full-day schedule for the Conclave:

6:30 a.m.: Breakfast for one hour

7:45 a.m.: Depart from Domus Santa Marta to Apostolic Palace

8:15 a.m.: Hour-long Mass at Pauline Chapel

9:30 a.m.: First two rounds of voting inside Sistine Chapel

12:30 p.m.: Return to Santa Marta

1:00 p.m.: Lunch

4:00 p.m.: Depart from Domus Santa Marta to Apostolic Palace

4:50 p.m.: Remaining two rounds of voting inside Sistine Chapel

7:15 p.m.: Vespers (prayer) at Sistine Chapel

7:30 p.m.: Return to Santa Marta

8:00 p.m.: Dinner

The fumata (holy smoke) after the morning votes will appear between 11:30 a.m.-Noon, while the smoke for the evening votes will appear between 6:30-7 p.m.

In the event that a Pope is chosen during the first votes of the morning or evening, the smoke would appear at around 10:30 a.m. or 6 p.m

Storia del Conclave ITALIANO - Video

Storia del Conclave - video

Universi Dominici Gregis - Constitution on Sede Vacante and the Conclave

Oath of Secrecy to be taken by the Cardinals during the Conclave 2013

At a suitable time before the beginning of the election [the Conclave], the persons indicated in this Constitution, having been duly warned about the meaning and extent of the oath which they are to take, shall, in the presence of the Cardinal Camerlengo or another Cardinal delegated by him, and of two Pronotaries Apostolic, swear and sign the oath according to the following formula:

I, N.N., promise and swear that, unless I should receive a special faculty given expressly by the newly-elected Pontiff or by his successors, I will observe absolute and perpetual secrecy with all who are not part of the College of Cardinal electors concerning all matters directly or indirectly related to the ballots cast and their scrutiny for the election of the Supreme Pontiff.

I likewise promise and swear to refrain from using any audio or video equipment capable of recording anything which takes place during the period of the election within Vatican City, and in particular anything which in any way, directly or indirectly, is related to the process of the election itself.

I declare that I take this oath fully aware that an infraction thereof will incur the penalty of automatic (‘latae sententiae’) excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See.

So help me God and these Holy Gospels which I touch with my hand."

---jlf

The Conclave 2013 short explanation video

Here is a short video from CNN which explains the Conclave process in an abbreviated manner.  

The First Conclave

The custom of keeping the Cardinals enclosed under key (conclave) was adopted in the election of Pope Gregory X in 1271. After Clement IV had died in 1268 the See remained vacant for three years.  In the pontifical city of Viterbo the 18 cardinals present could not come to agree, despite pressure from  super power countries like France. 

One cardinal, Bonaventura of Bagnoregio called the military captain to gather the cardinals together in the Episcopate Palace in Viterbo and to lock it down until they are able to resolve the problem. The guards surrounded the palace, and locked it down.  This did not seem to affect the cardinals inside.  The people of Viterbo, fed-up with the waiting, had climbed on the roof and had taken the roof tiles off so that, rain, cold and heat would push them to make a decision.  In addition, food was rationed down to bread and water which was lowered down through the opened roof. 

Sickness and starvation had finally won them over to agree on a candidate on September 1, 1271.  Pope Gregory X, a skilled canon lawyer, had enacted a constitution (Ubi periculum of 1274) which would from then on regulate the duration and rules for the election of the new pontiff under lock and key, the so called conclave. --- jlf

Episcopate Palace, Viterbo, Italy - site of the first conclave 1271