General congregations: Cardinals to vote on Conclave Friday PM
(Vatican Radio) The College of Cardinals could vote this evening to establish a date
for the beginning of the Conclave. That was the news from Vatican Press Office Director,
Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ, on Friday as he briefed journalists on the proceedings
of the VIII General Congregation of the College this morning. He also explained that
the earliest the Conclave could reasonably be expected to begin would be the start
of the coming work week. One hundred fifty-three Cardinals were present for the Friday
morning session, including all one hundred fifteen Cardinal Electors who will be participating
in the Conclave. Listen to our report:
The first
order of business in the Friday morning session was to give official acceptance to
the reasons offered by the two Cardinals with a right to participate in the Conclave,
who have declined to present themselves. They are: Archbishop emeritus of Jakarta,
Indonesia, Card. Julius Riyadi Darmaatmadja, SJ, who is too ill to attend; Card. Keith
O’Brien, emeritus of St. Andrew’s and Edinburgh, who cited well-known personal reasons
for his decision. Eighteen were the official interventions of the participants, on
a broad range of topics: Fr. Lombardi, SJ’s English-language consultant, Fr. Thomas
Rosica, CSB, elaborated. “Among the themes that were addressed [Friday] morning –
and this by no means is breaking the secret of what takes place, but is to help [illustrate]
the scope of the discussions - [were]: inter-religious dialogue, bioethics, justice
in the world, a positive proclamation of love and mercy, especially remembering [Bl.
John Paul II] in his teaching on mercy, and collegiality,” he explained.
Fr.
Lombardi also had a special greeting for the women journalists participating in the
briefing, on occasion of International Women’s Day, celebrated in many countries around
the world on March 8th. “Entering the briefing room with a several traditional
women’s day mimosa flowers in hand, Fr. Lombardi, SJ, said, “Before we do anything
else, we must offer our best wishes to all the women of the world, and in particular
to our colleagues who are women and who are following and covering things here with
us in these days.”