Pope's successor to be chosen in upcoming election process
Hey there! Today kicks off the papal conclave at the Vatican, as 133 cardinal electors embark on the solemn task of choosing the next pope of the Catholic Church. Let's get the lowdown on what's going down today straight from NPR religion correspondent Jason DeRose, who's currently stationed outside St. Peter's Square in Rome.
Jason, fill us in on the detailed happenings throughout the day:
Well, A, today is a day of religious ceremony and spiritual preparation leading up to the votes. Cardinals will attend a morning Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, which is the only public event. Following this, a procession from the Vatican's Pauline Chapel to the Sistine Chapel will take place, with the cardinals chanting the Litany of Saints as they go. Once inside the Sistine Chapel, they will invoke the Holy Spirit by singing "Veni Creator Spiritus," take an oath while touching the Gospels, and then the call extra omnes will be made, sending out all those not directly involved in the election. A final sermon will follow, and then the voting begins.
Sound intense, doesn’t it? So, any juicy gossip from one of the cardinals who will be voting?
Yes, indeed! Cardinal Michael Czerny, a Canadian Jesuit who has worked at the Vatican under Pope Francis, is participating in the conclave for the first time. As a new cardinal since 2019, he has clarified that cardinals are not focusing on church politics or global affairs during the selection process, choosing instead to be guided by the Holy Spirit. This spiritual emphasis is essential for making the election an unpredictable and unique experience.
As we know, cardinals have gathered in the days leading up to today to discuss various matters, right?
Indeed! The Vatican has confirmed that cardinals have held discussions about war and peace, migration, climate change, internal problems such as church finances and clergy sex abuse, and divisions within the church on doctrine. Although these topics are significant, Cardinal Czerny doesn’t appear anxious since he truly believes that God will provide them with the pope they need.
Now, you're in Rome right now, but mainly cover religion in the United States. Can you give us a sense of how American Catholics view the papacy and doctrine that you discussed?
About 20% of Americans identify as Catholic, and many hold views that contradict official church teaching. Even though abortion is considered a grave sin within Catholicism, 6 in 10 American Catholics believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Despite this dissonance with church teaching, many American Catholics keep a close eye on who the pope is because he sets the tone and agenda for the whole church. American Catholics may feel more positively towards a pope focusing on issues like poverty, migration, and the environment, whereas more conservative Catholics might prefer a traditional and doctrine-centric pope.
- During the papal conclave at the Vatican, Cardinal Michael Czerny, a new cardinal since 2019, has emphasized the spiritual emphasis that guides the election process, avoiding discussions on church politics or global affairs like climate change.
- Ahead of the voting process, cardinals have been holding discussions about critical issues such as war and peace, migration, internal problems such as church finances and clergy sex abuse, divisions within the church on doctrine, as well as climate change.
- Despite the dissonance between American Catholic views and official church teachings on issues such as abortion, the papal election draws significant attention among American Catholics.
- In American society, the pope sets the tone and agenda for the entire church, and the election is crucial since many American Catholics may favor a pope focusing on issues like poverty, migration, and the environment.
- The choice of a new pope is an important and unpredictable experience due to the spiritual preparation and emphasis on being guided by the Holy Spirit during the election.
