St. Peter's Basilica on April 29. Photo credit: CatholicVote (McKenna Snow)
VATICAN CITY // The College of Cardinals today issued a statement asking the faithful for spiritual support as the start date approaches for the conclave, where the cardinals will elect the next Vicar of Christ on earth.
The College “wishes to invite the People of God to live this ecclesial moment as an event of grace and spiritual discernment, listening to the will of God,” the Holy See stated April 30. “For this reason, the Cardinals, conscious of the responsibility to which they are called, feel the need to be supported by the prayers of all the faithful. This is the true force that in the Church promotes the unity of all the members of the one Body of Christ (cf. 1 Cor 12:12).”
The statement emphasized that the cardinals’ responsibility must be undertaken especially with humble openness to the Holy Spirit.
“Faced with the enormity of the task ahead and the urgency of the present time,” the statement continued, “it is first of all necessary to make ourselves humble instruments of the infinite wisdom and providence of our Heavenly Father, in docility to the action of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, he is the protagonist of the life of the People of God, the One to whom we must listen, accepting what he is saying to the Church (cf. Rev 3:6).”
The College concluded the statement by invoking the maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The conclave is set to begin May 7. There are 135 electors registered to participate. As of April 30, 133 are set to participate. Two cardinals are confirmed not attending due to health reasons. There needs to be a two-thirds majority of cardinals present to elect a pope.
Cardinal Raymond Burke has also begun a novena for the conclave that can be accessed here.