Jeanie Hannaman

By Raymond J. de Souza, First Things - Does a conclave elect the man the Holy Spirit desires to lead the Church? History teaches that sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger’s view was that too many poor popes have been elected to say that the man who emerges is always God’s choice. At the same time, the Holy Spirit, in Ratzinger’s memorable phrase, offers the “assurance . . . that the thing cannot be totally ruined.”... The Holy Spirit does not get a vote in the conclave. The cardinals elect the pope, and no one else. The more apt question then is whether this particular conclave is likely to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit, knowing of course that even Balaam’s ass can speak should God so will it (Num. 22:21–35).

The Catholic Herald - Today 133 cardinals will enter the Sistine Chapel to begin the papal conclave, the secretive voting process that requires a two-thirds majority to elect the new leader of the global Roman Catholic Church... The election follows the death of Pope Francis on 21 April at the age of 88 year old... As the conclave begins, the following ballot burning times are given as rough estimates.

By Courtney Mares, CNA - Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals, presided over the liturgy, underlining the need for unity in the Church. “Among the tasks of every successor of Peter is that of fostering communion: communion of all Christians with Christ; communion of the bishops with the pope; communion of the bishops among themselves,” he said... “The unity of the Church is willed by Christ; a unity that does not mean uniformity, but a firm and profound communion in diversity, provided that full fidelity to the Gospel is maintained,” he added.