Friday, March 8, 2013

cardinals to start conclave tuesday

Dear Family and Friends,

Well, it’s been a week without a Pope. I certainly miss him. Thankfully, the Cardinals decided today to begin the conclave this Tuesday. They will have meetings tomorrow morning, Sunday will be off, and then the last meetings will take place Monday. Each Cardinal has what’s called a “titular church” in Rome, and it’s customary for them to visit their church before the conclave. Most will probably do this Sunday.

Our friend the Vietnamese Cardinal has arrived, so now all the electing cardinals are accounted for.

In these days it seems an easy way to become famous is to predict who the next pope will be. While that may make for great press, I think that the best thing we can do for the Cardinals is pray for them. There’s an excellent project where you can adopt a cardinal spiritually at www.adoptacardinal.org .

In the attached picture you can see the building where the cardinals are meeting. It’s the white wavy one on the left. They are in the part with the dark windows(it looks like a long triangle), called the Synod Hall. The dome of Saint Peter’s is close by.

Southeast corner of Vatican City
It’s interesting to note to the left of the red stop light the open door with people walking in. That’s a soup kitchen opened by Mother Theresa with the help of Pope John Paul II. It’s good to know that a stone’s throw away from where the Cardinals are meeting this service to the poor continues as it has for so many years. The Cardinals and the Conclave may be very important, but that doesn’t mean the Church freezes in its tracks. There’s so much good that goes on that we don’t ever see, starting with the dedicated service of people like Mother Theresa’s sisters.

God bless you and keep you,
Brother Kevin

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