the cardinals' day off

Dear Family and Friends,

The Cardinals had the day off today, as I hope we all did!

Tomorrow they have their last day of meetings before the conclave, which begins Tuesday with Mass at 10am in Saint Peter’s (the public is welcome).

It’s important that the Cardinals have this time before the conclave to make sure that they all get to know each other. You wouldn’t vote for someone unless you had talked to others about him, and gotten to talk with him yourself. There are 115 electing cardinals from all over the world. Here in my seminary, there are about the same amount of theology students with me, and they too are from all over the world. It usually takes me about three months to get to know all of them at the beginning of the year. Certainly many of the cardinals already knew each other, but there are some who are new, and others who live so far away from Rome that they can’t make it over that often.

Attached is a diagram of Vatican City. Right now the cardinals are meeting down at the bottom by Mother Theresa’s sisters. On Tuesday morning at 7am, they’ll move into the “Casa Santa Marta”, where they’ll stay for the duration of the conclave.

Vatican City Diagram

Also attached is your Sunday comic.

Extra Cardinal!

Have a blessed new week!

Brother Kevin

PS – A Hint for the “Where’s Waldo Cardinal Version”: Our Cardinal has no “Cardinal Camo” on. He’s wearing a black robe with a red sash and a red cap.