Cardinal electors' role is to ‘discover’ the next pope — priest

The role of the cardinal electors is to “discover" who among them is chosen to be the next head of the Catholic Church, a priest said as the Conclave begins on Wednesday.

During a Eucharistic celebration, Manila Cathedral rector Msgr. Rolando dela Cruz said it is not up to the cardinal electors to decide who will succeed Pope Francis, but the Holy Spirit.

“The next pope has already been chosen by the Holy Spirit,” Dela Cruz said in his homily.

“The task now of the cardinal electors is to try to discover who among them has been chosen,” he added.

Dela Cruz called on the faithful to pray for the cardinal electors to be “open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.”

“It should be clear that no one, no cardinal, should think that this is for him,” the priest said.

Earlier today, the conclave began with a Eucharistic celebration at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.

Dela Cruz also explained that the next pontiff does not promote a certain ideology but does the will of God.

“It is not a matter between the progressive and the conservative. It is not a struggle or a fight between the liberal and the traditionalist,” Dela Cruz said.

He also urged Catholics to pray that the next pope would a good shepherd.

“No pope is chosen to represent certain interests. The pope is chosen to do the will of the Father so that by doing so, people will be led closer to God and by that, to attain eternal life,” Dela Cruz said.

The following churches and chapels also held a Mass and offered prayers for the Conclave:

• Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Chapel, Makati City
• National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, Baclaran
• National Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary (Sto. Domingo Church)
• Cathedral Parish of St. Andrew (Parañaque Cathedral)
• Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Makati City

The duration of the conclave is determined by how the cardinal electors reach the required two thirds of the votes, or 89 votes out of 133 electors.

Once a new Pope — who also holds the position Bishop of Rome — is chosen, a white smoke (fumata bianca) appears from the chimney while a black smoke (fumata nera) indicates an inconclusive vote. — BAP, GMA Integrated News