The Catholic Church’s Conclave underway as the College of Cardinals began meeting at the Sistine Chapel to appoint a new pope.
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Deacon Gary Brinkworth said the cardinals will go through a series of praying and voting. Brinkworth said after each vote, ballots are burned, and if the smoke is black, it means a pope has not been appointed. If the smoke is white, it means the church has a new pope. Brinkworth said many day-to-day Catholics will be closely watching over the next few days.
“We see a lot of people very interested,” Brinkworth said. “I know that here at St. Francis and other parishes around the diocese, there is a lot of conversation about this decision and how it might ultimately affect the direction of the church.”
Brinkworth said most recent conclaves have lasted a day or two, but the prevailing opinion is that this conclave could take longer than usual.
“The College of Cardinals right now is a little larger than it has been historically, and it is a lot more diverse,” Brinkworth said. “Cardinals are no more from a lot more faraway places, so there are a lot more Cardinals, for example, from Asia, from the other Pacific Rim countries. There are a lot more cardinals from Africa, and there are more cardinals from South America. Those cardinals don’t know each other. They haven’t spent a lot of time in Rome in meetings together, and so this last week they have been in a lot of general conferences together trying to get to know each other.”
Brinkworth said conclave comes from a Latin word that means “with a key”. Brinkworth said Cardinals are actually locked into the Sistine Chapel during the conclave. Brinkworth said extensive security measures are taken during the conclave.
“The Swiss Guards actually stand guard at the doors of the Sistine Chapel, and just kind of a modern thing, the chapel is actually swept for electronic eavesdropping devices,” Brinkworth said. “Also, electronic jamming devices are employed to prevent anything from any interference from disturbing the cardinals while they are both at prayer inside the chapel and while they are deliberating for their vote.”
Brinkworth said he is surprised to see many people who are not part of the Catholic Church interested in who will become the next pope to succeed the late Pope Francis.
