The cardinals ask for prayers to choose the new Pope

Aware of the “greatness of the task” that is coming, the Cardenalicio school today asked the faithful who pray for them while preparing for the conclave in which they will choose the new Pope.

During the seventh general congregation, held on the morning of April 30, the glitter urged to live this ecclesial moment as “an event of grace and spiritual discernment, in an attitude of listening to God’s will.”

“They feel the need to be supported by prayer”

Aware of the responsibility to which they have been called, the sloping “feel the need to be supported by the prayer of all the faithful,” says the statement released on Wednesday by the Vatican.

“This is the true force that, in the Church, favors the unity of all members in the only body of Christ,” continues the text.

They also indicated that, given the greatness of the coming task and the urgency of the present times, “it is first of all necessary to become humble instruments of infinite wisdom and providence of the Heavenly Father, with docility to the action of the Holy Spirit.”

“He is the protagonist of the life of the people of God, the one to which we must listen, welcoming what the Church says,” concludes the statement.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni reported that there were 124 voters who participated in today’s meeting, nine less than in the previous day. In total, there have been more than 180 cardinals who have met this morning.

The sloping ones also addressed the Angelo Becciu decisionformer substitute for the Secretary of State, not to participate in the conclave and set aside “to contribute to the communion and serenity of the conclave.”

The cardinals gathered on Wednesday expressed their gratitude for this decision, hoping that “the competent bodies of justice can definitely clarify the facts.”

The purple was convicted in 2023 for embezzlement, fraud and abuse of power, although he has always maintained his innocence and is currently appealing the conviction.

Of the 135 Cardinals voters (those under 80 years old) who are summoned to participate in the conclave to choose the next successor of San Pedro, Two will not attend the Vatican For medical reasons.

This is Cardinal Antonio Cañizares, Archbishop Emeritus of Valencia (Spain) and Cardinal John Njue, Archbishop Emeritus of Nairobi (Kenya).

Bruni indicated that the cardinals have not yet installed in the Santa Marta house, which was the residence of Pope Francis and in which they will live during the course of the conclave. Usually, the rooms usually riphe among the cardinals.

Likewise, the sloping recalled that, although the Apostolic Constitution The universe dominic of the flock It establishes a maximum limit of 120 voters, also confirms that “a cardinal of the Holy Roman Church that has been created and published before the conclave has the right to choose the Pope.” Therefore, the 133 cardinals may vote validly.

Vatican’s finance, in the spotlight

Bruni said that the general congregation began at 9:00 (Rome time) and concluded around 12:30.

During the session, among others, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, who addressed the current challenges of the Catholic Church; Cardinal Fernando Vérguez, on the Vatican governorate; and Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, about Dicastery for Charity.

For his part, Cardinal Kevin Farrell put on the table the issue of the investments of the Holy See, and Cardinal Schörborn spoke about the situation of the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR), also known as the Vatican Bank.

There were also 14 other interventions in which issues such as synodality, evangelization and priestly vocation were discussed.

Due to the national holiday on Thursday, May 1, the next general congregation will be on Friday, May 2 at 9:00 in the morning.