I must say I was very moved by the fact that the new Pope, before giving his first papal blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s, bowed his head and asked the community to invoke God’s blessing on him, to empower him for his ministry.
Read moreTag: Papal Transition
How a Lutheran Cardinal-Elector Might Vote
I received an email recently that rocked me to the core, first with laughter, and then with much more seriousness. It came from a Roman Catholic friend, inviting me to share “what a ‘Lutheran elector’ would be looking for in the next pope.” Is there some cardinal, anxious to hear a word from faithful voices beyond the boundaries of the Roman Catholic church? I can’t imagine a Lutheran being invited personally inside the conclave as an elector, or even as a delegate-observer. But perhaps it is not too much to dream that insights from a Lutheran might be taken into consideration, even if spoken in the quiet pre-conclave conversations in which the real electors are engaged and not during the conclave itself. So I replied to my friend, and thought I might share those reflections more publicly here as well, as they touch on much of what PrayTellBlog readers regularly discuss.
Read moreBells for the Pope
It’s things like this, however small, that reinforce Catholic identity and bring our faith into daily life.
Read moreConclave: Step by Step through the Papal Interregnum
by Msgr. Charles Burns, residential canon of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Read moreConclave’s rituals, oaths, and secrecy explained
Will Pope Benedict and current master of ceremonies Guido Marini tweak the transition rites?
Read moreSwiss Bishop Sees Urgent Need for Reform of Roman Curia
“Sometimes the curial offices worry about things that simply are not their beer.” – Bishop Felix Gmür of Basel
Read moreThere Ought to Be a Rite…
… for the retirement of a pope.
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