By Currents News
Vatican experts will tell you that the foundation for the next pope was being laid all this week in pre-conclave meetings. Melissa Butz Corsi joins Currents News with insight on what topics have already been discussed by the cardinals.
Melissa Butz Corsi: Yes, Christine, Tuesday marked the final and 12th general congregation with all the cardinals.
There are many different topics brought up in five-minute intervals by cardinals on various topics.
Some that they would like the next pope to address are the need for promoting peace, welcoming migrants, address the sexual abuse case within the Catholic Church, the financial issues the Church is facing, and attending to the Roman Curia.
CP: Since there are so many cardinals from the peripheries, do you think these meetings ahead of the conclave were enough for them to get to know each other?
MBC: They certainly helped, that’s for sure. The good thing is that when the cardinals spoke during the general congregation, they said that they would actually like not to have the death of a pope be when they first meet each other to have these big topic discussions under all the pressure. They said they would like to have more meetings during a papacy, such as when there’s a consistory when new cardinals are being created, they would also like to get to know each other along the way.
CP: Has there been any indication of whether the cardinals want to continue with a pope like Francis, or mix things up a bit?
MBC: At the beginning of the general congregations, there was some criticism of his reforms, but as the meetings went along, there seemed to be more and more support of his efforts for synodality, hope, mercy, and being close to the people within the Church. They said they would really like the next pope to be a missionary pope, who can be a bridge for a divided world.
CP: They are all sequestered in the Sistine Chapel, and will be until we have a pope. Melissa, tell us: how do they get the Chapel ready for the conclave?
MBC: It basically gets a full makeover. They start off with professionals going in, who can check to make sure no bugs or listening and recording devices have been placed in the Chapel. Then the floor is elevated to protect the marble, and then tables and chairs are all placed inside. The chimney is then put on top and attached to a little stove down below, which will burn all the ballots, to get the famous black or white smoke to indicate how the vote went.
CP: Alright and we will be keeping an eye on that chimney on the Sistine Chapel roof. Thank you, Melissa.