BRIEFING ON PROTOCOL, PROCEDURES FOR CONCLAVE

VATICAN CITY, APR 16, 2005 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls held a briefing this morning for accredited journalists on the protocol and procedures involved in the forthcoming conclave:

  "Next Monday April 18, 115 cardinals from 52 countries representing five continents will begin the first conclave of the third millennium to elect the 264th successor of St Peter: in other words the 265th Pope in the history of the Catholic Church.

  "The cardinals will move into the 'Domus Sanctae Marthae' tomorrow afternoon, Sunday April 17. They will all meet together for dinner.

  "As previously announced, the Mass 'for the election of the Supreme Pontiff' will be celebrated in the Vatican Basilica at 10 a.m. on Monday morning.

  "At 4.30 p.m. on Monday, the procession of cardinal electors will leave the Hall of Blessings for the Sistine Chapel. This ritual will be transmitted live on television.

  "Once in the Sistine Chapel, all the cardinal electors will swear the oath. The cardinal dean will read the formula of the oath, after which each cardinal, stating his name and placing his hand on the Gospel, will pronounce the words: 'I promise, pledge and swear.'

  "Over these days, there has been frequent talk of the bond of secrecy concerning the election of the Pope. However, I would like to reiterate that this is just part of the oath. First of all, an oath is made to observe the prescriptions of the Apostolic Constitution 'Universi Dominici gregis;' then another oath is made that - and I quote - 'whichever of us by divine disposition is elected Roman Pontiff will commit himself faithfully to carrying out the munus Petrinum of Pastor of the Universal Church.'

  "After the oath, the master of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff pronounces the 'extra omnes,' and all those who do not participate in the conclave leave the Sistine Chapel. Only the master of Liturgical Celebrations and Cardinal Tomas Spidlik remain for the meditation: once that has finished they too leave the Sistine Chapel.

  "During the conclave, the cardinals will have the following timetable:

  "At 7.30 a.m., the celebration or concelebration of Mass will take place in the Domus Sanctae Marthae. By 9 a.m., they will be in the Sistine Chapel. There they will recite the Lauds of the Liturgy of the Hours and, immediately afterwards, voting will take place according to the prescribed ritual (two votes in the morning, and two votes in the afternoon). In the afternoon, voting will begin at 4 p.m. At the end of the second vote will be Vespers.

  "After the two votes of the morning and the two of the afternoon respectively, the ballots and any notes the cardinals have made will be burnt in a stove located inside the Sistine Chapel. Purely as an indication then, the smoke signals could appear at around 12 noon and at about 7 p.m. (unless the new Pope is elected either in the first vote of the morning or the first vote of the afternoon, in which case the smoke signal will be earlier). In any case it is expected that, along with the white smoke, the bells of St. Peter's will sound to mark a successful election.

  "You all know well the indications of the Apostolic Constitution 'Universi Dominici gregis' as far as the voting goes. The valid quorum for electing the Pope is initially two thirds. After three days of voting without an election, there will be a day at the most dedicated to reflection and prayer, without voting. Thereafter, voting will resume for seven additional ballots, another pause for reflection, another seven ballots, another pause and yet another seven ballots. After which an absolute majority will decide how to proceed, that is, for either a vote by the absolute majority or with balloting between two candidates. This will happen only in the event that the cardinals arrive at the 33rd or 34th ballot without a positive result.

  "As far as the first vote on Monday, the cardinals will decide whether or not to vote after they have entered into conclave on Monday afternoon, April 18
 
  "The location for the conclave is the Domus Sanctae Marthae and the Sistine Chapel.

  "The route, along the street behind the Vatican Basilica, can be followed by the cardinals on foot or, if some prefer, by bus. Naturally this path will be clear of people. Access to the San Damaso courtyard will be sealed.

  "These days tourists will not have access to either the dome of St. Peter's or the Vatican Gardens.

  "It will, however, be possible for pilgrims to visit the tomb of John Paul II during the hours the Vatican Grottoes are open

  "The General Congregations of the cardinals conclude today. At the end of these encounters I wish to add two brief notes. The climate of these congregations has been one of great familiarity. This has been perhaps an expression of the great responsibility that all the cardinals feel at this time. That allowed them to find great consensus on the general themes faced in the discussions.

  "I can also confirm that in no congregation were names ever brought up."
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LAST GENERAL CONGREGATION IN VACANT SEE IS HELD

VATICAN CITY, APR 16, 2005 (VIS) - The following statement was released to journalists this afternoon by Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls:

  "Today, Saturday, April 16 the twelfth General Congregation took place in the presence of 143 cardinals.

  "After the prayer 'Adsumus', Cardinal Edward Cassidy, who had just arrived, took the oath.

  "The Cardinal Camerlengo Eduardo Martinez Somalo presented, in everyone's name, best wishes to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Dean of the College of Cardinals, on the occasion of his birthday.

  "Indications were given concerning entrance into the Domus Sanctae Marthae on Sunday the 17th in the afternoon, for the Mass 'for the election of the Supreme Pontiff ' on Monday April 18 at 10 a.m. and for entrance into conclave, the same day, at 4:30 p.m.

  "The cardinal dean read messages from several cardinals who were not able to come to Rome. They thanked everyone for the words of closeness and affection sent to them by the cardinal dean in the name of everyone in the College of Cardinals.

  "The cardinal camerlengo proceeded to the destruction of the Fisherman's Ring and the lead seal as foreseen by the Apostolic Constitution 'Universi Dominici gregis' in art 13g.

  "After having commented on several points of this same Apostolic Constitution, there was an exchange of ideas on the problems of the Church and the world.

  "The Regina Coeli prayer closed the last General Congregation."
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CARDINALS DISCUSS PROBLEMS FACED BY DICASTERIES OF CURIA

VATICAN CITY, APR 15, 2005 (VIS) - Today, at the end of the eleventh General Congregation of Cardinals in the period of the vacant see, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls released the following statement to journalists:

  "The 11th General Congregation of Cardinals was held this morning in the New Synod Hall.

  "After reciting the prayer to the Holy Spirit, the cardinals dedicated the entire morning to an exchange of ideas on the problems of the Church and of the world.

  "Also today, several cardinals who headed congregations and pontifical councils of the Roman Curia laid out the most important problems faced by their dicasteries.

  "There were 138 cardinals in today's congregation.

 "With the Regina Coeli prayer, the General Congregation concluded."
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WORLD MISSION DAY: "BREAD BROKEN FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD"

VATICAN CITY, APR 15, 2005 (VIS) - Made public today was a message written by John Paul II for World Mission Day, which is due to be celebrated on October 23 and which has as its theme: "Mission: Bread broken for the life of the world." The Message is dated February 22, 2005, Feast of the Chair of St Peter, and has been published in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese.

  Extracts from the Message are given below:

  "World Mission Sunday, in this year dedicated to the Eucharist, helps us to better understand the 'eucharistic' sense of our life as we relive the emotion of the Upper Room when, on the eve of His passion, Jesus offered Himself to the world."

  "In my recent Apostolic Letter 'Mane nobiscum Domine' I invited you to contemplate Jesus in the 'breaking of the bread' offered for the whole of humanity. Following His example we too are called to offer our life for our brothers and sisters, especially those most in need. ... In this way, while the Eucharist helps us to understand more fully the significance of mission, it leads every individual believer, the missionary in particular, to be 'bread, broken for the life of the world.'

  "In our day human society appears to be shrouded in dark shadows while it is shaken by tragic events and shattered by catastrophic natural disasters. ... Present in the Eucharist, the same Redeemer ... continues through the centuries to show compassion for humanity poor and suffering.

  "And it is in His name that pastoral workers and missionaries travel unexplored paths to carry the 'bread' of salvation to all. ... Jesus alone can satisfy humanity's hunger for love and thirst for justice; He alone makes it possible for every human person to share in eternal life: 'I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever' (Jn 6,51)."

  "We who nourish ourselves with the Body and Blood of the crucified and risen Lord, cannot keep this 'gift' to ourselves; on the contrary we must share it. Passionate love for Christ leads to courageous proclamation of Christ; proclamation which, with martyrdom, becomes a supreme offering of love for God and for mankind. The Eucharist leads us to be generous evangelizers, actively committed to building a more just and fraternal world.

  "I sincerely hope the Year of the Eucharist will inspire every Christian community to respond with 'fraternal solicitude to some of the many forms of poverty present in our world" (Mane nobiscum Domine 28), because 'by our mutual love and, in particular, by our concern for those in need we will be recognized as true followers of Christ (cf. Jn 13:35; Mt 25:31-46). This will be the criterion by which the authenticity of our Eucharistic celebrations is judged.' (Mane nobiscum Domine 28)."

  In Christ's name "missionaries all over the world proclaim and witness to the Gospel. ... How many missionary martyrs in our day! May their example draw numerous young men and women to tread the path of heroic fidelity to Christ! The Church has need of men and women willing to consecrate themselves wholly to the great cause of the Gospel.

  "World Mission Sunday is an opportune occasion to increase our awareness of the urgent necessity to participate in the evangelizing mission undertaken by the local communities and many Church organizations, in particular the Pontifical Mission Societies and the Missionary Institutes. This mission requires the support not only of prayer and sacrifice, but also of concrete material offerings. I take this opportunity to recall once again the valuable service rendered by the Pontifical Mission Societies and I ask you all to support them generously with spiritual and material cooperation."
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CARDINALS HEAR MEDITATION ON THE STATE OF THE CHURCH

VATICAN CITY, APR 14, 2005 (VIS) - Today, at the end of the tenth General Congregation of Cardinals in the period of the vacant see, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls released the following statement to journalists:

  "The tenth General Congregation began this morning at 9 in the New Synod Hall. There were 142 cardinals present.

  "After the invocation to the Holy Spirit, the cardinals listened to the first of the meditations concerning the problems of the Church and the enlightened choice of the new Pontiff (Apostolic Constitution, 'Universi Dominici gregis', no. 13d) given by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M. Cap., preacher of the Papal Household.

  "At the end of the meditation the cardinals dedicated a period of time to silence and prayer.

  "As of today the following are part of the Particular Congregation: Cardinals Giovanni Battista Re for the Order of Bishops, Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga for the Order of Priests and Crescenzio Sepe for the Order of Deacons.

  "There was a drawing of lots for the assignments of the rooms the cardinals will occupy in the Domus Sanctae Marthae.

  "Following several clarifications on the interpretation of the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici gregis, the cardinals resumed an exchange of ideas on the situation of the Church and the world.

  "With the Regina Coeli prayer, today's General Congregation concluded."
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