Pope appeals for prayers, goes into spiritual retreat

Out-going Catholic Pontiff Benedict XVI has asked the faithful to pray for him and for his successor who is expected to emerge next month when no fewer than 120 electors from the College of Cardinals convene.
In his speech to the crowd of over 50,000 worshipers at St. Peter’s Square, yesterday, the Holy Father said “I beg you to continue to pray for me and for the next Pope.” The polyglot Pope chose the Spanish language to address the people after which he retired into the Vatican’s ApostolicPalace for a scheduled spiritual retreat and will not make any public appearance until next Sunday.
The crowd chanted “Long live the pope!,” waved banners and broke into sustained applause as he spoke from his window.  The 85-year-old Benedict, who will abdicate on February 28, thanked them in several languages.

A number of cardinals have said they would be open to the possibility of a pope from the developing world, be it Latin America, Africa or Asia, as opposed to another from Europe, where the Church is in crisis and polarized.
Reports, yesterday, said the cardinals will gather on March 1, a day after Benedict steps down and departs for Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer home in the hills outside Rome.
 By the time the 120 Cardinal electors enter the conclave to choose the next pope, they must be ready to vote. There is no formal nominating process for choosing the man to succeed Pope Benedict XVI, and campaigning for oneself is counterproductive. But the cardinals will file into the Sistine Chapel.
According to church rules, the conclave could begin on March 15, but the Vatican spokesman said, Saturday, that it may start even earlier. The cardinals, eager to finish the process by Palm Sunday on March 24, could reinterpret the mandatory 15-day waiting period, the spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said.
The waiting period was intended to allow time for cardinals to gather after the death of a pope, but because Benedict’s resignation has already been announced, the cardinals have advance notice and, in fact, many have already begun discussions by phone and e-mail.
At the moment, there are 209 Cardinals. There will be at most 120 electors drawn from the College of Cardinals to vote for the next Pope at the conclave.
Any Cardinal who turns 80 before the day the Papacy is vacated cannot take part in the election. Pope Benedict XVI will vacate the papacy on February 28. Reports said “Any Cardinal born before February 28, 1933 is automatically eliminated, narrowing this Conclave’s possible field of electors to 116 Cardinals”.

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