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Catholic mental health professional advocates for spiritual growth and medical intervention Dr. Christin McIntyre, Catholic psychiatrist, led a Lenten mission on mental health at St. Paul’s Parish in Nampa. Father Justin Brady, pastor of St. Paul’s, is pictured with Dr. McIntyre. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer As options become more available in mental health practices, knowing which therapist or resource will be most helpful can be challenging. If someone is Catholic, there can be a fear of getting help from someone who does not share Catholic beliefs. But Dr. Christin McIntyre, a psychiatrist and therapist with more than 20 years of experience, doesn’t want people to fear getting the help they need. “As long as you know your faith, you’re going to be fine,” Dr. McIntyre said. Just as bank tellers learn to tell counterfeit money by studying authentic bills, she explained, Catholics will know if something is unhealthy or untrue by knowing what the Church teaches. “There will be some therapists who just aren’t on the same page, and you may not be able to work with them. But a lot of times, you still can.” A convert to Catholicism, Dr. McIntyre trained in psychology based on the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas. She has also had training with the John Paul II Healing Center, founded by Dr. Bob Schuchts. She and her husband are Benedictine Oblates of Mount Angel Abbey in Oregon where she leads retreats that draw on her experience in clinical psychiatry, spiritual healing and spiritual warfare. Dr. McIntyre and her family moved from Oregon to Coeur d’Alene in 2021. They attend St. Joan of Arc Parish in Post Falls and St. Stanislaus Parish in Rathdrum. At the beginning of April, she led a Lenten mission at St. Paul’s Parish in Nampa. She also spoke with a group of women at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Boise. During her talks, she cautioned against assuming that mental illness could be healed purely through spiritual means. “Bipolar and many other psychiatric disorders are biological in nature. They may need to be treated with medication,” she said. She uses psychotherapy to help many of her patients, she explained, but an illness that is biologically rooted may require medication to stabilize. There is a genetic component to mental illness. In addition, some injuries and illicit drug use can also lead to mental disorders. “Especially in young people using marijuana, it can trigger psychotic disorders. It’s not always reversible, especially if there’s a genetic vulnerability,” she said. Even with an illness that requires medication, there are things people can do spiritually that will improve their mental health and well-being. The spiritual battle is real and not a battle we need to fear. “The enemy is not going to work any harder than he has to,” she explained. “If we have a vulnerability to an anxiety disorder, for example, which might be genetic, and especially if we’ve experienced something very bad in our lives that has set us up for a post-traumatic kind of a situation, all that can be a source of intrusive thoughts. The ‘both-and’ concept works well for this: Sometimes, intrusive thoughts are just from us. Other times, it’s from the enemy.” Dr. McIntyre said the best way to discern thoughts is to consider where a thought is leading. “You need to ask, ‘Is this leading me toward God or away from God?’” She explained that praying with hope helps overcome unhealthy intrusive thoughts, noting that Kyle Clement, who teaches about spiritual warfare, says, “Worry negates prayer.” This confused her at first because she found herself driven to prayer when she was worried. However, Clement explained that worry often comes from things we are imagining that are fed by fear. “When we pray in fear, we allow those fears to draw us away from God,” she said. Praying in hope instead of fear is much better “because hope presumes trust. Hope presumes that we trust God has the big picture in mind and knows what’s best. His will is always for our salvation. Whatever he permits to happen to us has some salvific purpose. It’s designed in some way for our good,” she said. Dr. McIntyre explained that when we pray in hope, we discern what we desire for ourselves and others. This conversation with God about our inmost longings purifies our desires, helping us to distinguish what is healthy and what is not. That prayerful, hope-filled conversation “changes your soul. It also benefits the person you’re praying for,” she said. Nonetheless, she noted that it is best to follow Jesus’ example in the Garden of Gethsemane and ask for God’s will to be done in all things. “This is also saying to the Lord, ‘If You want something better, then I want that instead.’” It’s also important not to lose hope when things go wrong. “Whenever we try to do something good, the enemy notices . . . he will try to do anything to divert us from that.” However, the difficulties we encounter when fulfilling God’s desires often help us grow. Dr. McIntyre likened such opportunities for growth to gold coins from heaven: “Suffering is the coin of the realm,” she said. Uniting our suffering with Christ and offering it for a particular event or person is an “opportunity we shouldn’t miss,” Dr. McIntyre explained. “The ultimate offering is to thank God for it. That gratitude really expresses trust in Him.” Dr. McIntyre’s talks for St. Paul’s Lenten mission can be found on their YouTube page: “St. Paul’s Catholic Church Nampa." Dr. McIntyre was recently featured on the “Restore the Glory” podcast with Dr. Bob Schuchts and Jake Khym in episodes 121 and 126. If you enjoyed this story and would like to read more like it, please consider buying a subscription to the Idaho Catholic Register. Your $20 yearly subscription also supports the work of the Diocese of Boise Communications Department, which includes not only the newspaper, but this website, social media posts and videos. You can subscribe here, or through your parish, or send a check to 1501 S. Federal Way, Ste. 400, Boise, ID 83705, or call 208-350-7554 to leave a credit card payment. Thank you, and God bless you.

Cindy Wooden, bureau chief of Catholic News Service/Rome, speaks with Pope Francis in one of the meeting rooms in his Vatican residence during a special audience for members of the Catholic News Service Rome Bureau in 2021. (CNS photo/Vatican Media) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer VATICAN - Cindy Wooden has written for Catholic News Service  (CNS) in Rome for more than 35 years. However, her first job at a Catholic newspaper was at the Idaho Catholic Register  (ICR)while she was a student at Boise State in 1978. She was in the ICR office when Pope Paul VI died, and this seems to have been a sign of her work with popes. As a journalist and then bureau chief for CNS in Rome, she has accompanied three popes in their travels and events: St. John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis. Wooden first spoke with the ICR  less than a week before Pope Francis’ death. The first thing she mentioned about him was his ability to touch people’s hearts, his humility and love. “Pope Francis saw himself as a sinner who had been forgiven by God through Jesus Christ,” Wooden said. “He did not see himself as more extraordinary than any of the faithful.” “The long lines of people who waited hours to pray and pay their respects as his body lay in state, and the hundreds of thousands of people who gathered for his funeral Mass, and cortège through the city of Rome, showed just how much people were touched by his life and death,” she said. “The ‘powerful’ of the world came to the funeral of a pope who, just a week earlier, made sure to spend Holy Thursday at a jail with prisoners.” Wooden has read every papal document of the popes with whom she has worked since she first arrived in Rome in 1989. “I find theology and the magisterium really interesting,” she said. “But the thing that feeds my soul is the people I meet who do amazing things in the name of Jesus. Those people can be popes and cardinals, but often they’re people who are doing little things in their own neighborhoods to share the love of Christ without even using the word. They are the hands and feet of the Lord.” Wooden said the people she has met through the years keep her going in her busy career. “The Sacraments nourish us and give us the grace to overcome some of the stupid things we have in our own personalities and inclinations. But it’s people who’ve touched my heart, challenged and amazed me.” Although Wooden’s career started in Boise, she transferred to North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene, not far from where she grew up in Sandpoint. She transferred again to Seattle University, where she majored in theology with a minor in journalism. After graduating, she went to Washington, D.C., to intern and then worked as a temp at the CNS office there. After a year, she returned to Seattle to write for Catholic Northwest Progress for four years. She then returned to the CNS office in Washington before going to Rome in 1989. Cindy Wooden makes Pope Francis laugh during a flight in 2014. (CNS photo/Vatican Media) Growing up in Sandpoint gave Wooden “a realistic sense of how religion is an important part of people’s everyday lives,” she said. “The thing about Sandpoint, and I think a lot of small towns in the United States, is that the local churches are still very much a center of social life.” “Although not everyone goes to church,” she continued, “a large portion of the population in a small town will be at church on Sunday morning. Because religion influences everyday life and decisions, it’s a necessary part of reporting news. You see that much more easily in a small town, I think, than in a large city, but people still find church life in a big city. Religion is a subject that cannot be ignored. It builds bonds of community.” In a small town or a large city, Wooden has felt most at home in her parish. “Even though I’ve belonged to different parishes here in the city, it’s still an important part of who I am,” she said. Neighborhoods are also an important aspect of community in Rome. Each neighborhood is, in a way, like a small town, where extended family members live nearby and everyone knows everyone. This is something Idahoans should keep in mind when traveling to Italy’s storied capital. “Idahoans should not be intimidated by the fact that it’s a city of 3 million people,” she said. That said, for the Jubilee, she recommended that pilgrims from Idaho get tickets online in advance of their arrival. “The lines for the things that you probably want to do are very long. So, make reservations before you come here and ensure you’re using a ‘.va’ (Vatican) website. But I think for most people, wandering around, getting lost, and stumbling upon something beautiful is the way to go.” Cindy Wooden, far right, with Stu and Ann Bixby, enjoyed an evening together in Rome this past February. Ann is the returning ICR graphics and print manager. (ICR Photo/Ann Bixby) “Catholics live their faith on a local level,” she continued. “Our faith is about the way you love one another, and that’s something that’s lived out where you live. Seeing the Vatican is amazing as a sign of thousands of years of people’s faith, and it reminds us that so many millions of people have gone before us and continue to pray for us. But you don’t need to be overwhelmed by the Vatican. You may get sparks of enthusiasm by coming to Rome, but those experiences in Rome don’t mean much if you don’t bring them back home and do something with them.” Her experiences are leading her to do more humanitarian work when she retires. “I’ve written so much about people doing good things that I want to try it for a little while, actually do some of it,” she said. If you enjoyed this story and would like to read more like it, please consider buying a subscription to the Idaho Catholic Register. Your $20 yearly subscription also supports the work of the Diocese of Boise Communications Department, which includes not only the newspaper, but this website, social media posts and videos. You can subscribe here, or through your parish, or send a check to 1501 S. Federal Way, Ste. 400, Boise, ID 83705, or call 208-350-7554 to leave a credit card payment. Thank you, and God bless you.

Relato de un encuentro con el Papa Francisco Vero Gutiérrez  Editora Asistente MORELIA, MICHOACÁN — unas pocas migajas como la mujer cananea de la Biblia terminé recibiendo el banquete completo. Ver al Papa Francisco y tener un encuentro personal con él no es algo fácil de olvidar incluso después de nueve años. Casi puedo sentir esa emoción incontenible de verlo a los ojos y recibir su bendición, la más importante sin duda es la paz, la sencillez y alegría que todavía nos sigue transmitiendo a través de su recuerdo. En febrero de 2016, el año Jubilar de la Misericordia, el Papa Francisco visitó México como parte de una gira internacional y se convirtió en el primer Papa en visitar nuestra ciudad Morelia, Michoacán. En esta ciudad el Papa tuvo tres encuentros importantes el primero con los sacerdotes, seminaristas y personas consagradas en el estadio de beisbol; el segundo con niños en la Catedral de Morelia y el tercero, con los jóvenes en el estadio de futbol soccer. Yo confieso que en el primer momento me sentí triste y desconsolada de ver que nosotros los laicos adultos no estábamos considerados en esa agenda. El estado de Michoacán desde entonces atravesaba por un mal momento de mucha violencia y problemas de narcotráfico, donde los jóvenes eran víctimas de los grupos del narcotráfico, usados para el tráfico de drogas, sometidos y obligados a trabajar para los grupos delincuenciales. Se argumenta que esta fue una de las razones por las que el Papa quiso hacer esta parada en Michoacán durante su recorrido por México. La tristeza de no tener un momento como familia para tener un encuentro con el Papa, repentinamente se convirtió en una profunda alegría cuando fuí invitada por el Padre Julio César Torres para formar parte del equipo de logística en la Catedral de Morelia en el encuentro con los niños. Resulta que el Padre Torres siendo nuestro Vicario Parroquial en el Divino Niño Jesús en Morelia, fue designado por el Cardenal Alberto Suárez Inda, ( ahora, retirado) para organizar este encuentro entre el Papa y los chicos. En esta reunión, estaba previsto que el Papa entrara por la sacristía de la Catedral para luego dirigirse a la nave central donde estarían los niños. Durante este corto recorrido él iba a saludar brevemente a los líderes de otras denominaciones religiosas locales y los directores y rectores de las universidades estatales. Mi trabajo fue precisamente acompañar a los rectores en las horas previas a la llegada del Papa (diez horas) y después debería pasar a la nave central donde estaría con un mayor número de personas. Los rectores de las universidades era un grupo pequeño quizá de 15 a 20 personas. Eso permitiría una oportunidad única para poder saludarlo. Pretendiendo hacerme pequeña en un rincón para no llamar la atención, obviamente no fue posible porque todo el equipo de logística estábamos vestidos igual. Alguno de los miembros de la Guardia Vaticana se acercó para preguntarme ¿usted tiene que estar aquí? yo con mucha seguridad le respondí ¿por supuesto, tengo que estar aquí? Eso fue todo, no más preguntas y solo me quedé ahí como soldadito esperando que no me pidieran que me saliera. Los guardias del Vaticano muy profesionales  indicaron no usar teléfonos celulares, o cámaras fotográficas y solo recomiendan, permitir que el equipo del Vaticano haga este trabajo. Yo estaba consciente de que no iba a tener otra oportunidad como esa para poder ver al Papa tan cerca, así que me aferré a mi deseo de verlo por un momento. Con las emociones a flor de piel, todos los que estuvimos  en esa sala  sabíamos que la espera había valido la pena cuando vimos entrar a ese hombre vestido de blanco, que transmite una paz inexplicable solo con su presencia, su sonrisa radiante y un rostro afable y sumamente amistoso. El Papa entró, acompañado por el Cardenal, Alberto Suárez Inda, saludando de mano a cada uno de los directivos. En mi turno, le pedí su bendición y accedió muy gustosamente,poniendo su mano sobre mi cabeza. Luego, sin hacer ningún distingo (porque era un detalle que  había preparado para los rectores de las universidades ), también a mí me obsequió una de esas medallas conmemorativas con motivo de su viaje apostólico a México. Ver al Papa a los ojos y estrechar su mano  fue una experiencia indescriptible de gozo que no podía contener y estaba tan emocionada que sin darme cuenta de lo que hacía me salí por la puerta de la sacristía, en lugar de entrar a la nave central. Estaba tan feliz llena de paz y alegría por haber podido saludar al Papa y recibir su bendición tan amorosamente, fue un momento de emoción incontenible. Nuestro encuentro fue breve de un par de minutos tal vez, pero suficiente para quedar llena de confianza, afabilidad, mansedumbre y tantos dones que el Papa Francisco nos permitió experimentar solamente con estar cerca de él y que me han acompañado desde entonces.  El momento de tristeza, reclamo y sentido de abandono que antes había experimentado, se había ido, “Dios siempre nos sorprende convirtiendo en gozo la tristeza de los afligidos”. Cuando me vi sola en el atrio de la Catedral, salí de mi estupor y me percaté de que debería haberme dirigido a  la nave central de la Catedral donde está con los niños y todos mis compañeros del staff, regresé de inmediato para escuchar su mensaje a los niños. ¡Qué día de Bendición! Luego de escuchar un canto que los niños le prepararon, el Papa los felicitó y les dijo: “Sigan siendo creativos, sigan así, buscando la belleza, las cosas lindas, las cosas que duran siempre y nunca se dejen pisotear por nadie. “Les pido que recen por mí y que de vez en cuando me canten una canción, aunque esté lejos. Chau, hasta luego, que Dios los bendiga”. En este viaje apostólico número XII, el Papa Francisco dejó una profunda huella de esperanza en momentos que nuestra sociedad pasaba por momentos de oscuridad y desánimo en todos los niveles político económico y social. Antes de llegar a la República Mexicana, el Papa había pasado por Cuba. En México, la visita se realizó del12 al 17 de febrero. La primera reunión la realizó con más de 20 mil religiosas, religiosos y sacerdotes. A quienes les recordó la importancia de oración “nuestra vida habla de la oración y la oración habla de nuestra vida” les dijo el Papa seguido de un fuerte llamado a no realizar su ministerio como empleados.  El Papa Francisco, les recomendó a los sacerdotes y religiosos ahí reunidos “No queremos ser funcionarios de lo divino, no somos ni queremos ser nunca empleados de la empresa de Dios, porque somos invitados a participar de su vida, somos invitados a introducirnos en su corazón, un corazón que reza”. En la reunión con jóvenes en el estadio de Futbol José María Morelos más de 40 mil jóvenes participaron, el Papa Francisco les habló de los peligros del narcotráfico, la desesperanza y la falta de oportunidades que afectan a los jóvenes. Les alentó a reconocer que son la riqueza de su país y de la Iglesia y que solo en Dios deben poner su confianza porque es Él quien renueva continuamente en nosotros la esperanza, Es Él quien renueva continuamente nuestra mirada. Es Él quien despierta en mí, o sea en cada uno de nosotros, el encanto de disfrutar, el encanto de soñar, el encanto de trabajar juntos. Es Él quien continuamente me invita a convertir el corazón. Cuando todo parezca pesado dijo el Papa a los jóvenes, cuando parezca que se nos viene el mundo encima, abracen su cruz, abrácenlo a Él. Por favor, nunca se suelten de su mano, aunque los esté llevando adelante arrastrando y si se caen una vez déjense levantar por Él. Y les compartió esta frase que viene de una canción de los alpinistas “en el arte de ascender al triunfo no está en no caer sino en no permanecer caído.  Solo la mano de Jesús nos sostiene determinó el Papa. Porque de la mano de Jesucristo es posible vivir a fondo, de su mano es posible creer que la vida vale la pena dar lo mejor de sí, ser fermento, ser sal, ser luz en medio de sus amigos, de sus barrios, de su comunidad, en medio de la familia. Nunca dejen de lado a la familia les insistió.

En su primer mensaje, el Papa llama a todos a trabajar en unidad y la construcción de puentes para alcanzar la paz. Vero Gutiérrez Editora Asistente El cardenal Robert Francis Prevost, ha sido elegido nuevo Papa en el segundo día del cónclave.  El nuevo Pontífice se convierte en el Papa número 267, sucesor de San Pedro en la historia de nuestra Iglesia Católica, y será conocido como León XIV. En su primer mensaje el Papa León XIV anunció la unidad y la paz como una Iglesia misionera abierta a todo el mundo.  Aseguró que tenemos que ir tomados de la mano de Dios para avanzar porque el mundo necesita de su lucha. “Vamos a construir los puentes, con diálogos y encuentros, para hacer un solo pueblo viviendo en paz”, dijo el Papa.  En la cuarta fumata de este segundo día del cónclave en que celebramos a Nuestra Señora Santa María Mediadora, los católicos de todo el mundo recibieron con entusiasmo esta noticia al ver la esperada fumata blanca que anunciaba, que tres cuartas partes de los votos de los cardenales recaían en el cardenal Robert Francis Prevost. Este Pontífice es el primer Papa estadounidense con formación agustina, tiene 69 años y nació el 14 de septiembre de 1955 en Chicago, Illinois, es de ascendencia italiana, francesa y española. El Papa León XIV llegó a Perú en una misión agustiniana en 1985, tan solo tres años después de ordenarse sacerdote y regresó en 1988 para dirigir el seminario agustiniano de la ciudad norteña de Trujillo durante diez años. En 2015, obtuvo la nacionalidad peruana, ingresó en la orden agustiniana y dedicó gran parte de sus primeros años de sacerdocio a la labor misionera en Perú, donde también llegó a ser miembro de la Conferencia Episcopal Peruana. En 2023, Prevost fue nombrado prefecto del Dicasterio para los Obispos, encargado de supervisar los nombramientos de obispos en todo el mundo, lo que le situó en el centro del gobierno de la Iglesia.  Se espera que este Papa sea un buen líder para la Iglesia en los desafíos a los que se enfrenta el mundo de hoy, ya que es considerando que es evaluado como un buen moderador y unificador con amplia experiencia internacional y administrativa.  Habemus Papam: Leo XIV In his first message, the Pope calls on everyone to work in unity and build bridges to achieve peace. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected the new Pope on the second day of the conclave. The new Pontiff becomes the 267th Pope, successor of Saint Peter in the history of our Catholic Church, and will be known as Leo XIV. In his first message, Pope Leo XIV proclaimed unity and peace, describing the Church as a missionary one, open to the entire world. He affirmed that we must walk hand in hand with God to move forward, because the world needs His struggle. “We are going to build bridges, through dialogue and encounters, to create one people living in peace,” said the Pope. During the fourth smoke signal of the second day of the conclave—on the feast of Our Lady Mary Mediatrix—Catholics around the world enthusiastically received the news as they witnessed the long-awaited white smoke announcing that three-quarters of the cardinals' votes had gone to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost. This Pontiff is the first American Pope with Augustinian formation. He is 69 years old and was born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois. He has Italian, French, and Spanish ancestry. Pope Leo XIV arrived in Peru on an Augustinian mission in 1985, just three years after being ordained a priest. He returned in 1988 to lead the Augustinian seminary in the northern city of Trujillo for ten years. In 2015, he obtained Peruvian nationality, joined the Augustinian order, and dedicated much of his early priesthood to missionary work in Peru, where he also became a member of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference. In 2023, Prevost was appointed Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, responsible for overseeing the appointment of bishops worldwide, placing him at the heart of the Church’s governance. This Pope is expected to be a strong leader for the Church in facing today’s global challenges, as he is regarded as a good moderator and unifier with broad international and administrative experience.

Photo from the Vatican Media Live Stream Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, the Chicago-born prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops under Pope Francis, was elected the 267th pope May 8 and took the name Pope Leo XIV. He is the first North American to be elected pope and, before the conclave, was the U.S. cardinal most mentioned as a potential successor of St. Peter. The white smoke poured from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel at 6:07 p.m. Rome time and a few minutes later the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica began to ring. About 20 minutes later the Vatican police band and two dozen members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard marched into St. Peter’s Square. They soon were joined by the marching band of the Italian Carabinieri, a branch of military police, and by units of the other branches of the Italian military. As soon as news began to spread, people from all over Rome ran to join the tens of thousands who were already in the square for the smoke watch. Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri was among them. French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, protodeacon of the College of Cardinals, appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at 7:12 p.m. He told the crowd: “I announce to you a great joy. We have a pope (‘Habemus papam’),” saying the cardinal’s name in Latin and announcing the name by which he will be called. Cardinals over the age of 80, who were not eligible to enter the conclave, joined the crowd in the square. Among them were Cardinals Seán P. O’Malley, the retired archbishop of Boston; Donald W. Wuerl, the retired archbishop of Washington; and Marc Ouellet, retired prefect of the Congregation for Bishops. A longtime missionary in Peru, the 69-year-old pope holds both U.S. and Peruvian citizenship. La Repubblica, the major Italian daily, described him April 25 as “cosmopolitan and shy,” but also said he was “appreciated by conservatives and progressives. He has global visibility in a conclave in which few (cardinals) know each other.” That visibility comes from the fact that as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops for the past two years, he was instrumental in helping Pope Francis choose bishops for many Latin-rite dioceses, he met hundreds of bishops during their “ad limina” visits to Rome and was called to assist the world’s Latin-rite bishops “in all matters concerning the correct and fruitful exercise of the pastoral office entrusted to them.” The new pope was serving as bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, when Pope Francis called him to the Vatican in January 2023. During a talk at St. Jude Parish in Chicago in August, the then-cardinal said Pope Francis nominated him “specifically because he did not want someone from the Roman Curia to take on this role. He wanted a missionary; he wanted someone from outside; he wanted someone who would come in with a different perspective.” In a March 2024 interview with Catholic News Service, he said Pope Francis’ decision in 2022 to name three women as full members of the dicastery, giving them input on the selection of bishops “contributes significantly to the process of discernment in looking for who we hope are the best candidates to serve the church in episcopal ministry.” To deter attitudes of clericalism among bishops, he said, “it’s important to find men who are truly interested in serving, in preaching the Gospel, not just with eloquent words, but rather with the example and witness they give.” In fact, the cardinal said, Pope Francis’ “most effective and important” bulwark against clericalism was his being “a pastor who preaches by gesture.” In an interview in 2023 with Vatican News, then-Cardinal Prevost spoke about the essential leadership quality of a bishop. “Pope Francis has spoken of four types of closeness: closeness to God, to brother bishops, to priests and to all God’s people,” he said. “One must not give in to the temptation to live isolated, separated in a palace, satisfied with a certain social level or a certain level within the church.” “And we must not hide behind an idea of authority that no longer makes sense today,” he said. “The authority we have is to serve, to accompany priests, to be pastors and teachers.” As prefect of the dicastery then-Cardinal Prevost also served as president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, where nearly 40% of the world’s Catholics reside. A Chicago native, he also served as prior general of the Augustinians and spent more than two decades serving in Peru, first as an Augustinian missionary and later as bishop of Chiclayo. Soon after coming to Rome to head the dicastery, he told Vatican News that bishops have a special mission of promoting the unity of the church. “The lack of unity is a wound that the church suffers, a very painful one,” he said in May 2023. “Divisions and polemics in the church do not help anything. We bishops especially must accelerate this movement toward unity, toward communion in the church.” In September, a television program in Peru reported on the allegations of three women who said that then-Bishop Prevost failed to act against a priest who sexually abused them as minors. The diocese strongly denied the accusation, pointing out that he personally met with the victims in April 2022, removed the priest from his parish, suspended him from ministry and conducted a local investigation that was then forwarded to the Vatican. The Vatican said there was insufficient evidence to proceed, as did the local prosecutor’s office. Pope Leo was born Sept. 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the Augustinian-run Villanova University in Pennsylvania and joined the order in 1977, making his solemn vows in 1981. He holds a degree in theology from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and a doctorate from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He joined the Augustinian mission in Peru in 1985 and largely worked in the country until 1999 when he was elected head of the Augustinians’ Chicago-based province. From 2001 to 2013, he served as prior general of the worldwide order. In 2014, Pope Francis named him bishop of Chiclayo, in northern Peru, and the pope asked him also to be apostolic administrator of Callao, Peru, from April 2020 to May 2021. The new pope speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese and can read Latin and German.

Black smoke emerged from the chimney over the Sistine Chapel at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, signaling that the Conclave's first round of balloting concluded without the election of a new pope. (Photo/Vatican News Service) VATICAN CITY - Black smoke billowed over the Sistine Chapel at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, following the first round of voting, signaling no pope was elected. Two-thirds of the 133 cardinal electors are needed for a new leader of the Roman Catholic Church to be chosen. Since 1939, only two of the last seven popes have been elected on the first day of the Conclave. No pope in the last 86 years required more than three days. Votes are handwritten and cast individually into special urns. The top of the ballot reads “Eligo in Summun Pontificem” (“I elect as the Supreme Pontiff”). Ballots are counted by three “scrutineers.” The work is checked by three “revisers.” The ballot counters and verifiers are chosen by lot at the start of the conclave. One round of voting is expected the first day. Each day after, two votes are taken in the morning and two votes in the afternoon until a successful vote. Should the conclave extend longer than 4 days, the electors will spend additional time in prayer and discussion before voting resumes. A chimney is installed on the roof of the Sistine Chapel for the conclave. In the back corner of the chapel, a stove is set to burn ballots and related papers, including notes taken by the electors, each morning and afternoon. If balloting is not successful, the smoke burns black with the help of an added chemical. If balloting is successful, a chemical is added to produce the celebratory white smoke - the signal that the Church has a new pope. The one who is elected is asked if he accepts the election as pope. If he accepts, he chooses the name he will take. From the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, the senior cardinal deacon proclaims, “Habemus papam!” (We have a pope!”), and announces his name. The new pontiff appears on the balcony and imparts his first papal blessing. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, gives the homily in St. Peter’s Basilica at the ‘Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice’ Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on May 7, 2025. (Photo/Daniel Ibañez, CNA)

Cardinals prepare to begin the conclave to elect a new pope in the Sistine Chapel on May 7, 2025. (Photo/Vatican Media) By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service (CNS) VATICAN CITY — Novels and films that include or revolve around a conclave often include nefarious plotting, or at least politicking, and attempts to wing it when it comes to the rules for electing a new pope. But “those rules are set in stone,” Kurt Martens, a professor of canon law at The Catholic University of America in Washington, told Catholic News Service  March 12, while at the Vatican to do research. If something in the rules is unclear, the cardinals can seek to clarify it, “but that hasn’t happened” since St. John Paul II issued his rules for the conclave in the 1996 apostolic constitution, “Universi Dominici Gregis,” Martens said. The document was slightly revised by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007 and again just before he resigned in 2013. “So, things are very clear,” the professor said, “they have to follow everything by the book.” The rules specify that the cardinals should wait at least 15 days after the death or resignation of the pope to begin the conclave, but they should wait no more than 20 days. The conclave began on Wednesday, May 7 and will continue until a pope is elected. Only cardinals under the age of 80 when a pope dies or resigns are eligible to enter the Sistine Chapel to elect his successor. But with 135 potential cardinal electors, who have gathered as a group only when the latest were created in December, it cannot be said that they know each other well. “They have never been in a gathering together other than a formal liturgical celebration,” Martens said. “They have never been in a meeting, in a consistory where they could exchange ideas with the pope and with each other.” The faithful gather before St. Peter's Basilica and in St. Peter's Square amid the conclave's voting for the next pope, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo/Pål Johannes Nes) Although there were not quite so many electors, the conclaves that elected Blessed John Paul I in 1978, St. John Paul II in 1978, Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 and Pope Francis in 2013 all succeeded in sending up white smoke on the second day of the conclave. And to be elected pope, a candidate must garner at least two-thirds of the votes. “The Holy Spirit is the official answer” to the question of how the conclaves conclude so quickly, Martens said. But, in the Church’s understanding of how that works, human cooperation with the Spirit is also involved. The primary reason for a relatively quick election “is because the cardinals are prepared,” he said. “They have done their homework.” The very first description in canon law of a cardinal’s task is to belong to “a special college which provides for the election of the Roman Pontiff.” The cardinals know from the day they receive their red hats that electing a pope is a task unique to them. They will have met some cardinals over the years, worked with them as members of Vatican dicasteries and read about others. But between the death or resignation of a pope and the start of the conclave, all the cardinals — both electors and those over the age of 80 — also meet daily in a general congregation. There, they handle important church business but also discuss the state of the church and of the world. It is the formal occasion for a cardinal to hone his discernment about the qualities needed in the next pope. And the coffee breaks and mealtimes also help. The cardinals do not openly ask each other, “Are you a candidate? Shall we elect you?” Martens said, but they pose questions and “they kind of put feelers out and whatnot.” While the majority of cardinals are being asked to elect a successor to the pope who made them cardinals, it is unlikely they are looking for a carbon copy of the most recent pope. History shows a trend of cardinals electing a candidate “to correct” some aspect of the last pope’s pontificate, Martens said. That is the source of the adage: “After a short pope, we have a tall pope. After a thin pope, we have a fat pope. After an intellectual, we have more a pastoral person.” The faithful gather before St. Peter's Basilica and in St. Peter's Square amid the conclave's voting for the next pope, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo/Pål Johannes Nes) Another characteristic of the conclave, and even of the general congregation meetings, is the vow of secrecy binding all participants. Martens said the concern for secrecy, affirmed and reaffirmed by recent popes when revising the conclave rules, is because the Church wants to ensure “the election of the Roman Pontiff is free from external interference, both from pressure groups in the Church as well as from political actors,” as has happened throughout history. But, he said, today there are other ways people try to influence the outcome, particularly with websites and social media. “There are people who are putting information out there that is not just information, but that is a way to influence potential cardinal electors,” he said. When the information provided is “colored in one way or another,” focusing on the authors’ key concerns or interpretations of Catholic orthodoxy, “technically speaking that falls under the conclave rules that forbid that you try to influence a future conclave.” “The cardinals have to be free of any pressure, be it political pressure, be it pressure from civil governments, be it pressure from groups within or outside the Church,” Martens said.

Knights of Columbus open milestone event to public for first time in state history Father Camilo García (back row, center), pastor of St. Nicholas Parish in Rupert, and Deacons Paul Hensheid (front row, center left) and José Medina (front row, center right) join with Fourth Degree Knights during Easter of the 2025 Jubilee Year. (Courtesy Photo/Nina Iturra) By Brad Bugger and Roy Bartholomay for the ICR MERIDIAN - You’ve probably seen the colorfully adorned Knights members at civic and church events, serving as honor guards or color corps, respectfully standing at members’ funerals or during Eucharistic Adoration. The tradition tied to serving in full regalia goes back about 125 years. That is when the Knights of Columbus held their first Fourth Degree exemplification in New York City. The Fourth Degree is the official K of C rank for men desiring to embrace the Order’s fourth principle: patriotism. These men lead the Knights’ efforts to support veterans and active military. Founded in 1882, the Knights of Columbus was formerly based on only three binding principles: charity, unity and fraternity. At that time, people feared that members of the Catholic faith owed their allegiance to the Church and could not be trusted as citizens of their country. Patriotism was added to the Order’s principles in 1900, making clear that Knights are loyal to both God and country. This year marks the 125th anniversary of the Patriotic Order of the Knights of Columbus, and to celebrate, Bishop Sylvester Treinen Assembly 2751 in Meridian is hosting the Fourth Degree exemplification on Saturday, May 17, at 2:15 p.m. in Holy Apostles Parish hall. “In a change this year, the Knights Patriotic Exemplification is now open to the public so all can come and learn about Catholic patriotic Americans in the history of our country,” said Roy Bartholomay, Idaho District Master. Members of the Fourth Degree have the honor of holding the title “Sir Knight,” participating in color and honor guards, and organizing programs promoting Catholic citizenship. They also become part of a Fourth Degree Assembly in their area. Idaho has 22 Assemblies with over 1,100 members. One of the major initiatives of the Knight’s Fourth Degree program is the “Serving Those Who Served Program,” which supports Veterans Affairs facilities. The Knights of Columbus have representatives at almost every Veterans Affairs medical clinic in the United States, where they recruit and manage K of C volunteers in developing activities and programs that aid patients’ most essential needs. Chuck Boisvert from Meridian is Idaho’s Veterans Representative. He can be reached at (208) 890-8577. The Fourth Degree has also supported priests, specifically those who go on to serve as military chaplains. Through a special scholarship program, the Knights help fund the education of seminarians preparing to become Catholic chaplains in the U.S. Armed Forces. This year the Knights of Columbus is honoring Korean and Vietnam War veterans by setting up a room with the name of Knights of Columbus veterans both living and deceased in the Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center in New Haven, Conn. Idaho will have the names of 55 Knights of Columbus on the wall that were compiled through a statewide census. Anyone interested in attending this historic ceremony should contact their local Knights of Columbus Assembly or Council. Roy Bartholomay can also be reached at (208) 390-3840 or by email at royrugger@msn.com . If you would like to become a member of the Knights of Columbus and are a practicing Catholic male over the age of 18, you can join by visiting kofc.org . The first Idaho Exemplification of the Fourth Degree occurred 99 years ago, on May 30, 1926, in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Boise. There were 106 candidates, and Bishop Gorman presided, along with Supreme Master John Reddin. Eleven Idaho councils were present at the 1926 Exemplification. (Courtesy Photo/Roy Bartholomay) Knights of Columbus Councils present in 1926 at the first Exemplification: Pocatello Council 892 Boise Sacred Heart Council 899 Lewiston Council 1024 Wallace Council 1293 Coeur D’Alene Council 1363 Cottonwood Council 1389 Moscow Council 1397 Twin Falls Council 1416 Genesee Council 1554 Idaho Falls Council 1663 Nampa Council 2014

Mountain Home, Meridian, Moscow, Rupert and Boise to be graced with new deacons Deacon candidate Allen Darrow and wife Lorna. By Philip A. Janquart ICR Assistant Editor “It has been such an amazing blessing to journey with these wonderful men and their spouses and see the grace of God at work in their lives,” said Deacon Salvador Carranza, director of the Office of the Permanent Diaconate. Bishop Peter F. Christensen will ordain five men to the permanent diaconate on Friday, June 6 at 5 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Boise. The ordination marks the culmination of years of prayer, discernment and formation for the candidates and their families, as the men prepare to serve the Church and their communities in a new and profound way. Those to be ordained are Allen Darrow from Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Mountain Home, Tim Perrigot from St. Nicholas Parish in Rupert, Curtis Chatterton from Holy Apostles Parish in Meridian, Eric Meyer from St. Augustine Parish in Moscow, and Jason Jaszkowiak from St. Mary’s Parish in Boise. Ordinations are commonly held at midday on Saturdays, but this year the liturgy will be held on Friday evening at 5 p.m. with the annual Deacon Couples Retreat following on Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8 at Our Lady of the Rosary in Boise. The newly ordained deacons will be able to attend the retreat. “We take this opportunity to extend a humble invitation to all our brother deacons and their spouses to attend the ordinations on Friday and the annual retreat,” said Deacon Carranza. ALLEN DARROW Born in a small town in northeastern Pennsylvania, Allen Darrow’s earliest memories include attending weekly church services. By the time he was 15, however, he began working his first job, after school and on weekends, which put a stop to church attendance. “I thought I could continue practicing my faith just through prayer,” Allen explained. “But as time passed, my prayer life began to dwindle until it was nonexistent.” Years later, he met his wife Lorna at a Popeye’s restaurant on Mountain Home Air Force Base, where he was stationed. Though she was exactly the person he was looking for, the story would not unfold until several months later, when an interior voice kept telling him to contact her. After work on Sept. 2, 2011, he responded. “I made the phone call that changed my life forever,” said the 24-year Air Force veteran. “We went on our first date on Sept. 4. On Sept. 8, I deployed to Africa for two months.” When he returned, Lorna met him at the base and later asked if he would attend church with her. “I responded, ‘I’d love to,’” Allen said. “I attended Mass for the first time that weekend. The love of God I had been missing, and my faith journey, came flooding back over me.” The two married on Sept. 22, 2012, and Allen began his journey through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). In search of a Confirmation name, he discovered his birthday, August 10, was also the feast day of St. Lawrence, one of seven deacons of Rome under Pope Sixtus II. He chose St. Lawrence, a martyr and patron saint of deacons, as his patron. Over the next several years, after serving as a Eucharistic minister and lector, and as a member of the Knights of Columbus, Allen and Lorna discussed and prayed about his possible diaconate formation. “On a Sunday in March of 2020, I asked Father Germán Osorio for information on the diaconate. He said, ‘I got you, bro!’ The very next day, I got a call from the Diocese of Boise. Father had submitted a letter of recommendation for me,” Allen said.  He added, “If there is one Gospel verse that I try every day to live in my life, it must be Matthew 25:40: ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ There is no single moment in our lives when our conversion is complete. Conversion happens over the entire span of our lives until death. I want to spend my life knowing, loving, and serving God!” From left, son-in-law Drew Vanderzanden, Katie (Perrigot) Vanderzanden, wife Keri Perrigot, deacon candidate Tim Perrigot, daughter-in-law Kayla Perrigot and son John Perrigot. (Courtesy Photo/Tim Perrigot) TIM PERRIGOT “My life has always revolved around faith, family, and football – always in that order,” Tim said, explaining his life’s priorities. “I have felt called by God to become a deacon, a calling that began in my childhood after reading a Marvel comic book about Pope John Paul II. That conversation with God has continued throughout my life, most recently during a trip to Montana. Now, as I prepare for retirement, I look forward to a new chapter in my journey of faith.” Tim was born in Janesville, Wis., but moved west with his family at the age of 3. He grew up in Durango, Colo., where he regularly attended Mass at St. Columba Parish. “My father ensured we arrived an hour early every Sunday,” he said. “Those early mornings were rewarded with family breakfasts, forging a lasting connection between faith and family. Throughout high school and college, I remained active in the Church, serving as an altar boy and continuing my religious education.” Faith was always deeply ingrained in his family life. Tim’s mother instilled in him the importance of prayer and mandated that he and his siblings say the rosary as a form of meaningful penance for missing Mass. “My grandfather prayed the rosary while driving, a habit that influenced me to carry a pocket rosary throughout my life,” Tim said. “On stressful days, it serves as a reminder of what truly matters and an ever-present call to prayer.” Tim met his wife, Keri, in college and were married at Holy Apostles in Colorado Springs. “I accepted my first teaching job in Rupert. We expected to return to Colorado, but 30 years later – two children and nine dogs – we remain in Idaho, deeply involved in our community and church,” he said. “Our children attended St. Nicholas Catholic School, and our daughter Katie later graduated from Carroll College in Helena, Montana.” Tim’s coaching career spanned two decades as the head football coach at Minico High School. “Early struggles eventually led to success, culminating in a state championship appearance during my final season, with my son, John, as the quarterback. That year, something special happened – our team started holding voluntary prayer sessions after practice, something no team I had coached before had done. I could feel Christ’s presence in the locker room, guiding us.” Tim currently serves as the superintendent of Wendell Schools, but will retire following the 2025 school year after 33 years in public education. He said he plans to embrace his next calling as a deacon. “I see this as a humbling opportunity to serve the Catholic Church, believing that the experiences and skills I have developed over my lifetime have prepared me for this role,” he said. “As I have often told my players and children, ‘It’s go time!’ And now, it’s go time for my next chapter of faith and service.” From left, Sydney, Corinne, deacon candidate Curtis, Jenny, Davis, Carson and Lauren Chatterton. (Courtesy photo/Curtis Chatterton) CURTIS CHATTERTON Curtis and his wife, Jenny, who met as students at Boise State University, will celebrate their 24th wedding anniversary this summer. They have five children: Sydney, 18; Lauren, 16; Davis, 9; Corinne (aka Coco), 6; and Carson, 3. He grew up in the Catholic Church, attending St. Anthony School in Pocatello. Curtis then moved to Weiser, attending Weiser Middle School and Weiser High School in the small farming community where he was an altar server at St. Agnes parish.  “Jenny grew up in the LDS faith, but we agreed to attend the Catholic Church together and raise our children in the Catholic faith,” Curtis explained. “After 14 years, Jenny converted to the Catholic faith and was baptized and Confirmed on her birthday, April 4, 2015. Jenny and I have been attending Holy Apostles in Meridian since we moved to Meridian in 2011 and have made this our home. We love Meridian and Holy Apostles!”  Jenny quit working outside the home after Sydney and Lauren were born and is currently homeschooling Davis, Corinne and Carson. Curtis has been employed by Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) for 20 years and works from its corporate offices as the director of environmental operations. The large manufacturing company makes corrugated boxes like the ones used by Amazon. Curtis ensures compliance, such as environmental permitting and wastewater treatment, at PCA’s 90 box plants nationwide. “There have been several events that have assured me this is what God wants me to do, especially when I had my own doubts,” he said. “I am now at a point where I feel confident that I am where God wants me to be, and I am excited to be ordained in June, God willing. While I don’t know exactly how God wants to use me in the future, that is part of the excitement. His plan is always much better than my ideas. I am just excited to be a servant, hoping to lead others to God and our ultimate home in heaven.”  From left, Regan Monnin, Jordan Monnin, Heather Meyer, Emilia Meyer, deacon candidate Eric Meyer, Madelynn Meyer and Elizabeth Meyer. (Courtesy Photo/Eric Meyer) ERIC MEYER Eric and his wife, Heather, celebrated 28 years of marriage in January, and live in the Moscow area. Heather was raised Lutheran, and Eric is a cradle Catholic.  Their faith journey began early in their marriage, with Heather completing the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). Eric has spent his professional career as a marketing and sales professional in the pharmaceutical business. His career path took the family through multiple relocations across the country. “All told, our four girls are grown and productive,” he said. “Regan and her husband Jordan live and work in Ohio. Madelynn works in finance in Chicago. Emilia is a new pilot and student at the University of Idaho, and Elizabeth is completing high school.” Eric said the discernment that led to the diaconate took ten years, but the process enabled him and Heather to deepen in the call to serve. From left, deacon candidate Jason Jaszkowiak, son Trenton, wife Pamila, baby Joy and daughter Lucy. (Courtesy photo/Jason Jaszkowiak) JASON JASZKOWIAK Jason and his wife Pamila have been married for 11 years and have three children: Trenton, 10, Lucy, 8, and Joy, 5 months. Jason has spent most of his time as a stay-at-home father, but he recently began substitute teaching at St. Mary’s School and Bishop Kelly High School. Pamila, whom Jason met in college, is an engineer at Idaho Power. “I’ve always been drawn toward the Church,” Jason said. “Watching my dad, who would bring me to Church every weekend, showed me the true importance of the Mass and Christ and His Church. I would take note whenever he would bow his head, make the sign of the cross, or (though he will vehemently deny this) shed tears.” Inspired by his father’s example and willingness to serve, Jason trained as an altar server in the third grade. “I helped out almost every weekend through college,” he said. “I helped out as an altar server and trained new servers. I also trained to serve as a Eucharistic minister. My wife, having gone to Mass with me, made a deeper commitment as well and converted to Catholicism. After a few years, she met some people in the Dominican Order and became a professed lay member, even serving on their council.” At some point, Jason and Pamela began discussing Jason becoming a deacon. “It was something I’d had in the back of my mind for a while, but hadn’t fully explored the possibility. So, after more conversing, I met with Deacon Barros-Bailey to see what it would take to start this journey.  His answers (and follow-up questions) were short and to the point, but they really made me take a hard look at my own life and what the Church meant to me.” Jason discerned for a year and, through the “tenacity” of Deacon Bob, finally answered the call. “My wife and I were in a good place in our relationship, my children were growing up (much too fast), and everything I could think of as a roadblock just vanished, or became less of a stumbling block. It felt as though God was clearing the path for me,” he said. “During my time in formation, I had the opportunity to meet some of the most incredible men I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. The men and their wives in my cohort are some of the best examples of holy men and women I could ask for. When times got tough, I’ve looked up to them and viewed them as good examples of what I want to strive for. I can only hope to be that for someone else.” Jason said Deacon Salvador Carranza took over the formation program after Deacon Bob retired. “Deacon Sal has done an excellent job of making us all feel comfortable and secure in our formation,” he said. “I’ve had several deep conversations with him, and I’ve never come away empty-handed. One of my favorite quotes that he gave me was after the Mass where I was installed as an acolyte, and I was making a comment about our new baby crying, and he said, ‘Let her cry for those who can’t.’” Jason added: “As we approach the end of this formation, I realize that this isn’t an end—there’s no graduation here. In fact, this whole process is just to get us to the starting line. We learn how to live together as a family, then as a community, then as a Church. Through all the learning, we become more deeply attuned with what God has called us to be: servants.” Deacon Carranza requested that everyone keep the deacons on their prayer lists as June 7 approaches. “Thank you ever so much for your continued prayers and support,” he said. “May our Lord continue to fill your homes and your hearts with an abundance of His peace. ”

Por ahora, la silla está vacante, mientras los 133 cardenales reunidos trabajan en la elección de un nuevo pontífice  (ICR Foto/ Memo Gutiérrez Carbajal)  Vero Gutiérrez  Editora Asistente   El cónclave comenzó este miércoles 7 de mayo y las miradas de todo el mundo ahora están puestas en la pequeña chimenea del techo de la Capilla Sixtina donde esperamos que salga una fumata blanca y se anuncie el nombre del nuevo Papa la icónica frase “Habemus Papam”.  En este mes de mayo, especialmente dedicado a la Santísima Virgen María, tiene lugar este histórico cónclave en el que participan 133 cardenales para elegir al Papa número 267, sucesor de San Pedro y encargado de dirigir la Iglesia Católica. Antes de cerrar las puertas de la Capilla Sixtina los cardenales han participado en la Misa “Pro eligiendo Pontifice”, celebrada en la Basílica de San Pedro. En esta celebración especial, también participaron no solo los cardenales electores, sino también aquellos que, por edad, ya no tienen derecho a voto; asistieron a también obispos y una gran cantidad de fieles.  El cardenal Giovanni Battista Re, decano del Colegio Cardenalicio, estuvo a cargo de la homilía y en su mensaje invocó la luz del Espíritu Santo para que sea elegido el Papa “que la Iglesia y la humanidad necesitan en este momento de la historia tan difícil y complejo”.  El cardenal Giovanni Battista, que, por cierto, es uno de los cardenales que no podrá participar en esta votación porque tiene 91 años, enfatizó que, así como ocurrió en Pentecostés, cuando los apóstoles se encontraban reunidos con la Santísima Virgen, en este cónclave los cardenales se encuentran “bajo la mirada de la Virgen”.  Acompañados por toda la Iglesia, que también está llamada a mantenerse en oración, especialmente durante estos días del cónclave, el cardenal Battista puntualizó que todos los que formamos el pueblo de Dios estamos unidos por un sentido de fe, amor al Papa y esperanza.  Además, afirmó que este es un momento de máxima responsabilidad humana y eclesial.  El cardenal, subrayó que se trata de una decisión muy importante y que es un acto humano en el que hay que abandonar cualquier consideración personal, y tener únicamente en mente y en el corazón al Dios de Jesucristo y el bien de la Iglesia y de la humanidad.   Una vez concluida la Misa, todos los cardenales se dirigieron en procesión hasta la Capilla Sixtina.  Ahí, se llevarán a cabo las votaciones en el cónclave palabra que proviene del latín cum clave (bajo llave), ya que literalmente estarán encerrados durante las votaciones y aislados de cualquier tipo de comunicación externa.   A partir del 8 de mayo, los cardenales se congregarán cada día en la Capilla Sixtina. Se espera que haya cuatro votaciones diarias, dos por la mañana y dos por la tarde. Para que un candidato sea elegido Papa, deberá obtener al menos una mayoría de dos tercios de los votos.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, gives the homily in St. Peter’s Basilica at the ‘Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice’ Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on May 7, 2025. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA By Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re Vatican City, May 7, 2025 / 04:43 am Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, delivered this homily at the “Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice" (“For the Election of the Roman Pontiff”) Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on May 7, 2025, just hours before the cardinals entered the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis. We read in the Acts of the Apostles that after Christ’s ascension into heaven and while waiting for Pentecost, all were united and persevering in prayer together with Mary, the mother of Jesus (cf. Acts 1:14). This is precisely what we are doing a few hours before the beginning of the conclave, under the gaze of Our Lady beside the altar, in this basilica which rises above the tomb of the Apostle Peter. We feel united with the entire people of God in their sense of faith, love for the pope, and confident expectation. We are here to invoke the help of the Holy Spirit, to implore his light and strength so that the pope elected may be he whom the Church and humanity need at this difficult and complex turning point in history. To pray, by invoking the Holy Spirit, is the only right and proper attitude to take as the cardinal electors prepare to undertake an act of the highest human and ecclesial responsibility and to make a choice of exceptional importance. This is a human act for which every personal consideration must be set aside, keeping in mind and heart only the God of Jesus Christ and the good of the Church and of humanity. In the Gospel that has been proclaimed, words resound that bring us to the heart of the supreme message and testament of Jesus, delivered to his apostles on the evening of the Last Supper in the upper room: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” As if to clarify this “as I have loved you,” and to indicate how far our love must go, Jesus goes on to say: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn 15:12-13). This is the message of love, which Jesus calls a “new” commandment. It is new because it transforms into something positive, and greatly expands, the admonition of the Old Testament that said, “Do not do to others what you would not want done to you.” The love that Jesus reveals knows no limits and must characterize the thoughts and actions of all his disciples, who must always show authentic love in their behavior and commit themselves to building a new civilization, what Paul VI called the “civilization of love.” Love is the only force capable of changing the world. Cardinals process to the Sistine Chapel as the conclave to elect the 266th successor to St. Peter, the 267th pope, begins on May 7, 2025. | Vatican Media Jesus gave us an example of this love at the beginning of the Last Supper with a surprising gesture: He humbled himself in the service of others, washing the feet of the apostles, without discrimination, and not excluding Judas, who would betray him. This message of Jesus connects to what we heard in the first reading of the Mass, in which the prophet Isaiah reminded us that the fundamental quality of pastors is love to the point of complete self-giving. The liturgical texts of this Eucharistic celebration, then, invite us to fraternal love, to mutual help and to commitment to ecclesial communion and universal human fraternity. Among the tasks of every successor of Peter is that of fostering communion: communion of all Christians with Christ; communion of the bishops with the pope; communion of the bishops among themselves. This is not a self-referential communion but one that is entirely directed toward communion among persons, peoples, and cultures, with a concern that the Church should always be a “home and school of communion.” This is also a strong call to maintain the unity of the Church on the path traced out by Christ to the apostles. The unity of the Church is willed by Christ; a unity that does not mean uniformity but a firm and profound communion in diversity, provided that full fidelity to the Gospel is maintained. Each pope continues to embody Peter and his mission and thus represents Christ on earth; he is the rock on which the Church is built (cf. Mt 16:18). The election of the new pope is not a simple succession of persons, yet it is always the Apostle Peter who returns. The cardinal electors will cast their votes in the Sistine Chapel, the place, as the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis states, “where everything is conducive to an awareness of the presence of God, in whose sight each person will one day be judged.” In his “Roman Triptych,” Pope John Paul II expressed the hope that during the hours of voting on this weighty decision, Michelangelo’s looming image of Jesus the judge would remind everyone of the greatness of the responsibility of placing the “supreme keys” (Dante) in the correct hands. Let us pray, then, that the Holy Spirit, who in the last hundred years has given us a series of truly holy and great pontiffs, will give us a new pope according to God’s heart for the good of the Church and of humanity. Let us pray that God will grant the Church a pope who knows how best to awaken the consciences of all and the moral and spiritual energies in today’s society, characterized by great technological progress but which tends to forget God. Today’s world expects much from the Church regarding the safeguarding of those fundamental human and spiritual values without which human coexistence will not be better nor bring good to future generations. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of the Church, intercede with her maternal intercession, so that the Holy Spirit will enlighten the minds of the cardinal electors and help them agree on the pope that our time needs. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, born January 30, 1934, in Borno, Italy, is an Italian cardinal and Dean of the College of Cardinals since 2020. Ordained in 1957, he served in the Roman Curia for over five decades, notably as Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops (2000–2010) and cardinal since 2001. At 91, he led Pope Francis’ funeral in 2025 but cannot vote in conclaves due to age.

Beginning May 7, approximately 135 cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, to vote for the next leader of the Catholic Church. The Sistine Chapel itself adds to the weight of the occasion, given its history and Michelangelo’s breathtaking frescoes, including the famous Creation of Adam on the ceiling. (Photo/Vatican Media) By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service (CNS) VATICAN CITY — Novels and films that include or revolve around a conclave often include nefarious plotting, or at least politicking, and attempts to wing it when it comes to the rules for electing a new pope. But “those rules are set in stone,” Kurt Martens, a professor of canon law at The Catholic University of America in Washington, told Catholic News Service  March 12, while at the Vatican to do research. If something in the rules is unclear, the cardinals can seek to clarify it, “but that hasn’t happened” since St. John Paul II issued his rules for the conclave in the 1996 apostolic constitution, “Universi Dominici Gregis,” Martens said. The document was slightly revised by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007 and again just before he resigned in 2013. “So, things are very clear,” the professor said, “they have to follow everything by the book.” The rules specify that the cardinals should wait at least 15 days after the death or resignation of the pope to begin the conclave, but they should wait no more than 20 days. The conclave began on Wednesday, May 7 and will continue until a pope is elected. Only cardinals under the age of 80 when a pope dies or resigns are eligible to enter the Sistine Chapel to elect his successor. But with 135 potential cardinal electors, who have gathered as a group only when the latest were created in December, it cannot be said that they know each other well. “They have never been in a gathering together other than a formal liturgical celebration,” Martens said. “They have never been in a meeting, in a consistory where they could exchange ideas with the pope and with each other.” Although there were not quite so many electors, the conclaves that elected Blessed John Paul I in 1978, St. John Paul II in 1978, Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 and Pope Francis in 2013 all succeeded in sending up white smoke on the second day of the conclave. And to be elected pope, a candidate must garner at least two-thirds of the votes. “The Holy Spirit is the official answer” to the question of how the conclaves conclude so quickly, Martens said. But, in the Church’s understanding of how that works, human cooperation with the Spirit is also involved. The primary reason for a relatively quick election “is because the cardinals are prepared,” he said. “They have done their homework.” The very first description in canon law of a cardinal’s task is to belong to “a special college which provides for the election of the Roman Pontiff.” The cardinals know from the day they receive their red hats that electing a pope is a task unique to them. They will have met some cardinals over the years, worked with them as members of Vatican dicasteries and read about others. But between the death or resignation of a pope and the start of the conclave, all the cardinals — both electors and those over the age of 80 — also meet daily in a general congregation. There, they handle important church business but also discuss the state of the church and of the world. It is the formal occasion for a cardinal to hone his discernment about the qualities needed in the next pope. And the coffee breaks and mealtimes also help. The cardinals do not openly ask each other, “Are you a candidate? Shall we elect you?” Martens said, but they pose questions and “they kind of put feelers out and whatnot.” While the majority of cardinals are being asked to elect a successor to the pope who made them cardinals, it is unlikely they are looking for a carbon copy of the most recent pope. History shows a trend of cardinals electing a candidate “to correct” some aspect of the last pope’s pontificate, Martens said. That is the source of the adage: “After a short pope, we have a tall pope. After a thin pope, we have a fat pope. After an intellectual, we have more a pastoral person.” Another characteristic of the conclave, and even of the general congregation meetings, is the vow of secrecy binding all participants. Martens said the concern for secrecy, affirmed and reaffirmed by recent popes when revising the conclave rules, is because the Church wants to ensure “the election of the Roman Pontiff is free from external interference, both from pressure groups in the Church as well as from political actors,” as has happened throughout history. But, he said, today there are other ways people try to influence the outcome, particularly with websites and social media. “There are people who are putting information out there that is not just information, but that is a way to influence potential cardinal electors,” he said. When the information provided is “colored in one way or another,” focusing on the authors’ key concerns or interpretations of Catholic orthodoxy, “technically speaking that falls under the conclave rules that forbid that you try to influence a future conclave.” “The cardinals have to be free of any pressure, be it political pressure, be it pressure from civil governments, be it pressure from groups within or outside the Church,” Martens said.