As the conclave of cardinals electing a new pope descends on the Vatican, the priest at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Drumheller says the only thing we can really be watching for is black or white smoke.
Father Lukas Drapal says a lot of what’s done in the historic process, is very secretive.
“It’s a retreat-like atmosphere, and that’s something the church has for cardinals… it’s their job to elect the vicar of Christ. So what we’re looking for is really the final result of their discernment. But our job is also important too, that we pray for them, that they properly discern,” Drapal says.
In terms of the path forward, he was asked if it matters the direction the church goes in their decision.
“People look at the church through political economic lenses, but that’s not how the church understands ourself. The standards of the world are not the church’s standards. It’s up to the cardinals to discern which cardinal is chosen in order to best proclaim the gospel to the modern world, by being true to themself, and not thinking as the world does, but rather being thankful to our founder Jesus Christ,” Drapal explained.
He also added it might take some time for that decision to be made, “Just because there are a lot of new cardinals from places that have never had a cardinal before, and they didn’t have a lot of time during Pope Francis’ pontificate to get to know each other. It might take a little longer, because of a lot of new faces. And that’s really what’s needed to make a good, qualified, and morally certain decision. So it might take longer, but who knows.”
The 133 voting cardinals begin the selection process on Wednesday.
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