With Benedict XVI bowing out of the papacy, the Roman Catholic Church is left without a chief shepherd.
But the Church which Jesus Christ built on St. Peter the Apostle over 2,000 years ago will go on.
While waiting for its next supreme Pontiff, the Catholic Church will be governed by the College of Cardinals which, according to Blessed Pope John Paul II’s apostolic constitution ‘Universi Dominici Gregis’ (The Lord’s Universal Flock) cannot make decisions normally reserved to the Pope.
“During the vacancy of the Apostolic See, the government of the Church is entrusted to the College of Cardinals solely for the dispatch of ordinary business and of matters which cannot be postponed and for the preparation of everything necessary for the election of the new Pope,” the apostolic constitution stated.
The papal interregnum, which is the period between the death or resignation of a Pope and the election of his successor, began 8 p.m. yesterday in Rome (2 a.m. today, Philippine time).
A four-member congregation led by the Camerlengo of the Catholic Church who is Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone will supervise the Holy See or the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome.
A conclave to elect the 266th successor of St. Peter will take place not later than March 15.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma urged the people not to fear but to instead pray for the coming conlave, a Latin word which means “with key.”
“It’s a simple transition when the cardinal-electors will gather for prayers and vote (for the next Pope). We hope they will finish early. We are excited over whoever the Holy Spirit will anoint as the new Pope,” Palma said in an interview in Cebu City yesterday.
‘Lord in control’
Although the Holy See is vacant, Palma said there is nothing to worry about since the Lord is in control of the Church.
“We should not fear or be anxious. Our leader is Christ. We are all servants of Jesus. He is the one leading the Church. He is the one ruling the Church. The point is one Pope goes (away) but Christ always stays with the Church,” the 62-year-old prelate said.
“The Church has been here for the past 2,000 years with a lot of challenges and crisis. Nowadays, the waves and wind blowing against the Church are simple. There were worse typhoons and earthquakes that buffeted the Church ,” Palma, the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) added.
Benedict XVI, the 265th successor of St. Peter, officially resigned in Rome yesterday. He will spend a period of prayer and reflection at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo which is about 24 kilometers south-east of Rome before he will move to a monastery at the Vatican.
Before he stepped down from the seat of the papacy, Benedict XVI met with the cardinals one by one.
A TV Patrol footage showed Archbishop Emeritus of Cebu Ricardo Cardinal Vidal conversed with the Holy Father while they clasped hands.
When it was the turn of Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle to approach Benedict XVI, the Holy Father whispered in his ears. Tagle burst into laughter as they were about to part ways. Tagle and Benedict XVI used to work together in the International Theological Commission which led by the Holy Father who was then known as Joseph Ratzinger.
Benedict XVI was transported by a helicopter to Castel Gandolfo yesterday afternoon in Rome and bowed out of the papacy at exactly 8 p.m. (2 a.m. Phillippine time).
As provided under the Universi Dominici Gregis by Blessed Pope John Paul II, all the dicasteries of the Roman curia which is the Vatican’s network of administrative offices, cease to exercise their office until there is a new Pope.
An exception, however, is made for the Camerlengo and the Major Penitentiary who shall continue to exercise their functions and submit to the College of Cardinals matters that would have had to be referred to the Supreme Pontiff.
The College of Cardinals does not enjoy the powers and functions of a Pope. It has to deal solely with the ordinary busines and matters which cannot be postponed, Blessed Pope John Paul II said in his apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis which was promulgated in Rome in 1996.
The are presently 209 cardinals which convenes in Rome to help administer the transition period.
Of the number, only 115 will join the conclave. Other cardinals are not eligible to vote since they have reached the cutoff age of 80 while some chose not to join the sacred proceedings due to health reasons.
The College of Cardinals led by its dean Angelo Sodano, is in charge for the conclave preparations. The date of the conclave has yet to be determined. Before he step down from office, Benedict XVI gave the cardinals the option to hold the conclave before March 15.
The new Pope shall be elected by two-thirds majority.
Archbishop Palma is hoping the cardinal to be elected Pope shall have a “good grasp of our situation.”
“He should have enough experience but one who is also relatively young enough to be able to travel and see other Churches in other parts of the world,” he said.
Palma said Manila Archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio “Chito” Tagle is “qualified” to be the next Pope.
But he said it is up to the Holy Spirit to guide the cardinals on who to elect as Pope.
“We rely more on the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,” Palma said.
A CHANGE IN THE MASS
Msgr. Esteban Binghay, episcopal vicar of the Archdiocese of Cebu, said there will be a slight change in one aspect of the Mass while the next Pope has yet to be named.
During the anamnesis or the prayer after the consecration, priests have to skip the entire text “together with ___ our Pope.”
The priest celebrating the Mass should instead say “Remember, Lord, your Church, spread throughout the world, and bring her to the fullness of charity, together ‘Jose’ our bishop, and all the clergy.
“The phrase ‘together with our Pope’ shall be excluded until a new Pope will be named. The celebrant should read directly the phrase ‘together with Jose our bishop,” Binghay told Cebu Daily News.
Binghay, a canon lawyer, urged the people to keep praying especially for the cardinal-electors who shall elect the next Pope.
“We pray that the Holy Spirit will enlighten the cardinals to choose the next Pope, worthy to lead the Church,” he said.