NEWS & VIEWS

    Speculation is growing among "Vatican-watchdogs" that the announcement of a new group of cardinals may not come this year. They point to the required four weeks planning schedule necessary for calling a consitory. Many had assumed the consistory would be called on November 29th, but the four week time period dating back to November 2, Sunday, the feast of All Souls, came and went without Pope John Paul II making an announcement. Yet they still hold hope that it will be this year and cite the fact the Holy Father publicly leads the Rosary every Saturday and it is on his docket for every day except for Saturday, December 6, the Feast of Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of gift-givers. They anticipate it could be on this date which would be appropriate with the supreme pontiff granting the gift of the red hat to a number of new bishops. Yet many believe the consistory will not be until February of next year.

   There has not been a consistory since November 26, 1994. There are presently 147 members of the prestigious College of Cardinals which is the main body for electing the next Pope. Out of that number, it must be pared to 120 to comply with papal election rules. Leaving out ill and retired cardinals, there are 13 openings to bring the number of eligible voters to the required 120. There has been much speculation as to who the Holy Father will appoint as cardinals, but many are sure of one thing: those he does select will be in full compliance with all he advocates. This bodes well for the next election that a conservative pontiff will be elected because well over three fourths of the current cardinals have been elevated by our present pontiff. Regardless of that, we echo what all good, loyal Catholics cry out: Viva la Papa!

Information for this article gathered from the Catholic World News Service

November 4, 1997 volume 8, no. 23         DAILY CATHOLIC - NEWS & VIEWS