Remembering Pope Francis

Pope Francis' Final Gift to Gaza

Popemobile will be transformed into mobile clinic for children

By Judith Sudilovsky, OSV News

JERUSALEM (OSV News) — In a final gesture of compassion, Pope Francis donated his 2014 popemobile to Caritas Jerusalem — repurposing it into a mobile health clinic for children in Gaza. The vehicle, once used during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land, is being outfitted with medical supplies including vaccines, oxygen, and diagnostic tools. It will serve as a “Vehicle of Hope,” delivering care amid a collapsing health system and blocked aid corridors. Caritas officials say it could be operational as soon as the humanitarian corridor reopens. Swedish Cardinal Anders Arborelius helped secure the pope’s blessing, and Caritas leaders say this act reflects Francis’ enduring concern for Gaza’s most vulnerable. In his final Easter message, the pope called for a ceasefire and urgent aid. Children will now sit in the pope’s former seat — treated, quite literally, as miracles. As Caritas Sweden’s Peter Brune put it: “The children of Gaza are not forgotten.”

PRAYER FOR THE ELECTION OF A NEW POPE

O God, eternal shepherd,
who governs your flock with unfailing care,
grant in your boundless fatherly love
a pastor for your Church
who will please you by his holiness
and to us show watchful care.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Excerpt from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010 International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.

Artwork: The Vatican, pen & ink, by Getty Images

Conclave Has Most Cardinals, Widest Geographical Mix in History

By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The conclave that begins May 7 is expected to be the largest in history, with a wide geographical mix of cardinal-electors. While 115 cardinals took part in the conclaves in 2005 and 2013, 133 prelates were expected to walk into the Sistine Chapel to elect a successor to Pope Francis. There are 135 cardinals under the age of 80 and eligible to vote in a papal election, however, local church officials had notified the Vatican that Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, the 79-year-old retired archbishop of Valencia, Spain, and Cardinal John Njue, the 79-year-old retired of archbishop of Nairobi, Kenya, were not coming to Rome due to health issues. The cardinals represent 71 different countries and the participating cardinals’ average age on May 6 was 70.3. That is slightly younger than the average age of electors who participated in the last conclave in 2013, which was 71.8. Since a two-thirds majority of the cardinal-electors who participate is needed to elect a pope, if all 133 men were to attend, there would need to be at least 89 votes for one candidate to emerge as the winner.