Cardinals Gather for Papal Funeral and Replacement Selection
Monday, April 04, 2005
(SNN)This morning, Pope John Paul II’s body was carried to St. Peter’s Basilica for public display. Pope John Paul’s funeral has been set for Friday, and until a new Pope is chosen, the Cardinals will manage the affairs of the Holy See.
It will be a new experience for almost all the Cardinals.
The funeral on April 8 will be concelebrated by all the cardinals gathered in Rome. It will be a new experience for almost all the Cardinals. Only a handful of the Cardinals were present for the funeral of the last Pope in 1978. At the conclusion of the funeral, the body of Pope John Paul II will be buried in the grotto of St. Peter’s basilica. He will be laid to rest in the spot where Blessed John XXIII was buried in 1963.
Pope John Paul II will be buried in the grotto of St. Peter’s basilica.
No later than two weeks after the funeral, the Cardinals will have the task of selecting the next pope. The Cardinals will be sequestered behind the Vatican walls. Each Cardinal will place his hand on the Gospels for an oath pledging loyalty to the next pope and to promising never to reveal what occurred in the chamber. Much like jurors, the Cardinals will be taken from outside influence, no television, publications or telephones will be allowed. When the votes are counted and a new pope is chosen, the newly selected pope must accept the position. Then, within two hours, the new Pope will be announced.
Right now, it looks like Bill Pulsipher is the most likely candidate. However, he has been recently injured, and there is speculation that he may not be fully recovered. There is additional worry about the pitching time Pulsipher missed while injured. If Pulsipher is truly out of the picture, the most likely candidate may be lefty Carmen Cali, who is currently with Triple-A Memphis.
Update1: It turns out that Bill Pulsipher and Carmen Cali were not in fact Cardinals in line for a Papal position, but baseball players in line for a position with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Update2: According to a report posted on mlb.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball, former Ducks pitcher Bill Pulsipher has made the opening day roster of the St. Louis Cardinals.
