www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Will Patriarch Lubomyr Be At Conclave?

Three questions:

1. Should a conclave of Cardinals be needed during the next 30 days or so, do any of you Lviv insiders know whether His Beatitude Patriarch Lubomyr will be able to attend given his recently reported eye surgery?

2. Is there an official process by which a voting member of the College of Cardinals may excused from attending for health or other reasons? Any possibility of proxy voting?

3. Should we anticipate the RC's to be respectful of the Julian Paschalion and allow Patriarch Lumomyr and any others in the same situation celebrate Pascha with their respective flocks before summoning them to Rome?

Curiously Yours,

hal

Good thoughtful questions Hal

I seem to have read somewhere that a Cardinal who is ill or otherwise prohibited from travelling to Rome may indeed be excused attendance.

As to the first - well there seems to have been no news about the success or otherwise of the eye surgery

And the last one - now that is really the BIGGIE I suspect - - hmmm that could indeed be very very tricky.

I think we are just going to have to wait and see

Patriarch Lubomyr I is currently staying in the greater Philadelphia area recovering from laser eye surgery.

He is scheduled to be in Los Angeles in two weekends to visit the parish there, but given the recent events, that could quickly change.

He is a Cardinal, so I would image he would go to the conclave when it is convened.

My understanding is as follows:

1) A Cardinal may be excused for health reasons.

2) A "proxy" may NOT be appointed. Only those that are in the conclave may vote.

3) There are required time frames for convening a conclave, so I don't think they would accomodate the later Pascha. But I'm not 100% sure about this one.

Dear Hal:

Briefly, the answer to all of your queries (and other details) can be found in the Apostolic Constitution "Universi Dominici Gregis" issued by Pope John Paul II in 1996.

The AC governs the election of the next Pope and everything in relation thereto.

To answer your "proxy" question, voting during the conclave is in person, by the written ballot of each Cardinal elector. Therefore, no proxy voting is ever allowed!

The AC provides that each Cardinal (elector and non-elector) MUST answer the call for a convocation of the College of Cardinals in conclave as early as the "preparatory" congregations, i.e., prior to the election proper, except for sickness (the requirements are in the AC) or by legal (grave) impediment as defined therein.

Illness during the conclave can be excused but the right and duty of the sick Cardinal elector subsists throughout and can return to the conclave once recovered.

I did not come across any provisions on concurrent liturgical events, specifically the Eastern Paschal observance by the ECs. But I think this will not derail the election process. Cardinal Husar cannot leave the proceedings unless under either of the 2 exceptions.

However, Ecumenical Councils and Synods of Bishops are automatically suspended upon knowledge of the vacancy of the Apostolic See and cannot be reconvened until directed by the new Pope.

Amado

Medically speaking, I should think that for a patient recovering from recent major eye surgery, it is out of the question to go from Philadelphia to Rome (even if he could make the trip lying prone in a first-class bed) and then endure such a strenuous process as a conclave anytime this month. The Patriarch announced that he hopes to be back in Ukraine for Pascha, but I'm not taking any bets. Still, we live in hope.

Incognitus

Hello,

The Conclave is to start by the 20th day after the death of the Pope, that would be April 22nd. It could be earlier that week, but not much earlier than that.

Of course. An infirm or recovering Elector is not bound to attend the Conclave. Even more, if an ill Elector recovers to to point of being able to make it before the conclave ends, he is to be admitted even after it has started.

If an Elector falls ill during the conclave, he may be excused and the elections can continue without him, however, if he recovers and he wants to be readmitted, he is to be readmitted.

If the illness allows the Elector to travel to Rome, but attending the entire sessions would be too imposing to his health, he can remain in his room and cast his vote from there. Before each election up to three Electors are designated to collect these votes from the ill Electors.

I do not think Cardinals would be allowed to go out to celebrate Pascha according to the Gregorian calendar, so I don't see why there would be a provision for the Julian calendar either.

Of course, they would celebrate it in the conclave, but it is assumed that their flocks can conduct the celebrations without them.

If an Elector feels the pressing need to return to his flock for this purpose, he can freely do so, however, I think it would be extremely unlikely that this alone would be considered a grave cause, and therefore, that Elector would most probably NOT be readmitted to the conclave.

Shalom,
Memo

Was watching CNN and Catholic commentator arrived in Rome on same plane as Cardinal Husar who commented, according to this commentator, that the next pope should be one who's view of the papacy will be more appealing to the Orthodox and that perhaps the next pope will come from the ranks of the bishops. Please correct me, if i've gotten anything wrong.

Dear Vito:

Thanks for the update.

Yours,

hal

Dear Vito,

While I agree with the good cardinal, and I do pray that the next Pope will have the humble resolve to reconcile with the Orthodox that the saintly Holy Father, JPII, had, I also think that of supreme importance will not only be WHO the next Pope is, but how much the Holy Spirit will open the hearts and ease the fears of some of my Orthodox brethren to this goal.

Hopefully this prayer, this intercession, will be heard in Heaven by the great man who laid the foundations of unity, Pope John Paul II.

In Christ,
Alice

Dear Alice,,Cosi` sia. (Amen)!

The good Holy Spirit was at "work" when +Pope John Paul II extended his hand and his heart to the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. But, I pray God will not consider me irreverent when I say that the Holy Spirit has His work cut out for himself when it comes to dealing with Patriarch Alexei. Excuse me, but Patriarch Alexei should take a refresher course on Christ's teachings. Sometimes I think there are two forms of Christianity - that taught by Jesus Christ Himself and that taught by the Moscow Patriarchate. Lord have mercy!

Dear Pavloosh,

I have often thought of Patriarch Alexei in the past few days. I wonder how he feels having repeatedly denied a sick, elderly and humble man's wish to visit his country?

On the other hand, I am seeing this kind of spiteful behaviour alot these days, and as St. Francis says, we should feel great sorrow for those people rather than judge them. God is their judge. May he forgive them and bring about the conversion of their hearts.

Speaking for myself, I have enough sins of my own to worry about! :rolleyes:

In Christ,
Alice

Dear Alice:
The entire Patriarch Alexei "thing" is so sad and at the same time so frustrating for some of us. However, you are right - we must pray, pray and pray. I hope the Holy Spirit speaks Russian.
Enough said [for now].
Christos Voskres!

I understand the Patriarch of Moscow has sent a very nice letter of sympathy, and has offered a prayer for the Pope, including a prayer for his "eternal memory" normally only allowed for orthodox christians.