You know when you think of “men of God” you don’t think of them using cell phones. But apparently, they do. I was watching the funeral coverage of Pope Francis both today and yesterday and I kept catching Cardinals on their cell phones.
Now I understand taking a photo of his tomb in Santa Maria Maggiore. (Santa Maria Maggiore is quite beautiful, by the way.) I was there when I was a teenager. I still have photos somewhere. But cell phones during these Masses? Good gracious, they are as bad as teenagers.
I am not a big fan of Rome, and prefer other Italian cities like Florence and Sienna, but the majesty of Vatican City is truly remarkable and beautiful.
I watched the Vatican streaming of the funeral yesterday and the other mass today. I didn’t want the sports-like blow by blow narration. The music was lovely and amazing.
The sea of Cardinals was truly fascinating to see, and I am sure the jockeying is well underway in advance of Conclave. Pundits call now an “unofficial Conclave” as the maneuvering for favor starts now. After all, there are few organizations that are as political as the Catholic Church. The actual Conclave will start between May 6 and May 11.
The Cardinals are in Rome/ Vatican for the duration. Right now they are at Santa Marta House in Vatican City. When Conclave begins, they move into the Sistine Chapel. They are locked within the Sistine Chapel until the new Pope is chosen, and there is a vow of secrecy. They will deliberate and vote, cut off from the outside world until a new Pope is chosen. We assume that their cell phones will be locked away somewhere, right? The black smoke that comes out of the Vatican chimney means they haven’t agreed on a successorPope, when the white smoke appears they have.
Until we hear “Habemus Papam!” we do not have a new Pope.
Here’s a great article from NPR on the process:
Who will be the next pope? Here’s how the conclave works
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/21/nx-s1-5304054/conclave-pope-chosen-francis-dies-white-black-smoke
A truly good and great man who was also humble has been laid to rest. Now the world waits for who shall succeed him and what tone they will take. The Catholic Church in my opinion still has a lot of atoning to do for sexual abuse. I do not believe they will choose a Pope from the United States.
If you go searching on YouTube, you will undoubtedly be able to find some of the European and Vatican streaming of the funeral and the Mass today.
Here is a summary of the papal funeral from CNN: