Posted on 03/12/2013 10:48:25 AM PDT by NYer
Cardinals Carlo Caffarra of Bologna, Italy, Bechara Rai, Lebanon’s Maronite patriarch, Franc Rode, Vinko Puljic of Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Josip Bozanic of Zagreb, Croatia, talk as they arrive for the final general congregation meeting in the synod hall at the Vatican March 11. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In their general congregation meetings, in liturgical processions and in the Sistine Chapel, every cardinal has a place and each cardinal knows his place.
The Vatican calls it “precedence,” and it has little to do with the importance of the cardinal’s day job, the size of his diocese or his age. But it has everything to do with timing.
Cardinals are divided into a three-tier internal hierarchy: cardinal bishops, cardinal priests and cardinal deacons. It’s the seating order for the general congregations in the Vatican synod hall. It will guide the order in which they line up in for the procession at the Mass for the election of a new pope.
The four patriarchs of Eastern Catholic churches who are cardinals are inserted in the ranking between the cardinal bishops and cardinal priests.
Simply skipping the cardinals who were over 80 years of age as of Feb. 28, the precedence dictates the order the cardinal electors will process into the Sistine Chapel for the conclave; those lowest in rank walk in first, so the procession culminates with those of the highest rank. Precedence determines where they they will sit inside the Sistine Chapel and the order in which they will cast their ballots.
The cardinal bishops are six senior Latin-rite cardinals residing in Rome; one of them, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, is dean of the College of Cardinals. Diocesan bishops make up the bulk of the rank of cardinal priests, while cardinal deacons are mostly officials of the Roman Curia.
Within each of the three ranks — cardinal bishops, priests and deacons — precedence is determined by who has been a cardinal the longest. That may be literally a matter of seconds.
Canadian Cardinal Thomas C. Collins of Toronto is ranked above Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York; when Pope Benedict XVI announced the names of the cardinals he was creating at a Feb. 18, 2012, consistory, he read Cardinal Collins’ name a few seconds before Cardinal Dolan’s.
Episcopal longevity, not alphabetical order, was the deciding factor.
Cardinal Collins had been ordained a bishop in 1997, while Cardinal Dolan became a bishop in 2001.
Only two of the cardinal bishops are under 80 and eligible to enter the conclave to vote for the next pope: Italian Cardinals Giovanni Battista Re, former prefect of the Congregation for Bishops; and Tarcisio Bertone, the camerlengo or chamberlain of the church.
Cardinal Sodano, the dean, led the general congregation meetings that preceded the conclave. All cardinals, including those over 80, were invited to participate. Because Cardinal Sodano is 85, he will stay outside the Sistine Chapel with the other elders, and the duties of the dean will pass to the top-ranking cardinal under 80, Cardinal Re.
The precedence also determines one of the best supporting-cardinal roles. The “proto-deacon” or top-ranking cardinal deacon is the one who has the honor of walking out onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and announcing to the world, “Habemus papam,” “We have a pope.”
Currently, the post is held by French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, who has been a cardinal since 2003.
The first five cardinal electors in order of precedence are: Cardinals Re; Bertone; Antonios Naguib, retired Coptic Catholic patriarch; Bechara Rai, Maronite patriarch; and Godfried Danneels, former archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels.
The last cardinal elector in rank is U.S. Cardinal James M. Harvey, archpriest of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, which means he will lead the procession into the Sistine Chapel. Following him will be: Italian Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi, president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See; Italian Cardinal Domenico Calcagno, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See; U.S. Cardinal Edwin F. O’Brien, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem; and Brazilian Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
Ping!
The first five cardinal electors in order of precedence are: Cardinals Re; Bertone; Antonios Naguib, retired Coptic Catholic patriarch; Bechara Rai, Maronite patriarch; and Godfried Danneels, former archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels.
Ping!
Ahhh, the Conclave has brackets just like NCAA BB. Is this the beginning of March Madness?
So does this mean that they wont consider a cardinal who is older than 80 ???
That explains why I couldn't see my spiritual adoptee in the procession. I tuned in late :( Thanks for posting this! I didn't know he was #4.
Is that the Coptic or Maronite Cardinal?
Only three popes were over 80 when elected. The last, chosen by cardinals in 1406, was Pope Gregory XII. He was 81. That was before the invention of electricity or aviation. Because he was elected so young (58), JPII raised the bar on expectations of the pope. He initiated World Youth Day which, like the Olympics, is held in a different country every 3 years. This year it will be in Rio de Janeiro and catholic youth expect the pope to be there. As technology advances, the pope is now expected to be on Facebook and "tweet", as well. That's a tall order for someone over the age of 80.
Thanks NYer for previous posting answer to posting 3. Disregard the posting question. Was out today. :)
Glad you got him!! He is my Patriarch : - ) so I too am praying for him. BTW, “Bechara,” means “Annunciation” in Arabic. When he was elected Patriarch, he chose to be installed on March 25, the feast of the Annunciation, pointing out that it was instituted in 2010 as a national holiday in Lebanon and because it is holy to Christians and Muslims. The patriarch also noted the special meaning of the Annunciation for him personally, as he was baptized on the feast at the Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation in the village of Chouya, Lebanon, 73 years ago. He is much loved and respected by the Maronite clergy.
The Maronites are the only Eastern Church that never separated from Rome. In a letter addressed to Pope Hormisdas in 517, monks of St. Maron address the Pope as the one occupying the Chair of St. Peter, and inform him that they are undergoing many sufferings and attacks patiently. They single out Antiochian Patriarchs Severus and Peter, who, they say, anathematize the Council of Chalcedon and Pope Leo, whose formula the Council had adopted. The Maronites are mocked for their support of the Council and are suffering afflictions. The Emperor Anastasius had sent an army that had marched through the district of Apamea closing monasteries and expelling the monks. Some had been beaten and others were thrown into prison. While on the way to St. Simon Stylite, the Maronites had been ambushed and 350 monks were killed, even though some of them had taken refuge at the altar. The monastery was burned. This was followed by persecution by the Moslems and the martyrdom of 500 monks.
Very little is known about the Maronites in Lebanon between the time of their being established there in the seventh and eighth centuries and the coming of the Crusades in the eleventh century. During this period the Maronites and the region were dominated by the Abbasids, whose rule was often severe and who persecuted and decimated the Maronites. When the first Crusaders arrived in Lebanon in 1098, they were surprised and pleased to find fellow Christians who welcomed them with hospitality. We are told that the Maronites were of great assistance to the Crusaders both as guides and as a fighting force of 40,000 men known for their prowess in battle.
Because of their close ties with the Crusaders, the Maronites began to adopt certain Latin practices. From the 12th century they began to use bells in Lebanon, according to the way of the Western church; up to that time they had used wood for the calling of the faithful to church as the Greeks do. When Queen Constance, wife of the King of Sicily, bought the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem and the Sanctuary of Bethlehem, she gave to the Maronites the Grotto of the Cross and many altars in other churches in the Holy City, permitting them to celebrate on the altar of the Franks and using their religious articles. It was during this time that Maronite prelates began wearing ring, miter and cross as the Latins do. Patriarch Jeremiah al-Amshiti was the first Patriarch to make an official visit to Rome in 1213. He assisted at the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215. A painting depicting a miraculous event which occurred while he celebrated the Divine Liturgy in Rome showed the consecrated Host hovering above his head. It was displayed in St. John Lateran for many centuries. The Maronites are very devoted to the Blessed Mother and many miracles have been attributed to her intercession.
BTW, I am a Roman Catholic but I practice my faith in a Maronite Catholic Church. Beautiful and reverent liturgy, no EMHCs, no communion in the hand, and hearing the Consecration chanted in Aramaic, the language of Jesus, Mary and the Apostles. Keep those prayers going!
Don't have anything to give you in return except this list. Perhaps you'll find it helpful if the cardinal making the announcement pauses and teases a little as seemed to happen last time.
In the procession, you may have also noticed
Baselios Cleemis (Isaac) Cardinal Thottunkal is the Major Archbishop of the Syro Malankar Catholic Church. He was elevated in the "surprise" November consistory. When word came from the Vatican announcing his elevation, here is how he reacted.
“On receiving the letter I straight away went to St. Peter’s Basilica, to Peter’s tomb and I knelt down and prayed. And then I spent an hour at the tomb of Blessed John Paul II, who in fact appointed me as bishop in 2001, at the age of 42. Then after praying the rosary there I went to St. Mary Major, this is a place that gives me a lot of consolation, strength and confidence where I can pray unnoticed by anyone”.
What a tremendous blessing for the church that JPII described as the fastest growing Church in world. Rooted in Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala, southern India, the Syro Malankara Church is an Apostolic Church founded by St Thomas.
“St Thomas’ Christians have a history of communion with the Holy See of Rome until the 16th century which brought divisions in the Church in India, for various reasons. Then in 1930 a group of people joined the Catholic Church under the leadership of Archbishop Mar Ivanios – who is also known as the Newman of the East- because of his reunion movement because of his Oxford movement. In 1930 when they started this reunion movement Mar Ivanios had just four people with him, just four. After 82 years, now the Church has over 500 thousand faithful, in India, North America, England and Ireland”.
“As technology advances, the pope is now expected to be on Facebook and “tweet”, as well. That’s a tall order for someone over the age of 80. “
==
Oh really?
I’m 80 and do just fine with Facebook and Twitter.
Lack of physical stamina is very real for most of us though.
.
When I did the adopt the cardinal site, I got Cardinal Turkson of Ghana. The town I live, there is a Ghanian Catholic community, the sweet ironary. :)
Good for you! (and I mean that sincerely). I gave my 80 year old father an iPad for Christmas, along with an "iPad for Dummies" book and he is still struggling. However, in the case of the pope, the daily struggles of life are quite different. At 80, Pope Benedict could multitask, as well. Are you also responsible for the management of a church, the faith of more than 1 billion souls, serve as Head of State entailing diplomatic relations with other nations, negotiating ecumenical agreements with other churches and travel worldwide to make pastoral visits?
The additional 5 years have taken a toll. Check back with me when you reach that age and let me know how you are doing : - ) God bless you!
‘Are you also responsible for the management of a church, the faith of more than 1 billion souls, serve as Head of State entailing diplomatic relations with other nations, negotiating ecumenical agreements with other churches and travel worldwide to make pastoral visits?
The additional 5 years have taken a toll. Check back with me when you reach that age and let me know how you are doing : - ) God bless you! “
I already addressed that in Post 13.
.
Have you learned anything interesting about Cardinal Turkson?
.....Plus write a few good books about the the life and times of Jesus.
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By tomorrow, they’ll be down to the Sweet Sistine.
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