BOSTON (WHDH) - The 133 Cardinals that are set to decide the future of the Catholic church are now in Rome.
They’re preparing for the Conclave to choose Pope Francis’ successor.
Boston Archbishop Richard Henning discussed the stories tradition, reminding Americans to avoid thinking of this in the terms we’re used to.
“Governing a church of more than a billion people from every single culture, language and nation of the world is difficult and there’s always going to be people with different opinions,” said Henning.
“In a secular election, particularly in our experience here in the U.S. and recent decades, there’s this kind of winner takes all reality right? That one group wins, the other’s sorry than we try to get it back then some are sorry and others are happy. The goal in the Catholic Church is that with this election is that we’re all happy,” Henning continued.
The process to pick the next leader of the Catholic church is steeped in history and tradition. It begins with a special mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Then, the Cardinals will move to the Sistine Chapel, and the doors will lock behind them.
There, they are sworn to secrecy and barred from any news of the outside world.
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