As the month of Mary approaches, the College of Cardinals has made a heartfelt appeal to the global Catholic faithful, urging them to unite in prayer for guidance and wisdom in choosing the next Pope.
A week before the Conclave is set to begin, the Cardinals gathered in Rome for the General Congregations released a statement through the Holy See on Wednesday, emphasizing the spiritual weight of the decision before them.
“The College of Cardinals gathered in Rome, engaged in the General Congregations in preparation for the Conclave, wishes to invite the People of God to live this ecclesial moment as an event of grace and spiritual discernment, listening to the will of God,” read the statement.
Fully aware of the significance and gravity of electing the next Successor of Peter, the Cardinals expressed their desire to be upheld in prayer.
They noted, “the need to be supported by the prayers of all the faithful,” recognizing that prayer “is the true force that in the Church promotes the unity of all the members of the one Body of Christ.”
The declaration also highlighted the importance of humility and openness to divine guidance during this pivotal moment in the Church’s history.
“Faced with the enormity of the task ahead and the urgency of the present time,” said the Cardinals, “it is first of all necessary to make ourselves humble instruments of the infinite wisdom and providence of our Heavenly Father, in docility to the action of the Holy Spirit.”
The Cardinals concluded their message by reaffirming the central role of the Holy Spirit in the Church’s life.
“the protagonist of the life of the People of God, the One to whom we must listen, accepting what He is saying to the Church.”
They entrusted their appeal to the care of the Blessed Virgin Mary, asking that “she accompany these prayers with her maternal intercession.”
As Catholics across the globe prepare to enter the Marian month, the Church stands united in prayerful hope for a Spirit-led choice of the next Pope.
