DATE SET FOR PAPAL CONCLAVE

The Papal Conclave to elect the next pope for the Roman Catholic Church will begin on Tuesday, March 12, 2013.  One day after the arrival of the last cardinal in Rome, The Clan of the Red Beanies the College of Cardinals decided on the date.  As Whispers in the Loggia says, "Habemus Datum", and he continues with a description of the process of the election.

While the governing meetings – which have been attempting to shape the desired "profile" of the next Pope – will continue tomorrow and Monday, the appointed day begins with the Mass Pro Eligendo Pontifice (for the Election of the Roman Pontiff) concelebrated by all the cardinals at midmorning in St Peter's Basilica. 

Then, late Tuesday afternoon, the electors will gather in the Pauline Chapel, processing from there into the Sistina as the Litany of the Saints is sung.

Following the oath taken by each voter, the traditional "Extra omnes" – "Everybody out" – is sounded, the chapel's doors are locked, and the first ballot is taken; as Cardinal Francis George of Chicago recently said, only then does "what everybody really thinks" become clear.

Read the rest of Rocco's post at his website, which is one of the go-to online sites for frequent reports on the Conclave.