Spiritually Preparing for the Conclave

NOTE: I have been looking for a copy of the Ordo Rituum Conclavis since it provides texts/exercises that I believe may be helpfully adapted for the use of the laity. If anyone can scan a copy or knows of a scanned copy, please contact me and I will update the article with anything I find.

During the vacancy of the Apostolic See, and above all during the time of the election of the Successor of Peter, the Church is united in a very special way with her Pastors and particularly with the Cardinal electors of the Supreme Pontiff, and she asks God to grant her a new Pope as a gift of his goodness and providence. (Universi Dominici Gregis, n. 84)

Introduction

From the death of a Pope to the election of a new Pope, we can split it into three periods.

First, the period of the novemdiales where the Church mourns the death of the Pope and prays for the repose of his soul for 9 days after his funeral.

Second, the period of the "pre-Conclave." This period lasts anywhere around 5 to 9 days (assuming the funeral takes place 2 days after the death of the pontiff), depending on the determinations made by the Cardinals. In this period, preparations are made for the Conclave and we focus our prayers on them and for the continual good of the Church.

Third, the period of the Conclave. There is no determinate timeframe for how long this lasts, but it usually lasts around 3 days. In this period, we intensify our prayers for the Cardinal electors.

We Need to Pray

During this time of the conclave (and even before), we are going to be hit with noise from every direction, non-Catholics who wish to attack the Church, Catholic influencers wishing to give their two cents, secular (and Catholic) media turning it into a circus, and even Cardinal Electors acting improperly. Yet, we need to resist the temptation to see the Conclave as the Catholic version of a Presidential Election. It is, of course, natural for us to have interest in who will lead the Church for a significant chunk of our lives, but it is easy for this interest to become unhealthy.

Simply, there is nothing we can do to effect the outcome of the Conclave except by storming heaven with our prayers and other spiritual works, petitioning God for a holy Pope.

In order to facilitate this, I want to give some recommended practices from the tradition of the Church in order to sanctify this time.

What Do We Pray For

Each one of us has our particular "vision" for what we want in a Pope. Some of us would like to see a Pope who engages with the modern world, others would like to see a Pope who encourages the traditional liturgy, and still others would like to see a theologian-Pope who is able to write profoundly. Yet, we can all agree upon asking God for a Pope who is able to fulfill the the chief law of the Church effectively, i.e., the salvation of souls.

So, in our prayers, we wish to join together in asking for a Pope who fulfills the mandate of Christ in carrying out the salvation of souls. Whichever other desire you have for the next Pope is secondary. Of course, ask for it from God, but we wish to have a unity around the central function of the Papacy.

Devotions

Our devotions during this time consists in two things, fasting and prayer.

First, we must fast, which includes any type of exterior mortification. Thus, when St. Ignatius is discussing the purposes of such mortifications, he places the third reason as to "seek and find some grace or gift which the person wants and desires." Thus, we can add exterior penances to any number of petitions we make to God.

There are two aspects to any fast we have, what we eat and when we eat.

The first aspect is usually called "abstinence." Here, we can think about the type of foods we ought to eliminate from our diets. The more solemn the fast, the more types of food get eliminated. Thus, for example, the Lenten fast traditionally required the elimination of meat and dairy, whereas other fasts may allow the use of dairy.

The second aspect is more commonly called "fasting." At its most intense level is the "black fast" which completely removes the consumption of all food (and sometimes drink as well). Yet, ordinarily, the fast consists in eating one meal. This meal has been taken at various times in history, sometimes at sundown (Patristic), sometimes at 3pm (Medieval), and sometimes at noon (Late Medieval/Post-Reformation). Over time, for those who need, small snacks have been added so that more individuals can keep the fast, either in the morning (called the frustulum) or the evening (called the collation).

Ultimately, we must recognize, on the one hand, that the degree to which one fasts is going to be dependent on ones state in life (e.g., a day laborer is going to need to eat more than an accountant), yet, on the other hand, we must be equally aware that in such matters "the heart is deceitful above all things" and can draw us away from proper degrees of penance and towards laxity and lukewarmness. (Thus the classic meme of the "penitential Lenten meal" of fried seafood and fries.)

Remember, this is a fast that will likely not last beyond 3 days, so it is proper to be more severe than a longer fast, such as the Lenten fast.

As mentioned above, there are many other penances beside penances in eating, thus St. Ignatius lists three

The first is as to eating... The second, as to the manner of sleeping... The third, to chastise the flesh, that is, giving it sensible pain, which is given by wearing haircloth or cords or iron chains next to the flesh, by scourging or wounding oneself, and by other kinds of austerity.

NOTE: Consult with one's spiritual director about the third kind of penance.

Really, what is important is that it retain the essence of penance which is to remove those sensible pleasures that are lawful out of charity.

The second exercise is prayer. In these prayers, we must offer petitions to God. Here, it seems appropriate to discuss two points in particular, public prayers and private prayers.

"Public" and "private" prayers are not whether such prayers occur around people or not, but whether it is something done as an official act of the ministry of the Church or not. Thus, a priest who celebrates the mass by himself is engaging in "public prayer" whereas 10,000 laymen coming together to pray the Pater are engaging in "private prayer" in the sense used.

As to public prayer, we have, first and foremost, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. During (and before) the period of the Conclave, the Church offers special masses called masses Pro eligendo Papa or "for the election of a Pope." There are also changes that can be made to the Liturgy of the Hours as well, especially the use of the collect(s) from the mass.

It is also important to note that, traditionally, the time of the Conclave has been a time of great devotion to the Holy Spirit, therefore sometimes Votive Masses of the Holy Spirit are celebrated during this time as well.

It is important to dwell on this point. The more ancient practice is to celebrate votive masses of the Holy Spirit rather than having a particular mass for the election of a pontiff precisely because this is a time for devotion to the Holy Spirit. Thus, various different devotions to the Holy Spirit will be appropriate.

The importance of these masses ought not to be overlooked. In fact, to be present at mass is the most important action that can be done for the Cardinals and for the Church. In the mass, we are able to unite our prayers to the ascending mediation of Christ whereby he offers himself, infinitely precious, to His Eternal Father. Particular directives for priests in saying mass are given here.

Therefore, we must continuously united ourselves to the Eucharistic Sacrifice for this intention making acts of petition, "Lord, grant us a Holy Pope!"

Beside this, there are various different private prayers that can be offered as well.

First, we can private pray the following prayer from the Roman Missal each day

O God, eternal shepherd, who govern your flock with unfailing care, grant in your boundless fatherly love a pastor for your Church who will please you by his holiness and to us show watchful care. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Second, we can pray an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be for the intention at hand, as has been piously recommended in the past.

Beside these, there are certain devotions that can be said with the express intention of the election of a New Pope.

First, the recitation of the Holy Rosary.

Second, the recitation of the Litany of Saints.

Third, the recitation of various devotions to the Holy Spirit, especially the praying of the Veni Creator Spiritus.

Fourth, the recitation of various devotions to Ss. Peter and Joseph.

Fifth, eucharistic adoration.

Sixth, visiting and venerating the relics of saints if near a reliquary, especially relics of St. Peter or Holy Popes.

Beside all this, it is especially appropriate to meditate on the lives of various different saintly Popes, constantly asking for their intercession and praying to God for those virtues that one perceives in those Popes. Various examples can be taken from Butler's Lives of the Saints.

Beside this, scripture provides us with abundant material for Spiritual Reading.

First, the example of St. Anna in Luke 2. St. Anna represents the Church separated from her Divine Spouse. It can just as easily be adapted to a meditation on the mourning we ought to have in our separation from the vicar of her Divine Spouse and desire for the vicar to come again to us.

Second, the various Petrine texts (especially John 21).

Third, the promise and coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 1-2).

Particular Recommendations

FIRST: Discern, with attention to your state in life, a fasting rule during the conclave.

SECOND: If possible, go to mass every day. If not, read through the propers of the mass (available on Universalis) and make an act of spiritual communion, uniting your intentions to the sacrifice of the mass.

THIRD: Choose particular prayers/devotions to add in the morning, at lunchtime, and before bed, renewing your intention throughout the day.

FOURTH: Set aside time before your morning devotions to engage in spiritual reading (whether of Scripture or of the lives of the saints as stated above) which can inform those devotions you say throughout your day.

FIFTH: Consider joining other laymen/clerics in organized novenas for the conclave. In my opinion, the best is here since it combines a novena to the Holy Spirit with paricular prayers for the Pope, although Ascension and Cardinal Burke are also doing novenas as well. Ideally, one should follow the particular organized devotions of their Bishop/Bishops Conference, but, unfortunately, the USCCB (to my knowledge) has not released anything yet.

OPTIONAL: Choose other mortifications under the direction of your spiritual father.