Local Catholics Watching The Vatican Closely
By: Vanessa Herring
Updated: March 12, 2013
Tuesday afternoon the 115 Catholic Cardinals meeting in Conclave took their first vote on electing a new Pope. Two thirds majority, or 77 votes, are needed.
Black smoke means no winner, white smoke means a new Pope has been elected.
There are more than 300,000 Catholics in Rochester. They're anxious to hear who the next Pope will be, but prepared to wait patiently, "I'll be watching, I think in the past its taken two to three days, so we'll have to wait and see what happens," explained Carole Ann Lee.
The Conclave is unpredictable and highly secretive, so there's no real way to tell who could be the next Pope. However, Catholics are hearing two Americans are in the running and they're excited about that possibility.
"I think it would be a big boost to the U.S. in people wanting to attend mass, and renewing their faith," said Tony Pucillo. Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley or New York City Cardinal Timothy Dolan would make history, if elected. Father Joe Lanzalaco, Director of Campus Ministry at St. John Fisher, says an American Pope would be easier for more than 70 million Catholics in the United States to relate to, "they speak English you know, they can get up there and speak to you, encourage you."
Also in the running are a cardinal from Brazil and a cardinal from Africa. More than two thirds of Catholics live in Latin America and Africa, "worldwide, all 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, we're a part of the same family," explained Lanzalaco, "maybe we should just think in terms of the person who could do the best job as opposed to where he comes from, or what color he is, or anything like that."
Catholics around the world will be watching for the white smoke. The next vote will happen at 4:30 Wednesday morning.
