Religious Education & Faith Life
The Papal Conclave
An important tradition of our church is the Papal Conclave. The word "conclave" comes from the Latin "cum clave," which means "with a key." This is because the cardinals are literally locked inside the Sistine Chapel until they choose a new Pope.
The Papal Conclave as a special meeting held traditionally, 15-20 days after a Pope's death. Cardinals below the age of 80 gather in a secluded area inside Vatican City where all the cardinals come together to choose a new Pope, who is the leader of the Catholic Church. The Cardinals meet in private in the Sistine Chapel. No one else is allowed in, and they can't talk to anyone outside until they choose a new Pope. The cardinals pray and discuss who they think should be the next Pope. They vote by writing a name on a piece of paper and putting it in a special container. The votes are counted, and if someone gets enough votes, they become the new Pope. If not, they vote again. The cardinals ballots are secret and each ballot is burned after counting. The smoke signals (black or white) are created by adding chemicals to the burning papers. If no one is chosen, the smoke is black. When a new Pope is chosen, the smoke is white, which tells everyone waiting outside that they have a new Pope!
The new Pope is then dressed in his papal vestments and chooses his papal name. He is then presented to the world on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica.
It's a very important and holy process for Catholics, and it helps ensure that the new Pope is chosen with lots of prayer and thought.
Month of May
May is a very special month for Catholics around the world. It's often called the "Month of Mary" because it's dedicated to honouring Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Rosary is often prayed more regularly. The Rosary is a special prayer that focuses on the life of Jesus and Mary. Many churches also have special ceremonies called "May Crownings," where a statue of Mary is crowned with flowers.
How to Pray the Rosary
Start with the Crucifix: Begin by making the Sign of the Cross and saying the Apostles' Creed, which is a summary of what Catholics believe.
First Bead: Say the Our Father prayer, which Jesus taught us.
Three Beads: Say three Hail Mary prayers, asking Mary to help you grow in faith, hope, and love.
Next Bead: Say the Glory Be prayer, praising God.
Decades: Each decade has ten beads. For each bead, say a Hail Mary while thinking about a special event in Jesus' or Mary's life. These events are called "mysteries." There are four sets of mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous.
After Each Decade: Say the Our Father and Glory Be prayers again.
End with the Hail Holy Queen: This is a special prayer asking Mary to pray for us.
The Mysteries
Each set of mysteries helps you think about different parts of Jesus' and Mary's lives:
Joyful Mysteries: These are happy events, like the birth of Jesus.
Sorrowful Mysteries: These are sad events, like Jesus' crucifixion.
Glorious Mysteries: These are joyful events after Jesus' resurrection.
Luminous Mysteries: These are important moments in Jesus' public life, like his baptism.