The archbishop of Singapore asked the faithful to spend more time in fervent prayer as the Church prepares for the conclave that will elect Pope Francis’ successor.
In a pastoral letter, Cardinal William Goh of Singapore encouraged the faithful to “organize novenas, rosary, and Divine Mercy devotions” with the intention of a solemn election of a new head of the Catholic Church, which is set to begin on May 7.
“Please pray that we will choose the right candidate to be the successor of St Peter to lead the Church in this complex world,” he said.
Recognizing that every pope brings with him his own charisms, Cardinal Goh urged everyone to pray for the cardinals’ discernment so they would choose the right person to become the next Supreme Pontiff.
“Pray fervently, unceasingly, for the cardinals to be guided by the Holy Spirit to elect a good, holy, compassionate, wise, and strong pope who will not only be a Shepherd after the heart of Christ, but also courageous in defending the deposit of Faith handed down to the Church through the ages,” he said.
67-year-old Goh was created a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2022, making him the first-ever cardinal from Singapore.
He will be one of the cardinal electors who will participate in the papal conclave, 80% of which were elevated by Pope Francis.
German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, and French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti had been elected to assist Dublin-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo, in “overseeing and administering the temporal goods and rights of the Apostolic See.”
The conclave will convene once again at the Sistine Chapel, where all conclaves have taken place since 1878.
The last two conclaves, held in 2005 which elected Pope Benedict XVI and in 2013 which elected Pope Francis, only lasted two days.
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