"Faced with the enormity of the task ahead and the urgency of the present time, it is first of all necessary to make ourselves humble instruments of the infinite wisdom and providence of our Heavenly Father, in docility to the action of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, he is the protagonist of the life of the People of God, the One to whom we must listen, accepting what he is saying to the Church (cf. Rev 3:6)."

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Prayer for the Election of a Pope

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, 
one God, for ever and ever. 
-Collect, Mass for the Election of a Pope

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Resource Material & Information

• Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions Resource: Upon This Rock: Protocol, Procedures and Liturgical Preparation for use upon the Death of the Pope and the Election of His Successor
• Prayer and Mass resources for Death of Pope Francis and election of a new Pope
• Current Cardinal Electors
• Analysis: Generational change in the Roman Curia and body of cardinals is coming in 2025
• College of Cardinals Dashboard
• Statistically speaking: How pope's choices change College of Cardinals
• List of Popes
• BBC: Choosing the Pope: 'The conclave is intimidating'
• Today: When will the conclave start? Here's when the new pope will be chosen
• ABC News: Electing a new pope: What happens next and what is a papal conclave?
• NPR: Who are the cardinals selecting the next pope?

​United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

• Inside the Conclave
• Liturgical Notes for the Death of Pope Francis and the Election of a New Pope (ESP)

Archdiocese of Washington

• Grades 9-12/Adult Catechetical Resource (español)​

Schedule of first four days of Conclave Voting from CatholicTV from the Archdiocese of Boston.

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News

From the Vatican:

• Vatican News: Leo XIV is the new Pope
• Vatican News: Conclave to elect new Pope to begin on May 7th
• Vatican News: Cardinals announce pre-conclave Mass at sixth General Congregation
• Vatican News: Cardinals ask faithful to pray for their discernment for new Pope
• Vatican News: Conclave: Who will elect the next Pope?
• Vatican News: Sistine Chapel chimney installed ahead of conclave

Other Sources:

• National Catholic Register: BREAKING: Habemus Papam! White Smoke Rises From Chimney of Sistine Chapel
• CNN: Conclave: A visual guide to the secretive process of choosing a new pope
• Catholic Review: How the conclave works: It’s guided by a rule book and a prayer book
• Catholic Review: Conclave: Going inside and exploring the history of a papal election
• Catholic News Agency: May 7 papal conclave date finalized as cardinals prepare for election
• Catholic News Agency: What is a conclave and how does it work?
• National Catholic Reporter: Conclave to elect next pope to begin May 7
• Catholic News Agency: 2025 conclave to be largest in Catholic Church’s history

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Conclave Norms for the Election of the Roman Pontiff

• USCCB: How Is a New Pope Chosen?
• Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis On the Vacancy of the Apostolic See and the Election of the Roman Pontiff (Issued by Bl. John Paul II on 22 February 1996)
• Apostolic Letter De Aliquibus Mutationibus in Normis de Electione Romani Pontificis (Issued Motu Proprio by Benedict XVI on 11 June 2007) [French, Latin]
• Apostolic Letter Normas Nonnulla On Certain Modifications to the Norms Governing the Election of the Roman Pontiff (Issued Motu Proprio by Benedict XVI on 22 February 2013)
• ​Primacy and Synodality in the Ecumenical Dialogues and in the Responses to the Encyclical Letter Ut Unum Sint

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