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Sealed with a Key, a Different Kind of Sequester

March 12, 2013 by Melissa T.

Most Catholics and many noncatholics have had their eyes turned to Rome, or more accurately, the Vatican today as the Conclave began this morning. The election of a new Pope is always an important event closely watched by millions around the world but this Conclave is groundbreaking in more ways than one. The resignation of Benedict XVI was surprising, even shocking, to a community grappling with so many difficult changes and challenges in recent years. For the first time the Sistine Chapel, traditional site of the Conclave, has been secured against all types of electronic communication and social media. At the same time, televison cameras were allowed in the Sistine Chapel documenting the procession of red robed Cardinals as the Litany of Saints was read and then the taking of the Oath of Secrecy by each participant. Finally the order was given, "Extra omnes" or, everyone out, and the chapel doors were closed and locked.

The Cardinals will remain sequestered in the Sistine Chapel and a Vatican hotel until the new Pope is elected. Communicaton about the voting results it decidedly old-school in the form of either black or white smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel chimney. There is even a live Smoke Cam for breaking news. In the meantime, Richland Library has a rich collection of histories, novels and other resources for those who would like to learn more about the Catholic Church and the Papacy. See the links below.


We Have a Pope
Melissa T. Says: An Italian comedy/drama about a man who really didn't want to be pope.
Amazon Says: Actor/director Nanni Moretti (Quiet Chaos) joins forces with legendary French actor Michel Piccoli (Contempt) to tell the story of Cardinal Melville, an unassuming man of the ...
Amazon

The Vatican Diaries: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Power, Personalities and Politics at the Heart of the Catholic Church by John Thavis
Melissa T. Says: Find out more about the power behind the Papal throne.
Amazon Says: The revealing New York Times bestseller examines the reign of Pope Benedict, the papal conclave process, and the history of one of the world’s oldest and most mysteriou...
Amazon

Selecting the Pope: Uncovering the Mysteries of Papal Elections by Greg Tobin
Melissa T. Says: Everything you ever wanted to know about the papal election process.
Amazon Says: An updated version of the compelling guide by award-winning author Greg Tobin. Tobin reveals all the rules and rituals involved in the secretive process of electing the pope, ...
Amazon

Heirs of the Fisherman: Behind the Scenes of Papal Death and Succession by John-Peter Pham
Melissa T. Says: This book explores the impact of John Paul II on papal succession procedures.
Amazon Says: The death of Pope John Paul II and consequent election of Pope Benedict XVI has shed light on a political process that the world has not been privy to for almost twenty-six ye...
Amazon

An Introduction to Catholicism by Lawrence S. Cunningham
Melissa T. Says: For those who are not familiar with the Catholic Church, a beginner's guide.
Amazon Says: The Vatican. The Inquisition. Contraception. Celibacy. Apparitions and miracles. Plots and scandals. The Catholic Church is seldom out of the news. But what do its one billion...
Amazon

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Catholicism, 3rd Edition by Ph.D., Bob O'Gorman
Amazon Says: What does it mean to be Catholic today? Newly updated and revised. How can the Catholic Church be both hugely popular and widely scorned? How can it hold onto its a...
Amazon

White Smoke: A Novel About the Next Papal Conclave by Andrew M. Greeley
Melissa T. Says: A fictional account of "the next Papal election"
Amazon Says: As the cardinals of the Church gather in Rome for the election of a new Pope, Bishop John Blackwood Ryan, reporter Dennis Molloy, and CNN correspondent (and Molloy's ex-wife) ...
Amazon

Conclave by Greg Tobin
Melissa T. Says: A novel that looks at how some of the issues in the present Catholic Church might play out.
Amazon Says: Perhaps once in a generation is there a novel that will touch the hearts and challenge the souls of people everywhere. Conclave is just such a novel. Born and raised in suburb...
Amazon
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