WITH THE CONCLAVE TO ELECT A NEW POPE DAYS AWAY CARDINAL MAHONY UNDER FIRE AS AN ELECTOR.............

With three days left in the Papacy he is voluntarily resigning this Thursday night, Pp[e Benedict XVI today changed the rules governing the Conclave of the College of Cardinals that will elect his Successor to the Chair of Peter as the next Supreme Pontiff.  The rule change permits the Conclave to begin sooner than the fifteen to twenty days after the Holy See is vacated.  Thus, the 117 Cardinals under the age of 80 years old who are eligible electors anytime after March 1st, the day following +Benedict's abdication of the Papacy.  March 10th, two weeks before Palm Sunday, is being mentioned as a probable starting date for the secret, cloistered, electoral meeting in the Sistine Chapel. The majority required to attain election is two thirds of the attending Cardinals in the Conclave.  Renewed controversy over the handling of the Sexual Abuse tragedy by the leadership of the Church has re-emerged in recent weeks, much of it concentrated on retired Los Angeles California Archbishop Roger Cardinal Mahony and his handling of cases during his twenty six years leading what is the largest American diocese in Catholic population.  Mahony, who retains a vote in the pending Conclave underwent a deposition on Saturday and is being vociferously protested as an elector.  Names of other American Cardinals who either still in active ministry, or retired, maintain a role and vote in the upcoming Conclave and their participation are also surfacing negatively,for their handling of sexual abuse cases, including the present Chicago Archbishop Francis Cardinal George, and retired Philadelphia Archbishop Justin Cardinal Rigali, which were any eligible Cardinal sidelined from participation has the potential to impact the direction and outcome of the result of the March Conclave.  Participation in the Conclave unexpectedly changed today when Great Britian's senior Cardinal Archbishop Keith O'Brien, of Edinburgh and St. Andrew in Scotland announced his resignation and declared he will not attend the gathering of the College of College for the election of the new Pope, following disclosure of alleged "inappropriate" activity, with priests under his charge thirty years ago.  More on the approaching Papal Conclave and the matters surrounding it such as these circumstances and concerted prayer for the power of the Holy Spirit to reform, and redirect, the Catholic Church in the Election of the next Successor of St. Peter in the servant-leadership of the People of God.............Fr.  Troy