Cardinal reveals what it was like to be part of conclave to choose Pope Leo
Being sealed off from the world in the conclave to choose the new Pope was "immensely peaceful", England and Wales's most senior Roman Catholic has told the BBC.Cardinal Vincent Nichols, leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, was one of 133 cardinals who were shut into the Vatican's Sistine Chapel and later elected Pope Leo XIV on Thursday.He told BBC Breakfast on Saturday that nobody in the highly-secretive meeting was saying who to vote for or who to not vote for, adding that there was "no rancour" or "politicking" among the cardinals."It was a much calmer process than that and I found it actually a rather wonderful experience," he added.
Conclaves have take place in the Sistine Chapel since the 15th Century and cardinals must have no communication with the outside world until a new Pope is elected. The recent conclave came after the death of Pope Francis on 21 April.The 79-year-old Cardinal Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster, said that his mobile phone was taken off him, adding that he found he had "more time on my hands just to be prayerful, just to reflect, just to be still, rather than being constantly agitated... or prompted by what might be coming in" on his phone."For me, one of the experiences of these last few days was to learn a bit of patience, to just take this step by step," he said."There was a calmness, a bit of solemnity," he continued, adding that everyone he spoke to when in it was "peaceful and just wanting to do this well".
There is no timescale on how long it takes for a conclave to elect a new Pope, with previous ones in 2005 and 2013 lasting two days. The conclave that elected Pope Leo lasted for one day."I think it was a short conclave in part because Pope Francis left us with a good inheritance," the cardinal said."He left a college of cardinals who were dedicated, who had this desire for the church to be more missionary, and that led us forward actually very, very easily to the decision that we made."Pope Leo will be formally inaugurated at a mass in St Peter's Square on 18 May, which delegations from countries around the world will attend.The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward, will attend on behalf of King Charles, Buckingham Palace confirmed on Saturday.Speaking about the new Pope, Cardinal Nichols said Pope Leo is "very decisive" in a "quiet way", adding that he has seen him "make decisions which disappoint people but don't destroy them"."A good thing about a pope is if he's able to say, 'No', to you when he thinks something is not right and then give you a hug so you don't go away offended, and I think he's got that ability to do both those things, which is very important."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Nigel Farage becomes latest MP to cast doubt over Lucy Letby murder conviction
Nigel Farage has added his voice to growing concerns about the safety of Lucy Letby 's murder convictions, saying that he is 'getting more and more doubts'. The Reform UK leader was responding to a powerful article in the Daily Mail by Sir Jeremy Hunt, who was Health Secretary when the babies died at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Sir Jeremy called for an urgent re-examination of the case, saying: 'If Letby really did kill seven babies in their cots and attempted to kill seven more, no punishment short of the death penalty is too harsh. 'But if they were caused by professional shortcomings, we need to know why. 'More than anything else, we need to make sure other families don't have to go through the same tragedy.' He added he had noted the findings of the international panel of paediatric specialists and neonatologists, and had also read a 'wide range of expert concerns about the conduct of the criminal case'. Sir Jeremy said: 'Taken together... this analysis raises serious and credible questions about the evidence presented in court, the robustness of expert testimony and the interpretation of statistical data.' Mr Farage told GB News: 'I'm just beginning to get more and more doubts about that issue.' Since Letby lost her appeal last year a mass of evidence undermining the prosecution's case has been gathered by her new legal team. It has raised questions about the claim the nurse was on duty for every suspicious incident and over the testimony of Dr Dewi Evans, 75, the prosecution's chief expert witness. The Criminal Cases Review Commission, which deals with potential miscarriages of justice, is studying the new material, which includes evidence that Dr Evans changed his mind over how three babies died.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Labour rebels could jump ship to form Left-wing 'real socialist' party amid anger over proposed welfare cuts
Sir Keir Starmer faces the threat of a new left-wing 'real socialist' party amid mounting anger from Labour backbenchers over controversial welfare cuts. The Mail on Sunday has learnt that disaffected Labour backbenchers are already being approached to consider joining a new 'radical Left' political movement. Sources said that to inflict maximum damage on Sir Keir, the proposed new party – master-minded by supporters of ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn - could be launched during Labour's national conference this Autumn. The plans emerged amid forecasts that so angry are Labour backbenchers at their Government's plan to slash disability benefits, that scores of MPs could refuse to back it at next month's crucial Commons vote. Talk of the new party also comes just days after Mr Corbyn – who now sits as an Independent MP – said he was 'determined there will be, in short time, a strong alternative democratic socialist, left-wing voice that brings people together'. However, it is understood that Mr Corbyn himself may not himself lead the new party, with sources suggesting that role should go to a younger figure such as Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana, currently suspended from the Parliamentary part for voting to scrap the two-child benefit cap. The spectre of a break-away left-wing movement comes with Sir Keir potentially facing the biggest rebellion of his premiership so far over plans which could mean cutting personal independence payments (PIP), the main disability payment in England and Wales, for about 800,000 people. So worried is Sir Keir that Labour whips have reportedly threatened that anyone who simply abstained would never get a ministerial job while MPs voting against would lose the Party whip. Last night, one senior Labour MP said those reports were 'rubbish' and cautioned that if the revolt was huge, it would not be possible to suspend '100 or so MPs'. Even moderate backbenchers have privately vented their anger at the cuts while Left-winger Andy McDonald has branded the proposals 'a huge attack on the incomes of disabled people'. However, the Daily Mail highlighted last week how spending on sickness benefits was on course to rocket by £18 billion a year to reach £70 billion by the next general election if nothing was done to trim the bill. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has warned that the country's benefits system faced collapse if costs continued to escalate. Long-mooted plans for the new party are understood to have accelerated in the last few weeks amid mounting anger among Labour backbenchers over government policy, including the now-abandoned decision to scrap Winter Fuel payments for many pensioners and the proposed disability benefit cuts. And last weekend, Mr Corbyn, already part of a five-strong 'Independent Alliance' group at Westminster, appeared to acknowledge that people's frustration that 'we didn't found a new political party' would soon be answered. Sources close to the ex-Labour leader also told this newspaper that there were now 'very, very active discussions' about setting up the new movement. However, they dismissed reports that the party would be called 'Arise' after a former Corbyn aide registered such a party with the Electoral Commission just over a week ago. Last night, Starmer allies played down any threat from such a new party, suggesting 'a couple of ' current Labour MPs were more likely to defect to the Greens than join a Corbynsta-style group. But one longstanding Labour MP said: 'It's all very well for Starmer's acolytes to dismiss the threat of a proper socialist party but the PM is playing with fire. 'After the winter fuel fiasco and now this attack on disability benefits, he's leaving a vacuum on the Left of British politics and someone's going to fill it.' OK? Mr Corbyn was originally suspended from Labour in 2020 after claiming the scale of antisemitism in the party had been overstated and later expelled for standing as an Independent against an official Labour candidate.
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Kneecap's Glastonbury performance not ‘appropriate', says Keir Starmer
Kneecap's Glastonbury festival performance next Saturday is not 'appropriate', Keir Starmer has said. Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh appeared in court on Wednesday after allegedly displaying a flag in support of the proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah and saying 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah' at a gig in November last year. In an interview with the Sun, the prime minister was asked if he thought the trio should perform at Glastonbury. 'No, I don't, and I think we need to come down really clearly on this,' Starmer said. 'This is about the threats that shouldn't be made, I won't say too much because there's a court case on, but I don't think that's appropriate.' Earlier on Saturday the Conservative party leader, Kemi Badenoch, said she thought the BBC 'should not be showing' Kneecap's performance at the festival. In a post on X, accompanied by an article from he Times that claimed the BBC had not banned the group, Badenoch said: 'The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda. One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act. 'As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism.' Badenoch previously called for the group to be banned from Glastonbury. Last year Kneecap won a discrimination case against the UK government in Belfast high court after Badenoch tried to refuse them a £14,250 funding award when she was a minister in the previous government. A BBC spokesperson said: 'As the broadcast partner, the BBC will be bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers. 'Whilst the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans will ensure that our programming will meet our editorial guidelines. Decisions about our output will be made in the lead-up to the festival.' On Wednesday, Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was cheered by hundreds of supporters as he arrived with bandmates Naoise O Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh at Westminster magistrates court in 'Free Mo Chara' T-shirts. Ó hAnnaidh was released on unconditional bail until his next hearing on 20 August. After the hearing, the rapper said: 'For anybody going to Glastonbury, you can see us there at 4pm on the Saturday. 'If you can't be there we'll be on the BBC, if anybody watches the BBC. We'll be at Wembley in September. 'But most importantly: free, free Palestine.' The charge followed a counter-terrorism police investigation after gig footage came to light, which also allegedly showed the group calling for the deaths of MPs. In April, Kneecap apologised to the families of murdered MPs but said footage of the incident had been 'exploited and weaponised'.
