Race to succeed Pope Francis begins with his funeral, as informal alliances of cardinals emerge

Let us fast from speculation and feast on hope. Let us encourage one another to deepen our faith, trusting that the Lord, who has not abandoned His Church, will once again raise up a shepherd after His own heart,

David said

It may inadvertently pressure or politicize the conscience of the electors, and distract from the silence and prayer needed to hear the voice of the Spirit truly,

the cardinal said

Films and series about the conclave may be interesting, but let us not forget: they are fictional, deliberately sensationalized to be dramatic, entertaining, and profitable. They are far removed from the reverent and prayerful reality of the actual event,

he added

You won’t be able to say, ‘These are the ones who can be pope,’

he said