Brazil has seven cardinals that can vote for the conclave: know which ones are

The death of the 88 -year -old makes an conclave happen to elect the new church leader. Which works as follows: the period between the death of a pontiff and the choice of successor is called the Vacant See. After declared the Vacant See, the government of the Catholic Church is in the hands of the Cardinal College and the Conclave starts within 15 and 20 days. During the conclave, cardinals are in a accommodation, prohibited from any contact with the outside world. The votes are conducted by nine drawn cardinals and divided into three groups.

In the Sistine Chapel, they swear, with their hand on the Gospel, and promise never to reveal what was said or done in the conclave. The sanction for those who break the oath is excommunication requires two thirds of the votes to define the new pontiff. The cardinals of the Catholic Church may apply to office. Among the occupants of the post worldwide, eight are Brazilian. Seven of them are under 80 and can vote, while one has already exceeded the age limit to deposit their vote, but can still be voted.

Brazilian cardinals who can become the next Pope are, according to the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB):

Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer – Archbishop of the Archdiocese of São Paulo

The gaucho is the 7th Metropolitan Archbishop of São Paulo. At 75, he is a philosopher and theologian, with a master’s degree in theological studies and a doctorate in theology. He is the author of “just suffering: an interpretation of the path of Jesus and the disciple” and “reflections on faith and politics.”

Cardinal João Braz de Aviz – Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Brasilia and the Congregation for Consecrated Life in the Vatican

He was mayor of the Vatican Department for Consecrated Life (responsible for managing all religious congregations in the world) for 14 years, until January this year. Santa Catarina born in Mafra, is close to turning 78.

Cardinal Orani João Tempesta – Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro

Today, 75 years old, he is a native of São José do Rio Pardo, in São Paulo. He joined the Order of Cistercian monks and carried out the studies of philosophy at the São Bento Monastery, in São Paulo, and in São João Del-Rei (MG), as well as studies in theology. It is in the pastoral government of the Archdiocese of St. Sebastian of Rio de Janeiro since 2009.

Cardinal Sergio da Rocha – Archbishop of the Salvado Archdiocese

Today 65 years old, the cardinal was born in double, in São Paulo. He holds a master’s degree in moral theology and a doctor from the Alfonsian Academy of the Pontifical Lateranense University in Rome. He worked as a spiritual director, professor and rector of the Diocesan Seminary of Philosophy of St. Carlos and was a professor of moral theology at the Pontifical Catholic University (PUC) of Campinas. In 2011, a metropolitan archbishop of Brasilia was appointed, where he remained until he was appointed by Pope Francis as Archbishop of Salvador and Primate of Brazil, in 2020.

Cardinal Paulo Cezar Costa – Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Brasilia

In 2020, it was transferred to the metropolitan archdiocese of Brasilia, where it is the current archbishop. It occupies, at CNBB, the direction of Inpaz, an institute responsible for the analysis of ecclesial conjuncture, and is a member of the Pontifical Council for the unity of Christians and the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

Cardinal Leonardo Ulrich Steiner – Archbishop of AR

Born in Forquilhinha (SC), studied philosophy and theology with the Franciscans in Petrópolis. He obtained the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy and Pedagogy at the Salesian College of Lorena, and the degree and the doctorate in philosophy at the Pontifical Antonianum University in Rome. Today, 74, since 2019, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Manaus.

Cardinal Jaime Spengler – Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Porto Alegre

Born in Gaspar (SC) and today 64, he is president of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) and Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Porto Alegre. He studied philosophy and theology, with a doctorate in philosophy. He acted in the Order of Friars Minor in various missions and cities in the country until 2010, when he was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as auxiliary bishop.

Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno Assis, Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Aparecida (SP)

At 88, the cardinal cannot vote for the conclave. He was an auxiliary bishop of Brasilia between 1986 and 2004 and Archbishop of Aparecida from 2004 to 2016. In 2010, he was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as a member of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America (Cal).

*With information from Estadão Content
Posted by Sara Paula