VATICAN CITY
National Catholic Reporter
by Joshua J. McElwee | Feb. 25, 2013
Rome —
Besides giving the College of Cardinals authority to change the date of the upcoming conclave to elect his successor, the Vatican on Monday specified other rules for the secret vote, including the penalty of excommunication for those who share inside information.
The Vatican announced Monday Pope Benedict XVI had issued a motu propio, or administrative order, regarding the conclave. It comes after some cardinals raised the question of whether the college could move up the date at which it will elect the pope’s successor.
The earliest date for the conclave had previously been set at 15 days following Pope Benedict’s formal resignation Thursday.
“The College of Cardinals is … granted the faculty to anticipated the beginning of the Conclave if all the Cardinal electors are present as well as the faculty to defer, for serious reasons, the beginning of the election for a few days more,” the order states.
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