The gang’s all here. Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man, the last elector to arrive, landed in Rome Thursday afternoon, n time to attend the evening session of the General Congregation. EWTN’s David Uebbing quoted the Vatican press secretary, Father Federico Lombardi, as saying: “The Vietnamese cardinal made his journey today, and some Vietnamese priests from Vatican Radio are meeting him at the airport. We will see if he is here in time for this afternoon’s meeting.”

In a recent Boston Herald article, Matt Stout makes a bold claim about what a Sean O'Malley papacy might look like--literally. He quotes Boston's Franciscan Cardinal as saying, "I have worn this uniform for over 40 years and I presume I will wear it until I die." The punch line of course follows, "because I don't expect to be elected Pope." A humble response from a humble man.

Watching from so far away, one looks for facts in the daily assertions of news reports and personal opinion. About two quite basic matters, I fear I should have found much less assurance than I have in this space. For one, there is still no date set for the conclave. Perhaps it may not start for some time yet. Can a date be chosen without all the cardinal electors present? There are conflicting reports. Two of the electors expected to attend have not yet arrived. The National Catholic Reporter quoted the Vatican Press Office as saying they are a Polish and a Vietnamese cardinal.

nbsp Ezra Fieser of nbsp Catholic News Service reports on the passing of Hugo Chavez Hugo Chavez a socialist president who transformed Venezuela while acting as chief protagonist in what was one of the worst Catholic Church-government relationships in Latin America died March 5 He was 58 Chavez

What does the future hold for the people of Venezuela following the death of Hugo Chavez As the analysis begins we offer a few pieces from our archives on the challenges facing Venezuela and Latin America in general Here for example is an excerpt from our editorial in 2009 quot The Future with

nbsp A step back My focus is primarily on Catholic sources for the little news there is early in the week For those of us who are most nbsp intensely interested there are a number of small but significant details But even more there is confirmation that some of the issued raised in the genera