Italian weathermen forecast a ninety percent chance of rain today, the first day of the papal conclave of 2013. I can assure you that nothing else about this event is anywhere near that certain. Sources close to the Cardinal-electors confirm what most of the world already knows: no one man has anything approaching the two-thirds of support (77 votes) he will need to ascend to the chair of Saint Peter. Virtually no one expects a decision today. Still, this has been a month of surprises, in an ancient city that is, by its own admission, not entirely comfortable with them.

Kristen Day the executive director of Democrats for Life of America offers some unsolicited advice in the Daily News to N Y Governor Andrew Cuomo as he seeks to extend some of the most permissive abortion laws in the nation In his second State of the State address in 2012 Gov Cuomo said that o

I arrived in Rome in the rain grateful for the end of a long bumpy flight Though tempted to kiss the ground mimicking Blessed John Paul II rsquo s customary arrival gesture I opted not to in my case rather than an act of pious humility it would have been an act of desperate relief My fellow

Late news is that the discussion in the General Congregation of cardinals went overtime and not everyone got to speak as time ran out The Vatican Press Office said 28 spoke in the last session for a total of 161 the Irish Times reported Among the presentations that was made Monday morning was o

When should we look for white smoke Until a pope is elected twice a day there will be black smoke around noon and 7 PM White smoke could appear at these times or earlier around 10 30 AM or 4 30 PM if a pope is elected on the first ballot of the morning or afternoon Read Father Reese 39 s full Q

Cambridge MA The world around me is uneasy and in dire straits the Pope resigns Congress remains dysfunctional the environment is increasingly out of balance and so many people live in situations of terrible deprivation And still I persist in blogging through Lent not on these timely issues