The number 77 is a bella figura, an American buzz, and the smoke next time The cardinals will celebrate a Mass for the election of a Roman pontiff on Tuesday morning, March 12, in St. Peter’s Basilica and that afternoon will begin the conclave, says a report Friday from Vatican Radio. Needed for election are 77 votes, said Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican press secretary. This weekend, the cardinals will meet in General Congregation again on Saturday morning and on Sunday many are expected to visit their Roman churches and celebrate Mass.

From USA Today ROME shy mdash Finally at least one wait is over The conclave to select the next leader of the world 39 s 1 2 billion Catholics will begin Tuesday Vatican officials said Friday capping a week of meetings among cardinals that created a stir due to leaks and an eventual press bla

North Korean stalwart China joined the United States in a unanimous U N Security Council vote for tougher sanctions against North Korea on March 8 targeting the secretive nation 39 s nuclear program Just hours before the Kim regime in Pyongyang threatened a possible quot preemptive nuclear att

Sam Roberts reports in this morning rsquo s New York Times that come this fall the International Herald Tribune will be re-branded as the International New York Times This is the last stage in a long and inevitable transformation The IHT as it is known has been partly or wholly owned by the Time

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.