Guatemalan cardinal Álvaro Ramazzini traveled to Vatican To participate in Exequias del Pope Francis and in him next conclave that will choose the new pontiff.
In a homily prior to his departure, Ramazzini, Bishop of Huehuetenango, admitted that he does not know details of the process: “The cardinals who are there, first God, we will look for the good of the Church,” said.
He asked for sentences for voters to make “a decision guided by the Holy Spirit.”
He also recalled that more than two thirds of the cardinals were appointed by Francisco: “We share your way of thinking and acting”he said.
A legacy close to the town
Prior to your trip, in an interview with Free press, The cardinal described the Pope as a transformative figure. “I met him since he was a archbishop of Buenos Aires. Although he was withdrawn, when he assumed the papacy he changed radically. He showed a huge closeness with the people”he said.
Highlighted unprecedented decisions, such as the inclusion of women in high positions of the Vatican and his commitment to peace, remembering his visit to the Russian embassy at the beginning of the War in Ukraine.
As president of the Clamor network, he highlighted the support he received from the Pontiff in the defense of migrants and young people with world days that “were moments of hope and enthusiasm.”
Reflection and commitment
Ramazzini valued the Pope’s encyclicals, especially to coin the concept of “integral ecology” and his call to a church committed to justice.
From Guatemala, he reaffirmed his commitment to social causes, such as the complaint of abandoned roads, child malnutrition and forced migration.
“In Huehuetenango we have raised our voice. We are concerned about the consequences of immigration policies, especially those of former president Trump,” he concluded.
Ramazzini is one of the 84 cardinals under 80 years of age with the right to vote in the conclave. He will participate in the historic decision to choose the successor of Francisco.
Also read: conclave: meaning, what is it for and when the new Pope is chosen