HOUSTON - Catholics are anxiously awaiting news from the Vatican as the papal conclave is set to begin Tuesday.
Many Houston Catholics gathered to pray Monday evening at the Co-Cathedral of Sacred Heart.
The clergy and the bishops walked into the co-cathedral surrounded by music and the faithful. It is a monumental time for Catholics.
“I watched the whole minute by minute for Pope Benedict,” Amy Ramirez said.
Ramirez is praying for the cardinals and a change in attention and direction.
“Focuses on all the good things the Catholic Church does for the poor people, for the communities, for everybody and of course that they address more openly the scandals that happen and what they’re doing to prevent them in the future,” Ramirez said.
Parishioners want both a strong administrator and a strong pastor.
“Pope Benedict...extremely educated man more academia where as Pope John Paul was a pope of the people if we can have a nice mixture,” one parishioner said.
Earlier, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo made one of his last phone calls to his diocese before the silence of the conclave.
“Cardinal told me when he left he only knew about 30 cardinals. I’m sure he knows many more,” the priest said.
Ramirez hopes they will choose a pope who can reach young people.
“I think he should tweet. I loved it when Benedict 16th tweeted,” she said.
