Cardinal Oswald Gracias of India, considered a member of the late pontiff’s inner circle, offered OSV News a candid and deeply personal reflection on the late pontiff’s legacy, the pre-election meetings, and the kind of leader the church needs next. The conclave to elect him starts May 7.

Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori, supreme chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, accepted the “Gianna Beretta Molla Award” on behalf of the Knights of Columbus April 3 during the Columbia Pregnancy Center’s annual fundraising gala. 

The general understanding among canon lawyers is that indulgences can still be earned during an “interregnum period” — meaning, during the period between the death or resignation of a pope and the election of his successor — because there does not need to be a reigning pope in order for the faithful to pray for the pope’s intentions.

As the first Knott Secondary Scholarship recipient from Western Maryland, Joseph Khachan fits the foundation’s mold nearly perfectly – pairing academic success with community involvement. 

In Rome, the conclave is the talk of the town: from speculation over a morning espresso about who will be the next pope to taxi drivers complaining about how roadblocks have made their work even more difficult.