LOOP POPE WATCH: China sent no delegation to papal funeral

TUESDAY, APRIL 29 - POPE WATCH CHINA AND THE FRANCIS PAPACY: CONSEQUENCES AND IMPLICATIONS  China did not send any delegation to Pope Francis' funeral, a fact that carries grave potential consequences and implications in light of the late pope's efforts to engage with the communist country, according to one Catholic anthropologist.  READ POPE DREW OVER HALF A MILLION PEOPLE IN FINAL YEAR  The Holy See Press Office this week released a report detailing how many people participated in liturgical celebrations, special and general audiences, and Angelus addresses with Pope Francis in Vatican City in the last full year of his pontificate. The pope held 41 general audiences in 2024, drawing a total of 518,000 participants. READ TWO UNNAMED CARDINALS WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN CONCLAVE  Director of the Holy See Press Office Matteo Bruni confirmed today that two cardinals of the 135 registered as electors will not be attending the conclave. Bruni said that they will not be attending due to health reasons and did not disclose their names.  READ MEET THE 10 US CARDINALS VOTING FOR THE NEXT POPE  Ten cardinals from the United States will vote in the conclave to select Pope Francis' successor. CatholicVote has created a "who's who" guide to these Church leaders. READ PATRIARCH REMEMBERS FRANCIS AS 'FRIEND OF ORTHODOXY'  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople mourned the death of Pope Francis last week, calling the late pontiff "a friend of Orthodoxy." Patriarch Bartholomew recalled his historic pilgrimage to Jerusalem with the late pope in 2014: "We knelt together, side by side, in front of the Tomb of the Lord and prayed for the unity of the Christian world and for peace across the globe."  READ GET YOUR FRIENDS IN ON THE POPE WATCH  Make sure everyone gets the most out of our on-the-ground reporting and analysis by forwarding this edition of the LOOP to your friends or inviting them to sign up at CatholicVote.org/GetLOOP.  STAY IN THE LOOP 'ADOPT A CARDINAL?'  As the Church prepares to elect a new pope, a group of Catholics is inviting the faithful to participate spiritually by "adopting" a cardinal in prayer. The Adopt a Cardinal website offers a simple way for the faithful to unite with the conclave in prayerful solidarity. READ ABBOT CALLS FOR 'COURAGEOUS,' 'PROPHETIC' CHURCH  Abbot Donato Ogliari O.S.B., the Benedictine abbot of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, delivered a long meditation today to the cardinals gathered in General Congregation at the Vatican. He called for an "open, courageous, and prophetic Church." READ PRAY ALONG WITH CARDINAL BURKE'S CONCLAVE NOVENA  Cardinal Raymond Burke has composed a novena prayer for the selection of our next pope. Let's pray this together every day! PRAY WITH US NOW Paid for by CatholicVote Civic Action, a 501(c)(4) organization. Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here. CATHOLICVOTE  |  PO Box 3310  |  Carmel, IN 46082  |  (317) 669-6127