YAKIMA, Wash.-- As the cardinals convene
for the conclave Catholics around the world are watching, including our local
diocese.
A member of the Catholic Diocese of Yakima
tells us they are eagerly waiting to see who is elected pope.
The diocese is responsible for overseeing
all Catholic churches in our area, from the Yakima Valley down to part of the Columbia
Basin.
They expect the conclave to take a little
longer this year.
Monsignor John Ecker says in most
conclaves you never really know who will be elected, but this year that's
especially true.
"There's really no frontrunners, not
this year, and there's an old saying that if you go in as a Pope, you come out
as a Cardinal of the Conclave. You never know," said Ecker
The diocese had something of a special
connection to the previous pope.
Yakima Bishop Joseph Tyson was among the first
new bishops appointed by Pope Benedict.
Ecker says they are praying for Benedict's
successor.
He hopes the next pope is a strong leader
that can reform what needs reforming, and fix what needs fixing.
