In the midst of the general election, an important piece of news for the Maltese Church emerged to make us all proud.

At the start of the conclave, our Maltese Cardinal Prospero Grech was chosen out of thousands of prelates and preachers to deliver the important sermon to cardinals just before the voting got under way.

This is the note that PRO Federico Lombardi issued in making the announcement over the weekend: “When the last of the Cardinal electors has taken the oath, the Master of Ceremonies recites the traditional formula Extra omnes and all those not taking part in the conclave must leave the Sistine Chapel.

“Besides the Cardinal electors, the only others who will be present in the Sistine Chapel are the Master of Ceremonies and Cardinal Prospero Grech, O.S.A., who will preach the second meditation concerning the grave duty incumbent on them and thus on the need to act with right intention for the good of the Universal Church.

“After that exhortation, Cardinal Re will propose to the College of Electors to begin with the first ballot of the Conclave.”