Vatican Still Waiting For 5 Cardinals For Conclave

VATICAN CITY (AP) – The Vatican is now waiting for five more cardinals to reach Rome before setting the date for the conclave to elect a new pope.

The Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said another handful of cardinals had arrived Monday night, bringing the number of voting-age cardinals up to 110 of the 115 expected to take part.

During the second day of pre-conclave meetings, cardinals asked for information about the management of the Vatican bureaucracy – and managers responded – after cardinals said they wanted to get to the bottom of allegations of corruption and cronyism in the Holy See’s governance.

Also Tuesday, cardinals signed off on a telegram sent to Benedict XVI thanking him for his “brilliant” ministry and his “untiring work in the vineyard of the Lord.”