Pope Francis: John Cardinal Njue To Skip Conclave Despite Being Eligible, Cites Health Issues

• Cardinal John Njue has withdrawn from the Wednesday, May 7 papal conclave due to health reasons, despite being eligible to vote
• Njue’s decision not to attend comes alongside Spanish Cardinal Antonio Cañizares, both of whom were quietly confirmed by the Vatican as unable to travel for medical reasons
• His eligibility had sparked intrigue, as a recent Vatican correction revised his birthdate to January 1, 1946, ensuring he stayed under the conclave’s voting age limit of 80
• Elevated to cardinal in 2007, Njue’s absence is deeply felt, given his decades of leadership in Kenya’s Catholic Church

Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Kenya’s John Cardinal Njue has opted out of participating in the highly anticipated papal conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis, citing health reasons.

The 79-year-old Archbishop Emeritus of Nairobi, one of Africa’s most senior Catholic prelates, was among the cardinal electors eligible to vote in the sacred process set to begin on Wednesday, May 7, inside the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel.

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According to the Catholic News Agency (CNA) that due to health reasons, Njue will not travel to Rome to elect the Church’s next supreme pontiff.

The news comes just days after Matteo Bruni, Director of the Holy See Press Office, revealed that two cardinal electors had excused themselves from attending the conclave due to health reasons, though their names were not immediately disclosed.

It has now emerged that the other prelate is Spanish Cardinal Antonio Cañizares, the emeritus Archbishop of Valencia, who also withdrew from the conclave for similar reasons.

Why is Njue's eligibility a talking point

Njue's absence is notable not only because of his experience and stature within the church, but also because of the intrigue that has surrounded his eligibility in the run-up to the conclave.

For decades, there had been uncertainty surrounding his official date of birth, with many Vatican documents placing it as December 31, 1944.

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Had that remained unchanged, Cardinal Njue would have crossed the age limit of 80 by the end of 2024 and thus been barred from voting.

But in a quiet clerical correction, the Vatican’s Pontifical Yearbook revised his birthdate to January 1, 1946, making him 79 and firmly within the age limit to vote in the conclave.

It allowed Njue to retain voting rights not only in this conclave but also to continue serving as a member of the Vatican Dicastery for Evangelisation.

Njue, who was elevated to the College of Cardinals in 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI, has been a towering figure in Kenya’s Catholic Church.

Born in Embu and ordained a priest in 1973, he rose steadily through the ranks, serving as the first bishop of the Diocese of Embu before moving on to serve as coadjutor archbishop of Nyeri and apostolic administrator of Isiolo.

He later became the Archbishop of Nairobi, a position he held until Pope Francis accepted his resignation in January 2021.

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How will Njue's absence affect conclave

With both Njue and Cañizares sitting out, the number of cardinal electors has now reduced to 133, down from the original 135.

According to Church rules, at least two-thirds of the cardinal electors, 89 votes, are required to elect the new pope, who will become the 267th Pontiff and spiritual leader of over 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.

As the Church enters this solemn period of transition following the death of Pope Francis, the absence of seasoned voices like Njue’s will undoubtedly leave a gap in the conclave’s deliberations.

Source: TUKO.co.ke