Tulsa priest reflects on Pope Francis’ legacy and the path to choosing his successor

As the world prepares to bid farewell to Pope Francis with a funeral at the Vatican, Catholics across the globe, including in Oklahoma, are reflecting on his legacy and looking ahead to the selection of a new Holy Father.

Father John Grant of Saint Pius X Catholic Church in Tulsa joined LeAnne Taylor on 6 in the Morning to discuss what this moment means for Catholics locally and worldwide. In this Q&A, Father Grant breaks down the traditional rituals, what’s next for the Vatican, and what the faithful can expect in the coming days.

Q: What does Pope Francis’ passing mean for the Catholic community?

A: The passing of the Holy Father is an important thing for all Catholics, although it’s not unusual. This happens, as they say in Italy, whenever the Pope dies, we make a new one. We’re excited to pray for the repose of the soul of our Holy Father Francis and then to see what happens in the conclave in a couple of weeks.

Q: What is the process for choosing a new Pope?

A: The funeral will be at 3 a.m. our time, 10 a.m. in Rome. After the funeral, there will be nine days of mourning and prayer, called the ‘Novemdiales.’ Then, the conclave is expected to begin around May 6. On that day, the Cardinals will be locked into the Sistine Chapel and begin voting. There’s one ballot on the first day and then four ballots each day after — two in the morning and two in the afternoon — until a two-thirds majority is reached.

Q: What’s the significance of the smoke signals from the Sistine Chapel?

A: They burn the ballots after each vote. If there is no Pope, the smoke is black. If a new Pope has been chosen, the smoke turns white. That means we have a new Holy Father.

Q: How many Cardinals will vote in the conclave?

A: There are 135 Cardinals under the age of 80 eligible to vote, the largest and most diverse conclave in the church’s history. Because many of the Cardinals don’t know each other well, it could take longer than usual. During the nine days of mourning, they’ll meet in general congregation and start discussing what’s important moving forward.

Q: Why are the Cardinals locked in during the conclave?

A: The word ‘conclave’ means ‘with a key,' it’s meant to lock them in. Hundreds of years ago, there was a time when it took nearly three years to choose a Pope. This process ensures they stay focused until a decision is made.

Q: How long could the conclave take?

A: It could be as short as three days, but it can go longer. If there are 33 rounds of voting and no clear winner, the top two candidates go to a runoff. That hasn’t happened in the last century, though.

CBS News will carry Pope Francis’ funeral live on Saturday beginning at 3 a.m. Central Time. You can watch it on News On 6.