CHICAGO (CBS) – Despite talk that the Roman Catholic cardinals could decide to speed up the process to elect a pope, Cardinal George isn’t committing to anything until he gets to Rome on the 27th of this month.

Pope Benedict resigns on the 28th and church law says the conclave to elect his successor should be no earlier than 15 days after that.

But there is talk of speeding up the process by some who wish to have a new pope before Palm Sunday, March 24.

Cardinal George said he will, basically, play it by ear.

“It depends on the cardinals, when we get there, to see. If you don’t do the work of discernment beforehand, the conclave could be very long. Because during the conclave, you don’t talk to one another. It’s prayer and it’s voting,” said George.

Cardinal George said he’ll leave for Rome on the 26th of February and will arrive the next day and he and other cardinals will meet with the pope on the 28th.