Catholic Online Forum

According to Church law, the only requirement to be eligible to be elected pope is to be a baptized male. So in theory, a non-Catholic could be elected pope, right?

Well, maybe. The pope must necessarily be a priest and a bishop, which have other requirements, some of which may be satisfied before he takes office. But one sticks out. A bishop cannot have been married, I eblieve. And yet we know that the first Pope, who was certainly a bishop, had been married.

Thoughts?

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Jeff Stevens

Someone somewhere observed that it's been a longer time since a non-Cardinal was elevated than since a Pope resigned.

While it would be interesting for any of several well-known Bishops or priests to be selected, it does seem unlikely. It would definitely need to be someone who's familiar with the Vatican and knows its ins and outs.

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Rose West
"May God help us not to spoil His work" (Bl. Mother Theresa)

Well, you must be a priest in order to celebrate the Mass, so I'm unsure how a "baptized Christian" would ever become Pope. They should update that rule even thought it would never happen.

In addition, I'm opposed to married priests, Bishops and Popes.

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Andrew McAllister

Respect for the dignity of every innocent human being from conception/fertilization, without exception, without compromise, without apology.

The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, so any man selected, assuming he accepts, would need a crash course in seminary and Holy Orders.

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Rose West
"May God help us not to spoil His work" (Bl. Mother Theresa)

Why?

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Bob C

There was a time when I would have thought it doesn't matter, but in reading about some of Fr. Z's visits, and how the Vatican City really isn't as modern as the western world made me think.

I don't think a Pope necessarily needs to be a "Vatican Insider," privy to all the politics and that sort of thing, but it needs to be someone who can function in that environment.

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Rose West
"May God help us not to spoil His work" (Bl. Mother Theresa)

Jeff, Andrew, et al.

It is my understanding that any Baptized male could be selected to be Pope. If necessary that person would be then ordained Deacon, Priest, and Bishop. Logically speaking that probably won't happen. I know of no requirement that the Pope be unmarried.

We all know I'm sure of Holy men both Catholic and non-Catholic, Ordained and not ordained that could be good leaders of the church, but most everyone reading this Forum will not be sitting in the Conclave. If we believe (and we should) that The Holy Spirit guides the church, then the "right" person will be selected.

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Bob C

I see your point I would amend it to say "or at least willing to fire everyone who give him a hard time"

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Bob C

I remember reading somewhere that a baptised Catholic suffices and he need not necessarily be an ordained clergy to get elected. And on taking office, it went on, he must then be ordained. If I remember the article, it has happened at least once in the history of the Church. But I can't verify it at this point in time.

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Ian DC
Blessed Ever Virgin Mary -- Sanctuary and resting-place of the Blessed Trinity where God dwells in greater and more divine splendour than anywhere else in the universe

Okay, Bob already posted what I wrote.

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Ian DC
Blessed Ever Virgin Mary -- Sanctuary and resting-place of the Blessed Trinity where God dwells in greater and more divine splendour than anywhere else in the universe

Just because your handle says Kardinal doesn't mean you will be the next Pope Jeff.

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Pax et Bonum


Schultzz

Jeff,

As I understand it he need not even be baptised. He needs to be male.

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James Daly

"It is the Lord." (Jn 21:7)

<laugh> The older I get, the more I realize I'm not qualified to be dog catcher, much less anything important.

I'm as guilty as anyone on this thread, but there've been no sources cited. I think we need to get some of those. If I were at home I would do so, but I'm on vacation a couple hours from home and not devoting enormous amounts of time to being online.

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Jeff Stevens

I hope you have a relaxing and restorative vacation Jeff.

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Pax et Bonum


Schultzz

Well I finally found one of the old threads from when JPII died and found this posted about the rules for the Election of the new Pope

UNIVERSI DOMINICI GREGIS

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Bob C