Choosing the new pope question

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Struggling1

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So if any male practicing Catholic can be chosen to be the next pope why does it seem it’s always someone
Chosen from the gathering that occurs? Do they ever feel inspired to choose someone else? Doesn’t that mean if it is chosen in just the people in the room that there’s the human aspect? Thank you to everyone for all the answers and kindness you have shown me!
 
I think that it’s a modern phenomenon. I’m pretty sure in the early church this wasn’t the case. If I remember correctly, some of the Popes were married (this was before celibacy became mandatory).
 
Urban VI in the 14th century was the last Pope elected who wasn’t a Cardinal. I think Gregory X in the 13th was the last who wasn’t even ordained (he was a Franciscan brother).

Generally though, it makes sense that a Cardinal is chosen, as they tend to have experience with either large Sees or working in Rome itself.
 
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The best election story is for St. Celestine V, who was a Benedictine hermit at the time. The Cardinals were deadlocked, so he wrote them a letter saying the divine vengeance would come upon them if they didn’t hurry up and elect a Pope. So they elected him!
 
I predict the next Pope will be an American man named Lenny Belardo and he will take the Papal name “Pope Pius XIII.”
 
So the Holy Spirit works through men and through normal human wisdom…which of course is fallible.

How wise would you think it to be to choose a person whose character and temperament was not suitable for leading, uniting and inspiring the worlds many different Catholics.
How wise would it be to elect someone with little intelligence or no theological education.
Someone who spoke maybe only one language…

Think of Donald Trump and the office of US president.
Same issue.

Think about how the HS works - rarely from a complete preceeeding vacuum in my 60 years of being a Catholic.

For some reason you seem to be applying the same empty rhetoric that US School Teachers say about being President of the USA. Any citizen can…I don’t think so.
 
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Thank you for responding and helping clear that up for me! I am returning to the faith and so am trying to clear up areas I am fuzzy thank you!
 
Why doesn’t God appoint new Popes directly like the first one and dispense with all this “intrigue”?
 
Either way, I hope Cardinal Sarah is a possibility for next pope. I like him.
 
My info indicates that the next Pope will not need and election since he will be Simon bar Jonah.
 
The early Bishops of Rome were mostly just that, bishops of Rome. Their wider jurisdiction was only exercised occasionally. Today, the Pope is a figure of such worldwide import that only a very senior, experienced bishop should be considered.
 
You are calling for apparitions to the Cardinals?
Or should we just accept that whoever says Jesus appointed him is speaking the truth?

I think a conclave is likely in the end fraught with fewer difficulties.
 
Spyridon said:
I predict the next Pope will be an American man named Lenny Belardo and he will take the Papal name “Pope Pius XIII.”
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It will be a very long time before an American is elected Pope. Many European and South American bishops feel that we Americans have too much influence in the Church as it is.
 
I was jokingly referencing a TV show.

Seriously though, I have a strong inkling the next Pope will hail from East Asia or sub-Saharan Africa. Perhaps Uganda or the Philippines or Vietnam.
 
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Spyridon said:
I was jokingly referencing a TV show.

Seriously though, I have a strong inkling the next Pope will hail from East Asia or sub-Saharan Africa.
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I would start dancing in the street if an African Cardinal was elected Pope, esp if it was Cardinal Sarah.

If I were a betting man, I would bet that Cardinal Tagle from the Philippines might be the next Pope. However, I guess it also depends on how much they decide they need a good administrator to clean up the Curia during the next papacy.

Also, I know some Cardinals are reluctant to elect a young Pope.
 
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I’d be very happy to have Cardinal Sarah as Pope too.

You know the saying - “after a fat Pope, a skinny Pope.”

Nowadays it means “after a conservative/traditional Pope, a liberal/progressive Pope.”

Pope Francis is currently the progressive Pope.

There’s a definite possibility the next Pope will be a conservative/traditional Pope in the mold of Pope Benedict XVI - something Cardinal Sarah would definitely be.
 
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