Does the Pope need to be a bishop? + 2 more questions

[GodHeals]

Hi,

Does the Pope need to be a bishop? Has there ever been a Priest ordained Pope that wasn’t a Bishop?

I also heard that there was a woman Catholic Women Cardinal or Bishop at one time in history or something like that. I am not sure the circumstances. Any thoughts?

Please let me know. Thanks!
Brian

 

[Aelred_Minor]

The Pope is the bishop of Rome, so yes he has to be a bishop to be the Pope.

Theoretically a man does not have to be a bishop yet to get elected to the Papacy. It used to be relatively common for priests who were not bishops to be elected, but they would not actually become Pope until they were consecrated a bishop. Today though the laws governing Papal conclaves greatly limit the possibility of a non-bishop being elected Pope. In practice for centuries the Cardinals have always elected one of their own at every conclave.

The sacrament of Holy Orders can only be validly administered to baptized men. Therefore there has never been a validly ordained female bishop. Once in a while there will be a rogue simulated ordination of a woman to the priesthood, but these ordinations are not sacramentally valid. The same would be true of a simulated episcopal consecration, if this has ever occurred.

There is a story one occasionally hears about a woman who pretended to be a man and in this disguise rose through the ranks until she became Pope. Usually she is called Pope Joan, and it is said she was revealed when she gave birth during some ceremony (I forget the details). This is pure fiction, not even loosely based on any historical person.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

Since JPII, the Pope can only be selected from the College of Cardinals, IIRC.

 

[PJM]

=GodHeals;10091259]Hi,

Does the Pope need to be a bishop? Has there ever been a Priest ordained Pope that wasn’t a Bishop?

I also heard that there was a woman Catholic Women Cardinal or Bishop at one time in history or something like that. I am not sure the circumstances. Any thoughts?

Please let me know. Thanks!
Brian

Great question

If He’s elected Pope w/o being one; he will be Ordained a Bishop before assuming His Office. As to a Priest being made Pope; not that I know off

Women Bishop or priest NO!

A Deaconess was for a very short time used to TEACH OTHER WOMEN ONLY; on the grounds of possible Impropriety. But it wasShort lived.

Only Men can be a Bishop, Priest or Deacon.

 

[LEMAITRE]

Hi,

Does the Pope need to be a bishop? Has there ever been a Priest ordained Pope that wasn’t a Bishop?

I also heard that there was a woman Catholic Women Cardinal or Bishop at one time in history or something like that. I am not sure the circumstances. Any thoughts?

Please let me know. Thanks!
Brian

No the Pope does not have to be a bishop, they usually are. Yes there has been a Priest that wasn’t a Bishop who was elected however he was consecrated by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, the Cardinal bishop of Ostia before he is ordained Pope.

Are your referring to the Pope Joan scam? There has never been a female Bishop or Pope in the Catholic Church.

 

[Aelred_Minor]

Since JPII, the Pope can only be selected from the College of Cardinals, IIRC.

This is now legally required for the validity of the election? This is the first time I’m hearing of that. I thought it was just a customary thing, but that any Catholic bishop could theoretically be elected, or any Catholic priest in certain extraordinary circumstances. Perhaps my information is out of date.

 

[LEMAITRE]

St. Peter (32-67)
St. Linus (67-76)
St. Anacletus (Cletus) (76-88)
St. Clement I (88-97)
St. Evaristus (97-105)
St. Alexander I (105-115)
St. Sixtus I (115-125) Also called Xystus I
St. Telesphorus (125-136)
St. Hyginus (136-140)
St. Pius I (140-155)
St. Anicetus (155-166)
St. Soter (166-175)
St. Eleutherius (175-189)
St. Victor I (189-199)
St. Zephyrinus (199-217)
St. Callistus I (217-22) Callistus and the following three popes were opposed by St. Hippolytus, antipope (217-236)
St. Urban I (222-30)
St. Pontain (230-35)
St. Anterus (235-36)
St. Fabian (236-50)
St. Cornelius (251-53) Opposed by Novatian, antipope (251)
St. Lucius I (253-54)
St. Stephen I (254-257)
St. Sixtus II (257-258)
St. Dionysius (260-268)
St. Felix I (269-274)
St. Eutychian (275-283)
St. Caius (283-296) Also called Gaius
St. Marcellinus (296-304)
St. Marcellus I (308-309)
St. Eusebius (309 or 310)
St. Miltiades (311-14)
St. Sylvester I (314-35)
St. Marcus (336)
St. Julius I (337-52)
Liberius (352-66) Opposed by Felix II, antipope (355-365)
St. Damasus I (366-83) Opposed by Ursicinus, antipope (366-367)
St. Siricius (384-99)
St. Anastasius I (399-401)
St. Innocent I (401-17)
St. Zosimus (417-18)
St. Boniface I (418-22) Opposed by Eulalius, antipope (418-419)
St. Celestine I (422-32)
St. Sixtus III (432-40)
St. Leo I (the Great) (440-61)
St. Hilarius (461-68)
St. Simplicius (468-83)
St. Felix III (II) (483-92)
St. Gelasius I (492-96)
Anastasius II (496-98)
St. Symmachus (498-514) Opposed by Laurentius, antipope (498-501)
St. Hormisdas (514-23)
St. John I (523-26)
St. Felix IV (III) (526-30)
Boniface II (530-32) Opposed by Dioscorus, antipope (530)
John II (533-35)
St. Agapetus I (535-36) Also called Agapitus I
St. Silverius (536-37)
Vigilius (537-55)
Pelagius I (556-61)
John III (561-74)
Benedict I (575-79)
Pelagius II (579-90)
St. Gregory I (the Great) (590-604)
Sabinian (604-606)
Boniface III (607)
St. Boniface IV (608-15)

 

[LEMAITRE]

St. Deusdedit (Adeodatus I) (615-18)
Boniface V (619-25)
Honorius I (625-38)
Severinus (640)
John IV (640-42)
Theodore I (642-49)
St. Martin I (649-55)
St. Eugene I (655-57)
St. Vitalian (657-72)
Adeodatus (II) (672-76)
Donus (676-78)
St. Agatho (678-81)
St. Leo II (682-83)
St. Benedict II (684-85)
John V (685-86)
Conon (686-87)
St. Sergius I (687-701) Opposed by Theodore and Paschal, antipopes (687)
John VI (701-05)
John VII (705-07)
Sisinnius (708)
Constantine (708-15)
St. Gregory II (715-31)
St. Gregory III (731-41)
St. Zachary (741-52)
Stephen II (752) Because he died before being consecrated, many authoritative lists omit him
Stephen III (752-57)
St. Paul I (757-67)
Stephen IV (767-72) Opposed by Constantine II (767) and Philip (768), antipopes (767)
Adrian I (772-95)
St. Leo III (795-816)
Stephen V (816-17)
St. Paschal I (817-24)
Eugene II (824-27)
Valentine (827)
Gregory IV (827-44)
Sergius II (844-47) Opposed by John, antipope (855)
St. Leo IV (847-55)
Benedict III (855-58) Opposed by Anastasius, antipope (855)
St. Nicholas I (the Great) (858-67)
Adrian II (867-72)
John VIII (872-82)
Marinus I (882-84)
St. Adrian III (884-85)
Stephen VI (885-91)
Formosus (891-96)
Boniface VI (896)
Stephen VII (896-97)
Romanus (897)
Theodore II (897)
John IX (898-900)
Benedict IV (900-03)
Leo V (903) Opposed by Christopher, antipope (903-904)
Sergius III (904-11)
Anastasius III (911-13)
Lando (913-14)
John X (914-28)
Leo VI (928)
Stephen VIII (929-31)
John XI (931-35)
Leo VII (936-39)
Stephen IX (939-42)
Marinus II (942-46)
Agapetus II (946-55)
John XII (955-63)
Leo VIII (963-64)

 

[LEMAITRE]

Benedict V (964)
John XIII (965-72)
Benedict VI (973-74)
Benedict VII (974-83) Benedict and John XIV were opposed by Boniface VII, antipope (974; 984-985)
John XIV (983-84)
John XV (985-96)
Gregory V (996-99) Opposed by John XVI, antipope (997-998)
Sylvester II (999-1003)
John XVII (1003)
John XVIII (1003-09)
Sergius IV (1009-12)
Benedict VIII (1012-24) Opposed by Gregory, antipope (1012)
John XIX (1024-32)
Benedict IX (1032-45) He appears on this list three separate times, because he was twice deposed and restored
Sylvester III (1045) Considered by some to be an antipope
Benedict IX (1045)
Gregory VI (1045-46)
Clement II (1046-47)
Benedict IX (1047-48)
Damasus II (1048)
St. Leo IX (1049-54)
Victor II (1055-57)
Stephen X (1057-58)
Nicholas II (1058-61) Opposed by Benedict X, antipope (1058)
Alexander II (1061-73) Opposed by Honorius II, antipope (1061-1072)
St. Gregory VII (1073-85) Gregory and the following three popes were opposed by Guibert (“Clement III”), antipope (1080-1100)
Blessed Victor III (1086-87)
Blessed Urban II (1088-99)
Paschal II (1099-1118) Opposed by Theodoric (1100), Aleric (1102) and Maginulf (“Sylvester IV”, 1105-1111), antipopes (1100)
Gelasius II (1118-19) Opposed by Burdin (“Gregory VIII”), antipope (1118)
Callistus II (1119-24)
Honorius II (1124-30) Opposed by Celestine II, antipope (1124)
Innocent II (1130-43) Opposed by Anacletus II (1130-1138) and Gregory Conti (“Victor IV”) (1138), antipopes (1138)
Celestine II (1143-44)
Lucius II (1144-45)
Blessed Eugene III (1145-53)
Anastasius IV (1153-54)
Adrian IV (1154-59)
Alexander III (1159-81) Opposed by Octavius (“Victor IV”) (1159-1164), Pascal III (1165-1168), Callistus III (1168-1177) and Innocent III (1178-1180), antipopes
Lucius III (1181-85)
Urban III (1185-87)
Gregory VIII (1187)
Clement III (1187-91)
Celestine III (1191-98)
Innocent III (1198-1216)
Honorius III (1216-27)
Gregory IX (1227-41)
Celestine IV (1241)
Innocent IV (1243-54)
Alexander IV (1254-61)
Urban IV (1261-64)
Clement IV (1265-68)
Blessed Gregory X (1271-76)
Blessed Innocent V (1276)
Adrian V (1276)
John XXI (1276-77)
Nicholas III (1277-80)
Martin IV (1281-85)
Honorius IV (1285-87)
Nicholas IV (1288-92)
St. Celestine V (1294)
Boniface VIII (1294-1303)
Blessed Benedict XI (1303-04)
Clement V (1305-14)
John XXII (1316-34) Opposed by Nicholas V, antipope (1328-1330)
Benedict XII (1334-42)
Clement VI (1342-52)
Innocent VI (1352-62)
Blessed Urban V (1362-70)
Gregory XI (1370-78)
Urban VI (1378-89) Opposed by Robert of Geneva (“Clement VII”), antipope (1378-1394)
Boniface IX (1389-1404) Opposed by Robert of Geneva (“Clement VII”) (1378-1394), Pedro de Luna (“Benedict XIII”) (1394-1417) and Baldassare Cossa (“John XXIII”) (1400-1415), antipopes
Innocent VII (1404-06) Opposed by Pedro de Luna (“Benedict XIII”) (1394-1417) and Baldassare Cossa (“John XXIII”) (1400-1415), antipopes
Gregory XII (1406-15) Opposed by Pedro de Luna (“Benedict XIII”) (1394-1417), Baldassare Cossa (“John XXIII”) (1400-1415), and Pietro Philarghi (“Alexander V”) (1409-1410), antipopes
Martin V (1417-31)
Eugene IV (1431-47) Opposed by Amadeus of Savoy (“Felix V”), antipope (1439-1449)
Nicholas V (1447-55)
Callistus III (1455-58)
Pius II (1458-64)
Paul II (1464-71)
Sixtus IV (1471-84)
Innocent VIII (1484-92)
Alexander VI (1492-1503)
Pius III (1503)
Julius II (1503-13)
Leo X (1513-21)
Adrian VI (1522-23)
Clement VII (1523-34)
Paul III (1534-49)
Julius III (1550-55)
Marcellus II (1555)
Paul IV (1555-59)
Pius IV (1559-65)
St. Pius V (1566-72)
Gregory XIII (1572-85)
Sixtus V (1585-90)
Urban VII (1590)
Gregory XIV (1590-91)
Innocent IX (1591)
Clement VIII (1592-1605)
Leo XI (1605)
Paul V (1605-21)
Gregory XV (1621-23)
Urban VIII (1623-44)
Innocent X (1644-55)
Alexander VII (1655-67)
Clement IX (1667-69)
Clement X (1670-76)
Blessed Innocent XI (1676-89)
Alexander VIII (1689-91)
Innocent XII (1691-1700)
Clement XI (1700-21)
Innocent XIII (1721-24)
Benedict XIII (1724-30)
Clement XII (1730-40)
Benedict XIV (1740-58)
Clement XIII (1758-69)
Clement XIV (1769-74)
Pius VI (1775-99)
Pius VII (1800-23)
Leo XII (1823-29)
Pius VIII (1829-30)
Gregory XVI (1831-46)
Blessed Pius IX (1846-78)
Leo XIII (1878-1903)
St. Pius X (1903-14)
Benedict XV (1914-22) Biographies of Benedict XV and his successors will be added at a later date
Pius XI (1922-39)
Pius XII (1939-58)
Blessed John XXIII (1958-63)
Paul VI (1963-78)
John Paul I (1978)
John Paul II (1978-2005)
Benedict XVI (2005—)

 

[ConstantineTG]

Hi,

Does the Pope need to be a bishop? Has there ever been a Priest ordained Pope that wasn’t a Bishop?

Nobody is ordained Pope. The Papacy isn’t a rank of ordination.

There have been priests and deacons elected to become Pope. So to assume the Papacy they had to be ordained a bishop.

I also heard that there was a woman Catholic Women Cardinal or Bishop at one time in history or something like that. I am not sure the circumstances. Any thoughts?

Please let me know. Thanks!
Brian

No. In the past the rank of Cardinal was given to even non-ordained men. Theoretically it means a woman can be a Cardinal. But a Cardinal is just a position in the Church, it is not an ordained ministry. Today there is a rule that says only bishops can be made Cardinals. But the Pope can indeed change that and there is presedence that a layperson was made a Cardinal. So theoretically a woman can be made Cardinal, but she is not ordained to become a bishop. She is just a lay Cardinal in that case.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Great question

If He’s elected Pope w/o being one; he will be Ordained a Bishop before assuming His Office. As to a Priest being made Pope; not that I know off

Women Bishop or priest NO!

A Deaconess was for a very short time used to TEACH OTHER WOMEN ONLY; on the grounds of possible Impropriety. But it wasShort lived.

Only Men can be a Bishop, Priest or Deacon.

Depends what you mean by shortlived. By the 600s there were still a lot of Deaconesses in the Church. Some local Churches may have stopped having Deaconesses at this point, but overall there were still Deaconesses in the world.

 

[GodHeals]

The Pope is the bishop of Rome, so yes he has to be a bishop to be the Pope.

Theoretically a man does not have to be a bishop yet to get elected to the Papacy. It used to be relatively common for priests who were not bishops to be elected, but they would not actually become Pope until they were consecrated a bishop. Today though the laws governing Papal conclaves greatly limit the possibility of a non-bishop being elected Pope. In practice for centuries the Cardinals have always elected one of their own at every conclave.

The sacrament of Holy Orders can only be validly administered to baptized men. Therefore there has never been a validly ordained female bishop. Once in a while there will be a rogue simulated ordination of a woman to the priesthood, but these ordinations are not sacramentally valid. The same would be true of a simulated episcopal consecration, if this has ever occurred.

There is a story one occasionally hears about a woman who pretended to be a man and in this disguise rose through the ranks until she became Pope. Usually she is called Pope Joan, and it is said she was revealed when she gave birth during some ceremony (I forget the details). This is pure fiction, not even loosely based on any historical person.

Thank you so much for sharing your God given knowledge! God Bless You!

 

[GodHeals]

Great question

If He’s elected Pope w/o being one; he will be Ordained a Bishop before assuming His Office. As to a Priest being made Pope; not that I know off

Women Bishop or priest NO!

A Deaconess was for a very short time used to TEACH OTHER WOMEN ONLY; on the grounds of possible Impropriety. But it wasShort lived.

Only Men can be a Bishop, Priest or Deacon.

I also heard the deaconess weren’t able to perform any sacraments and weren’t ordained in any way manner. Is this true?

 

[GodHeals]

No the Pope does not have to be a bishop, they usually are. Yes there has been a Priest that wasn’t a Bishop who was elected however he was consecrated by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, the Cardinal bishop of Ostia before he is ordained Pope.

Are your referring to the Pope Joan scam? There has never been a female Bishop or Pope in the Catholic Church.

Not sure, i would need to ask the person who mentioned a bishop or cardinal or priest being officially ordained, forget which, thought maybe one of the first two…

 

[GodHeals]

St. Peter (32-67)
St. Callistus I (217-22) Callistus and the following three popes were opposed by St. Hippolytus, antipope (217-236)
St. Urban I (222-30)
St. Pontain (230-35)
St. Anterus (235-36)

Not sure what anti-pope means… Why are they Saints?

St. Callistus I (217-22) Callistus and the following three popes were opposed by St. Hippolytus, antipope (217-236)

 

[GodHeals]

Nobody is ordained Pope. The Papacy isn’t a rank of ordination.

There have been priests and deacons elected to become Pope. So to assume the Papacy they had to be ordained a bishop.

No. In the past the rank of Cardinal was given to even non-ordained men. Theoretically it means a woman can be a Cardinal. But a Cardinal is just a position in the Church, it is not an ordained ministry. Today there is a rule that says only bishops can be made Cardinals. But the Pope can indeed change that and there is presedence that a layperson was made a Cardinal. So theoretically a woman can be made Cardinal, but she is not ordained to become a bishop. She is just a lay Cardinal in that case.

Please help me get the term usage right:

Cardinals and Popes are not ordained ever, but elected is the proper term? Only Bishops and Priests and Deacons are ordained (so to be able to do the sacraments proper to each “office”?)?

Ahhhh SO WOMEN CAN BE CARDINALS. That is what my friend might have suggested happened in the past. Thanks!

 

[GodHeals]

No the Pope does not have to be a bishop, they usually are. Yes there has been a Priest that wasn’t a Bishop who was elected however he was consecrated by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, the Cardinal bishop of Ostia before he is ordained Pope.

Are your referring to the Pope Joan scam? There has never been a female Bishop or Pope in the Catholic Church.

The Pope is the bishop of Rome, so yes he has to be a bishop to be the Pope.

Theoretically a man does not have to be a bishop yet to get elected to the Papacy. It used to be relatively common for priests who were not bishops to be elected, but they would not actually become Pope until they were consecrated a bishop. Today though the laws governing Papal conclaves greatly limit the possibility of a non-bishop being elected Pope. In practice for centuries the Cardinals have always elected one of their own at every conclave.

The sacrament of Holy Orders can only be validly administered to baptized men. Therefore there has never been a validly ordained female bishop. Once in a while there will be a rogue simulated ordination of a woman to the priesthood, but these ordinations are not sacramentally valid. The same would be true of a simulated episcopal consecration, if this has ever occurred.

There is a story one occasionally hears about a woman who pretended to be a man and in this disguise rose through the ranks until she became Pope. Usually she is called Pope Joan, and it is said she was revealed when she gave birth during some ceremony (I forget the details). This is pure fiction, not even loosely based on any historical person.

**

UPDATE: Please see my previous reply to another poster. It seems that Cardinals didn’t have to always be men because they are not ordained positions.

**

 

[GodHeals]

Depends what you mean by shortlived. By the 600s there were still a lot of Deaconesses in the Church. Some local Churches may have stopped having Deaconesses at this point, but overall there were still Deaconesses in the world.

Great question

If He’s elected Pope w/o being one; he will be Ordained a Bishop before assuming His Office. As to a Priest being made Pope; not that I know off

Women Bishop or priest NO!

A Deaconess was for a very short time used to TEACH OTHER WOMEN ONLY; on the grounds of possible Impropriety. But it wasShort lived.

Only Men can be a Bishop, Priest or Deacon.

I was and still am somewhat confused after spending time in the protestant Churches about women being pastors and then also teaching at various theological colleges and then Catholic institutions and even being spiritual directors for men, ordained men too?

It started to make sense when finding out only Priests and Deacons and Bishops, all of which are men, were ordained to provide the sacraments and are called pastors (if head of a local Parish, as far as I am aware). Don’ think “perform” the sacraments is the best word, right, since it isn’t a performance?

But since you posted above women were always to teach women (and children), then it is OK for them to teach and spiritually direct men, lay and ordained… thereby teaching them in one way or another, but still not a pastor. I heard women can be pastoral associates now? too, but obviously, they are ordained to do any sacraments.

Any thoughts? Thank you for your help!

 

[Phemie]

I remember our bishop telling us that to be elected Pope one had to be a male Catholic. That was the basic requirement – not even Holy Orders were required, although Ordination would follow before the Pope assumed the Chair of Peter.

Canon Law limits Ordination to the priesthood and permanent diaconate to those 25 and older (transitional diaconate is limited to those 23 and older) so we’re not apt to see a 16 year old Pope.

 

[mikelionheart]

**I remember our bishop telling us that to be elected Pope one had to be a male Catholic. That was the basic requirement – not even Holy Orders were required, although Ordination would follow before the Pope assumed the Chair of Peter. **

Canon Law limits Ordination to the priesthood and permanent diaconate to those 25 and older (transitional diaconate is limited to those 23 and older) so we’re not apt to see a 16 year old Pope.

My priest told me the same thing.

This fact about a women being (technically) able to become a cardinal is fascinating. Anyone got any more details on this?