Ecclesiology in an interregnum

[Aelred_Minor]

Certain theological topics are difficult to place in CAF’s forum categories, but as I’m most interested in a more philosophical approach to this question I’ll ask it here.

It looks like on February 28 we will enter another Papal interregnum, a period in which there is no current bishop of Rome.

Ordinarily, communion with the bishop of Rome is the standard of unity for the Catholic Church. In an interregnum however, there is no bishop of Rome to be in communion with. Essentially we will all be sedevacantists.

How should the unity of the Catholic Church be conceived during an interregnum? How are we to define schism in this situation? Also, whatever your answers, what are the implications of them for our concept of the Church’s structure the rest of the time, when there is a Pope? For example, if there is some other standard of unity by which full communion with/in the Catholic Church can be measured, what is the relationship of this standard to the ordinary standard of communion with the Pope?

My apologies in advance if I don’t get a chance to participate in this thread for some time after posting it.

 

[ChadS]

For brief periods of time Catholics can not help but be sedevacantists. The Vatican even issues a postage stamp, only valid for that period, that says “Sede Vacante.” After a new pope is elected the stamps are no longer valid.

As Catholics we already have a mechanism in place, the College of Cardinals, to elect a new pope. We aren’t sort of cast about without a leader. The bishops of all the dioceses in all the world as successors to the apostles form part of the living magisterium of the Church. So, even without a visible head (even if it is only temporary) there is still a Magisterium that guards the faith.

Until a new pope is elected things go into a sort of holding pattern. No new announcements or appointments are made. Obviously nothing can be declared or defined ex cathedra.

I’m not sure there really are any implications for our ecclesiology since this has been a process the Church has been dealing with from Peter forward. The Church doesn’t cease to exist or function. If it did then all the people confirmed and baptized at Easter during JPII’s death wouldn’t be considered Catholic, but they are and nobody ever said they’d need to be reconfirmed or baptized because there wasn’t a pope at the time.

ChadS

 

[Mintaka]

Given that there’s a continuity of Peter’s office across time, you can still be in union with Peter in an interregnum.

God is eternal, not temporal, and all the popes that there’ll ever be are presently in office to God. So basically this is not anything particularly worrying to Him; and we should take our cue from Him.

 

[davidv]

Certain theological topics are difficult to place in CAF’s forum categories, but as I’m most interested in a more philosophical approach to this question I’ll ask it here.

It looks like on February 28 we will enter another Papal interregnum, a period in which there is no current bishop of Rome.

Ordinarily, communion with the bishop of Rome is the standard of unity for the Catholic Church. In an interregnum however, there is no bishop of Rome to be in communion with. Essentially we will all be sedevacantists.

Communion with the bishop of Rome is not the only standard of unity. Another primary one is the celebration of the Eucharist.

In addition, given the current connotation of sedevacantists, this term would not apply as ther is no assumption that the chair is occupied by an imposter.

How should the unity of the Catholic Church be conceived during an interregnum?

Since the unity already exists, and is not destroyed by the death or resignation of a Pope, there is no need conceive unity during this time.

How are we to define schism in this situation?

Schism is defined independent of the presence of the Pope.

Also, whatever your answers, what are the implications of them for our concept of the Church’s structure the rest of the time, when there is a Pope? For example, if there is some other standard of unity by which full communion with/in the Catholic Church can be measured, what is the relationship of this standard to the ordinary standard of communion with the Pope?

My apologies in advance if I don’t get a chance to participate in this thread for some time after posting it.

Since the structure of the Church includes the provision for electing a new pope the only implication is that this process will be exercised.