How does one become Pope?

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NextElement

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Just curious: How does someone actually rise to the level of Pope?

I had always assumed that you become a priest, do well, get promoted to bishop, then archbishop, and so on. Is this accurate? If so, who makes the decision to promote the priest and how are they “graded”? Is it based on their parish (attendance, funds raised, etc), or is it based on personal preference?

So how can someone make the jump from your normal priest to higher up?
 
Pax Christi!

First of all, you have to be Catholic. That’s important.

Seriously, the Pope is a bishop, and therefore a priest, but not all popes were bishops, or cardinals, before being elected. All were confirmed Catholic men.

These days the College of Cardinals looks for someone with administative skills (like a bishop), not too modern, but not too “stuck in the past”. Someone fairly healthy (so they don’t have to meet again next year) and not a mystic-type. Padre Pio (now St. Pio) would never have been elected.

Hope this helps.

God bless.
 
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