Popes, not all are saints, how come?

[Great-Grandpa-G]

I see looking at one list of the Popes that only about 77 are titled as St. (saint), how come so few made it?

Thanks

Jerry / YBIC

 

[serendipity]

It is still a position of power with much responsibility. And at the end of the day, the Pope is still a human and an office that is partially a human institution (the person who holds the office is still huamn at the end of the day). Perhaps human with access to much grace from God, but with much power comes much responsibility. I’m not debunking the primacy of Peter, but all of God’s best servants in the Bible seemed to have problems with temptation at times, even when God handpicked them (excepting Jesus of course).

 

[gelsbern]

First off, the Catholic church believes that ALL faithful who are in heaven are saints, however, there is a difference between a saint and a Saint. That difference is whether they are beatified/canonized or not.

The Communion of Saints

Beatification and Canonization

So yes, all the popes are saints, but not all of them are Saints.

 

[Timidity]

gelsbern:

So yes, all the popes are saints

How do you know this?

 

[gelsbern]

Timidity:

How do you know this?

Yes you are right in asking this, and to be honest I don’t know it. I am only assuming and hoping that all the popes who have died have joined Jesus in heaven or on their way there after a stint in purgatory. It is very possible, though unlikely that there are popes that have gone to hell, and in that case those that did end up there would obviously not be saints.

I guess that will teach me to make a blanket statement about the past holy fathers of the Church.

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

In the early Church it was customary for a while to canonise every pope. I suppose they knew that the pope had received the sacraments before dying!!!
There were also many martyred popes early on. True Saints.
The rules for the canonisation process can and have changed a lot through the centuries.

 

[Genesis315]

I would’t say they’re all definitely in heaven. Pope Alexander VI may have had a rough time getting in.

 

[bones_IV]

There is no doubt in my mind that we have had a few unworthy Popes. Alexander VI may never get canonized, but he did do some good. Dante’s inferno by the way depicts Alexander VI being in hell. I personally think that there are certain Popes burning in hell for eternity. Not all of them, I don’t think made it. Pope Honorius was declared anathema during the sixth council of Constantinople not for endorsing heresy but for his neglegence to codemn it.

Padre Pio “The Rosary is the weapon.”

 

[Michael_C]

I am a faithful Catholic and I am not ready to say all Popes are saints or are even in heaven. What’s important to me is that the Popes who were less than holy never made any rulings ex-Cathedra that were contrary to our fatih and the teachings of Jesus Christ.

 

[Great-Grandpa-G]

A question was asked; "How do you know this? "

Well I was looking for a list of all the Popes when at New Advent website the

list shows many Popes addresses as ST Pope but then I thought why? So I asked the question.

Jerry / YBIC

newadvent.org/cathen/12272b.htm

Yesterday, 07:03 AM

Re: Popes, not all are saints, how come?

Quote:

Originally Posted by gelsbern

So yes, all the popes are saints

How do you know this?

---

*I could be wrong; I’ve been wrong before, and no doubt I’ll be wrong again.

 

[Timidity]

Great-Grandpa-G:

A question was asked; "How do you know this? "

Well I was looking…

The question was directed at Geisbern’s statement, not your question!

 

[Great-Grandpa-G]

Thanks Timidity, as being a new member and not ever being part of a forum group it may take a while before I get awake to who is saying what, at my age , well actually I always have had the problem of really knowing what is what and what is going on. I may even be out of order sending an email like this one so will go back and re-read the rules and etiquette to see if I am on the right track.

Jerry who will be 70 this May 8, 2005 God willing.

YBIC

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