Question in the electing of a new pope?

[godsent]

I may have asked this before but i will ask it again.

If the holy spirit guides the cardinals when voting for the cardinal they want to become pope,why don’t all the cardinals all vote for the same cardinal if the holy spirit truly wants that cardinal to take the chair of peter?

Thanks in advance

 

[Genesis315]

Because the Holy Spirit doesn’t guide them in the way you are thinking. They can still do whatever they want. While we hope the cardinals pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit, sometimes they may just vote for political reasons or something. They vote for who they think is best–they’re not always going to make the best choice (as history proves). The Pope is elected by human beings, not by God.

 

[awalt]

They also might in all good conscience think they are accepting the will of the Holy Spirit but they have not clearly discerned that, through no fault of their own. It is similar to the way many of us pray to be able to clearly discern God’s will for ourselves…

 

[El_camino]

I may have asked this before but i will ask it again.

If the holy spirit guides the cardinals when voting for the cardinal they want to become pope,why don’t all the cardinals all vote for the same cardinal if the holy spirit truly wants that cardinal to take the chair of peter?

Thanks in advance

This is like asking, if the apostles were guided by the Holy Spirit, why didn’t they know, when they were meeting in the Upper Room (with the door closed – from which the word “conclave” derives) who to choose between Matthias and Joseph called Barsabbas (Justus) (Acts 1:23-26) and they had to draw lots to figure out the will of the Holy Spirit? (Acts 1:26). I remind you that the vote must be unanimous to be figure out who the next pope is, otherwise they burn the black smoke. I would bet, that just like the apostles were guided by the Holy Spirit after coming to a deadlock between Matthias and Justus, the cardinals in some conclave(s) might have to have drawn lots to decide between two or more papabiles, when they come to a deadlock.

Blessings,

E.C.

 

[JKirkLVNV]

This is like asking, if the apostles were guided by the Holy Spirit, why didn’t they know, when they were meeting in the Upper Room (with the door closed – from which the word “conclave” derives) who to choose between Matthias and Joseph called Barsabbas (Justus) (Acts 1:23-26) and they had to draw lots to figure out the will of the Holy Spirit? (Acts 1:26). I remind you that the vote must be unanimous to be figure out who the next pope is, otherwise they burn the black smoke. I would bet, that just like the apostles were guided by the Holy Spirit after coming to a deadlock between Matthias and Justus, the cardinals in some conclave(s) might have to have drawn lots to decide between two or more papabiles, when they come to a deadlock.

Blessings,

E.C.

With respect, this isn’t so. There is no need for a unanimous vote to affect election. The rule is 2/3 + 1 votes is needed for election. This can change to an absolute majority if the cardinals reach an obvious deadlock, but that’s quite a length of time into a conclave.