Picking a new Pope

Goodness me I never knew how much work went into picking a new Pope !!
It must cost the church an absolute fortune ?

Hinch wrote:I have had a call from Rome tonight asking for advice regarding my own personal choice. I have told them to go for the bloke in the red dress.

not forgetting the Red Shoes

Jeanie wrote:

not forgetting the Red Shoes
Is he called Dorothy?

The Almighty missed another chance to send proof he's bothered about human affairs. He could have sent a bit of his influence to make it 115-0, but instead it just looks like a bunch of humans guessing who will come out top and trying to back the winner with no particular supernatural guidance. Oh well...

So much for the human race. I despair.

Jeanie wrote:Goodness me I never knew how much work went into picking a new Pope !!
It must cost the church an absolute fortune ?

Good grief, where have you been the last 60 odd yrs? Several Popes have been elected in that time and the process hasnt altered. Have you managed to avoid TV and papers all this time?

Could just flip a coin. The winner goes on to the next round. So on and so forth till the winner gets the pointy hat and staff.

Either that or paper, rock and scissors.

Joking aside, I find it strange that a leader of millions is voted in by around 115 people. Surely the people the Pope leads should vote in their new leader.

Not all that democratic really if you think about it.

A world wide vote? In both democratic and undemocratic countries? Where many hundrededs of thousands are insufficiently literate to properly participate? Where the most suitable candidate may be in the least Catholic populated area? Where that same candidate may come from an inpoverished area up against the cardinals from the USA? Nah, all in all I reckon this is as goog a way as any. At least if God exists He stands a reasonable chance of influencing the outcome!

Rightly or wrongly, the Catholic Church has never been a democracy. If believers believe that whoever gets voted in, it's god's will regardless, then they don't need to vote, just believe.

southernbelle wrote:A world wide vote? In both democratic and undemocratic countries? Where many hundrededs of thousands are insufficiently literate to properly participate? Where the most suitable candidate may be in the least Catholic populated area? Where that same candidate may come from an inpoverished area up against the cardinals from the USA? Nah, all in all I reckon this is as goog a way as any. At least if God exists He stands a reasonable chance of influencing the outcome!

Of course there will be exceptions or pitfalls that prevent all to vote. But still there will a lot more than 115 Cardinals able to vote.

With respect to the suitable candidates. I thought the people shown on the news as favourites were the chosen candidates that the Conclave are voting so these are the names that could be added to a ballot paper.

But as Dalelad has posted the Catholic Church has never been democratic.

So we shall all wait to see the white smoke emerge and the new Pope make his appearance on the balcony.

Do you think that the time in the middle ages when there were three popes represented disagreement within the Holy Trinity?

White smoke!

In about 45 minutes we should know who the new Pope is.

Will Pope Francis I invigorate the Church? We shall see.

As Cardinal, Bergoglio became known for personal humility, doctrinal conservatism and a commitment to social justice. A simple lifestyle has contributed to his reputation for humility. He lives in a small apartment, rather than in the palatial bishop's residence. He gave up his chauffeured limousine in favor of public transportation, and he reportedly cooks his own meals.

Wikipedia

Noticed HeywoodPP was not considered.