... Selecting a POPE

[oliver_g0110]

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A Papal Succession Primer

An aging and ailing pope is inevitably cause for speculation as to who his successor will be -- and how he will be chosen. The ritual papal election has always attracted special attention, as detailed sacred procedures are followed to secure a legitimate succession of power. Here's a brief outline of how it's done:

* When the Pope dies, the head of the Sacred College of Cardinals, or Camerlengo, verifies the death. Standing over the deceased, he calls the pontiff by his baptismal name three times. Upon receiving no response, he announces the death and arranges for the Fisherman's ring -- inscribed with the name of the reigning pope -- and papal seal to be broken. Later, another ring will be made for the newly elected pope. The Camerlengo then prepares for the Pope's burial and the traditional nine days of mourning. Assisted by three officials elected from the college, he directs the election of the pontiff's successor.

* Fifteen to 20 days after the death of the Pope, the Sacred College of Cardinals meets for the election. Hailing from every corner of the globe, the cardinals are handpicked by the pope to advise and help him. There are currently 123 voting cardinals.

* After a Mass of the Holy Spirit in St. Peter's Basilica, the cardinals enter a guarded annex of the Sistine Chapel for the election process, known as a conclave. Each cardinal swears an oath to protect the secrecy of the election. Breaking the oath carries a penalty of immediate excommunication. Literally locked within the walls of the annex, which is screened for bugging devices, the cardinals are sequestered from any contact with the outside world. Entrances are sealed and curtains closed.

* The next morning, the cardinals attend mass in the Sistine Chapel and the electoral session begins. According to the reforms of Pope Paul VI, only cardinals under the age of 80 may vote. While for centuries only cardinals have been elected pope, in theory, any adult male Roman Catholic is papabile, or a potential candidate for the papacy.

* The election is conducted in secret written ballots counted by the Camerlengo and his three assistants. In the past, a pope needed two thirds of the vote plus one to be elected. In 1996, however, Pope John Paul II changed this rule so that if the votes continue to be unsuccessful for 12 or 13 days, the cardinals may agree by absolute majority (half plus one) to elect.

* Two ballots are taken each morning and two each afternoon until a successful vote is completed. After each voting session, ballots are burned. If the vote is inconclusive, a chemical substance is added to the paper to produce black smoke. Billowing from the roof of the Vatican Palace, the smoke is a message to the crowds watching in St. Peter's Square that the church is still without a pope.

* When the college eventually reaches the final decision, each cardinal lowers a purple canopy over his chair, leaving the elected Pope's canopy folded. The final ballots are burned and their white smoke signals a successful election. The dean of the cardinals asks if the chosen member accepts the papacy. Upon accepting, the new pontiff is made bishop of Rome and is honored by each of the cardinals.

* The dean then steps out onto the balcony of the Vatican, shouting "Habemus papam!" ("We have a Pope!") The new pontiff then appears to greet and bless the waiting world.

[dawn runner]

After the death of Pope John Paul II, the next questions that Catholics are facing is who will be the next Pope. Or the most important question is, what kind of pope is the next one.

Being a true blue Catholic, I prefer another traditional pope just like Pope John Paul II. Some Catholics are clamoring for the abolition of the vow of chastity, allowing married men to become priest and allowing women in the priesthood. I believe these suggestions will not bring reform to the church but chaos.

Women should not insist to become priest. That is not discrimination. We should measure our value as a person by doing the things I wanted to do. Youre a woman and you cannot be a priest, that does not mean you are lesser than me. Iam a man but i cant bear a child, does it make me lesser compared to women? Men and women should not compete each other. Instead they should concentrate on their God given roles to enhance their lives as servants of Christ.

[amorino]

i agree with you women should not insist to becom a preast.
but i want to list a similar situation in isalm religion and which provok a big polemic in islamic world.

so This story appeared in The New York Daily News on 23mar05:

As reported by Jordan Lite; Daily News staff writer:

quote:

THE TOP AUTHORITY on Islamic law in Egypt lashed out yesterday at the woman who led a mixed-*** Muslim prayer service in New York.
Under armed guard, Amina Wadud, an Islamic studies professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, broke with Islamic tradition to lead Muslim prayers Friday at a service held at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in Morningside Heights.
Yesterday, the gand mufti of Egypt said that what she did broke the laws of Allah.
"As for the call to prayer by woman, giving the Friday sermon or leading the Friday prayer... it is not allowed," said the office of Sheikh Ali Gomaa.
Wadud declined comment yesterday, but Asra nomani, who helped organize the service, said she wasn't surprised.
"I expected that many in the establishment would oppose women-led prayers tooth and nail," said Nomani, an author whose "Muslim Women's Freedom Tour" will include her leading two mixed-gender prayer services today at Brandeis University outside Boston. "It threatens their power and control."
Wadud's service was covered in front-page reports throughout the Arab world and protrayed in some papers as a challenge to Islamic priciples.
Men and women are usually separated at most Muslim prayer services. In some cases, women can only enter a mosque through a back or side door.
Nomani said last Friday's service was not a one-time event - and there is support for women-led services. "I've heard from hundreds of women now who feel that they finally are being represented in the world of Islam, and there are so many men who support us," she said. "The debate has begun, and that is a clear success."

you agree with muslums that a woman can not lead mixed prayers.
you said "Women should not insist to become priest. That is not discrimination".
my question why we are contesting the women position in islam and it seems to be the same in all religions?

[gareb]

stick to the topic, people.

[dawn runner]

Cardinal Vidal of Cebu might become the next pope if the Church wants someone to make the issue of poverty and oppression the main concern of the next pope.

Cardinal Vidal as Pope?
Chicago prelate says electors should look at LatAm, Philippines
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


CARDINAL Ricardo Vidal, archbishop of Cebu, as the next Pope?

Why not?

Cardinal Francis George of Chicago said in an interview carried by the Chicago Tribune that if the cardinals want the new pope to focus on the plight of the poor, they should look at candidates from Latin America and the Philippines.

There are three Filipino cardinals. Retired Manila Archbishop Jaime Sin, 76, however, is ailing and has been advised by his doctors to skip the Conclave of Cardinals which must open between 15 and 20 days after the death of Pope John Paul II on April 2.

The third Filipino cardinal, Vatican-based Jose Sanchez, at 85 is no longer eligible to take part in the conclave as electors must be below 80 years old. There are 117 eligible electors in the coming conclave.

Vidal said in Manila before flying to Rome he was not interested in the papacy as he was sickly and already old at 74.

Vidal underwent angioplasty to open blocked heart arteries in November.

Asked about the possibility of the new pope coming from the Third World, he was quoted as saying, "We leave that to the Holy Spirit; we cannot dictate."

"I hope he will follow the same path as of John Paul II, especially in matters of preserving the faith of the Church, and at the same time he will give us a true guide in this moment of crisis in the world in the modern times," he said.

John Paul created Vidal a cardinal on May 25, 1985.

Cardinal George did not name Vidal as a contender. But his reference to electing a pope from Latin America and the Philippines came amidst an uncharacteristic openness to speculations that were starting to worry the cardinals gathered in Rome.

In a report from the Vatican, Reuters said George took the bold step of listing two cardinals he saw as strong candidates.

George said Dionigi Tettamanzi of Milan has shown he can defend Church beliefs in the face of modern science, and Nigeria's Francis Arinze had strong qualities in interfaith relations and spreading the gospel.

Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski of Poland openly gave his views to TVN24 television there on two purported frontrunners - Germany's Joseph Ratzinger was very intelligent but probably too old while Nigeria's Arinze was popular and charming.

The General Congregation - the daily cardinals' meeting in the Vatican during the gap between popes - could decide to muzzle all "princes of the Church" on Wednesday, another official said.

"There is a lot of concern about letting the media dominate the pre-conclave period," that official added. "The impression is that this is coming from Third World cardinals, for whom the media are a strange beast."

The first papal election in the global communications era has attracted extensive coverage on satellite television and in newspapers, magazines and radio available on the Internet. The Italian press runs daily speculative pieces on frontrunners.

Many of the 117 cardinals due to enter the conclave in about two weeks do not know all their fellow electors and say they want to keep an open mind for their discussions ahead. But the world's media are already buzzing away about who might win.

The prelates are not supposed to discuss possible candidates in public, but many have spoken to their local media in general terms explaining what they were looking for in a candidate.

For many of the cardinals, the job description is clear - they want someone a lot like the last one.

"Perhaps the best way to sum it up: we need another John Paul," said Cardinal Wilfrid Napier of South Africa. "A people's Pope, one who's especially got an appeal and a challenge for the youth."

"I feel that Pope John Paul was accepted by everyone, inside and outside the church community, and I think he was the Pope figure that could fulfill the hopes of everyone," said Cardinal Julius Darmaatmadja of Indonesia.

Such views are perhaps not surprising given that all but two of the 117 cardinals eligible to choose the new pope owe their present positions to John Paul.

[dawn runner]

Pope John Paul II (Karol Wotyla)


Pope John Paul I (Albino Luciani) The "23-day" Pope


Pope Paul IV (Giovanni Battista Montini) 1963-1978



Pope John XXIII Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli 1958-1963

Pope Pius XII Eugenio Pacelli 1939-1958

[cyclops]

stick to the topic, people.

yeah, feeling powerful....

[blade101]

stick to the topic, people.

yeah, feeling powerful....

he's just doing his job bai........

[gareb]

yeah, feeling powerful....

OT: i am simply doing my job. if you have a problem with that, then go to the admins. or perhaps you are angry because i locked your topic. say it out loud and off with these inanities so that we can deal with what's bothering you.

[M@rv|n]

mag mourn sa ta b4 mamili