New Pope chosen

Is that you on the bottom picture?

Umm i am kind of confused about how they elect the Pope, I know that they are elected by the cadinals, right? But then i thought that hey were suposto be chosen by God, but they are elected? How does that wok?

Conclave.

I think it's a matter of faith that the cardinals are guided by God to make the best choice from the candidates. As one of the non-voting cardinals said regarding this newest Pope, "Providence sends a pope for every era."

There is some reasoning behind why they chose the person they did.... Most reports said that they would probably not choose a younger cardinal and then be locked into another lengthy papacy (not that there was anything bad about a long papacy)...but I think the church is in such a transitional period right now they wanted someone who in all reality wouldn't spend decades as the leader.

Oh I see, thanks so much, I understand it better now, thanks!!

The Church isn't in a transitional period - it is fairly static. The dynamics of the Holy See insofar as personalities are concerned may perhaps been seen as transitional. Pope Benedict XVI is, after all, a different man than Pope John Paul II was, and with such differences in personality come differences elsewhere.

The primary duty of the conclave is to come together, seeking the Holy Spirit's guidance, to find the one man who most closely "fits the part", as it were, as leader of the Universal Church. They must seek one who can most closely walk in St. Peter's shoes, carrying the Word and the Faith to all of God's children everywhere. Naturally, each individual person can come up with his or her own list of qualities they feel would be necessary for this position. But the Church is the Bride of Christ, and most will put aside what they deem necessary to seek His guidance for her new leader.

People like to speak of "transitional" popes, as though the papacy were an organism that can subsist without true leadership. "Ah, but God is supposed to be the 'real' leader, right?" Yes - but the millions of differing congregations just in the US alone are a mute testimony to the fact that people don't interpret God's Word alike. Jesus chose Peter to "feed My sheep", and ever since the Apostles first met to replace Judas in the Twelve, the top echelon of Christ's bride have met to determine who will fill the seats that have been vacated.

There's no such thing as picking a "transitional" pope - he either is pope, or he is not. The quality of his papacy will be determined by his actions, commented upon by the longevity of his reign, and be picked apart by both his detractors and the future students of Church history. The Pope is human - there have been bad popes, wimpy popes, and popes who couldn't lead a Boy Scout troup. Without exception, they've reflected badly upon the Church - and no cardinal in his right mind would willingly accede to any plan to vote in a stringed puppet who may turn around and bite him on the ankles.

So-called "transitional" popes have never been called so until the end of their reigns, after the brevity or lack of substance of their reigns have determined that, by and large, he had merely held the seat of Peter until another was ready to take up the Croix of the Fisherman.

Originally Posted by Wolf

Hahahahahahahaha!! That's where I've seen him before!

I hope he's able to do a good job....I've heard so many things about this guy, i dont know what to think about him