*Catholics only* Does God pick the pope?

The Grouch

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Does the Holy Spirit really select the best possible man for the job, or is it pious hyperbole?

Continued below.
http://jimmyakin.com/2018/03/does-god-pick-the-pope.html

Yes i think the holy spirit always selects the right man for the job and he is always availible to guide the conclave but men do not always follow his guidance men do not always choose the same person chosen by God that said whoever is elected pope the grace and guidance of the holy spirit is always availible to him if he chooses to listen.
 
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Stabat Mater dolorosa

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I like to think of it a tad differently. I believe that the protection of the Holy Spirit is invoked at the openingday of any conclave and while He doesnt pick one particular pope hes there to make sure the pope2be will not demolish the church.
Its kind of a Godgiven limitation to what a pope will be able to do wrong in his pontificate.

IF some fractions of the cardinals have made pacts and other arrangements (as some believe happened at the 2013 conclave) then Im unsure how to believe about the protection of God.
I mean JPii told that any such campaigning would ipso facto excommunicate those involved which would under certain circumstances mean that the elected pope could be under the penalty of excommunication at the time of election leaving him unfit and not papible.
Well...

Who knows. Under normal circumstamces I believe its a guaranti against demolishion most of all.
 
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Gnarwhal

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I like to think of it a tad differently. I believe that the protection of the Holy Spirit is invoked at the openingday of any conclave and while He doesnt pick one particular pope hes there to make sure the pope2be will not demolish the church.
Its kind of a Godgiven limitation to what a pope will be able to do wrong in his pontificate.

IF some fractions of the cardinals have made pacts and other arrangements (as some believe happened at the 2013 conclave) then Im unsure how to believe about the protection of God.
I mean JPii told that any such campaigning would ipso facto excommunicate those involved which would under certain circumstances mean that the elected pope could be under the penalty of excommunication at the time of election leaving him unfit and not papible.
Well...

Who knows. Under normal circumstamces I believe its a guaranti against demolishion most of all.

That's an interesting take on things!

For myself, I believe the Holy Spirit is indeed guiding the conclave and has determined that the man chosen would be the kind of pope the Church needs right now. As in, the Holy Spirit chose Benedict XVI because the Church needed to remember the richness of orthodox theology and liturgical purity, and now with Pope Francis the Church needs to remember how to live out a virtuous Catholic life.

I'm not saying that either of these popes lack the qualities that I pointed out of the other, just that their papacy's have been highlighted by a focus on those things.

Not sure if that makes any sense...
 
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The Grouch

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I like to think of it a tad differently. I believe that the protection of the Holy Spirit is invoked at the openingday of any conclave and while He doesnt pick one particular pope hes there to make sure the pope2be will not demolish the church.
Its kind of a Godgiven limitation to what a pope will be able to do wrong in his pontificate.

IF some fractions of the cardinals have made pacts and other arrangements (as some believe happened at the 2013 conclave) then Im unsure how to believe about the protection of God.
I mean JPii told that any such campaigning would ipso facto excommunicate those involved which would under certain circumstances mean that the elected pope could be under the penalty of excommunication at the time of election leaving him unfit and not papible.
Well...

Who knows. Under normal circumstamces I believe its a guaranti against demolishion most of all.

An invalid conclave surely would not have the guidance of the holy spirit and thus no protection at all...anyone "elected" at that conclave would have no protection but no damage could be done either since he would have no authority thus he could not damage the faith... he could lead souls into a "false church" but he could do no damage to the true faith itself
 
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Tomm

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Does the Holy Spirit really select the best possible man for the job, or is it pious hyperbole?

Continued below.
Does God Pick the Pope?

I believe God always tries to inspire the cardinals to pick the most suitable candidate, but it's up to the cardinals to obey or not.

Therefore, imho, any Pope elected is not necessarily the best choice.
 
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PanDeVida

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Does the Holy Spirit really select the best possible man for the job, or is it pious hyperbole?

Continued below.
Does God Pick the Pope?

The Answer is Yes! Good Popes and Bad Popes. Did not Christ pick His twelve apostles and yet one was a devil.

PanDeVida
 
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