www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Choosing new Pope & heads of Eastern churches

I saw a reference on another thread to the heads of Eastern Catholic churches perhaps having a role in choosing future popes. This caused me to ask if all the heads of Eastern Catholic churches get to participate in this process or just some of them? If any of them do get to participate then I guess they are both cardinal and patriarch though the former role is more restrictive than the latter. Do I have any of this correct?

Dear Eric,

Yes, only Cardinals get to choose a new Pope and not all the Cardinals have that right either.

Now, Cardinals above the age of 80 cannot elect a new Pope.

Rome has made it a policy to bestow the Cardinal's Hat and Ring on the Primates, often Patriarchs, of the Eastern Catholic Churches in union with it.

Alex

It does pose an interesting diliema.

The Pope is Head of the Catholic Church, and as such, the Patriarchs should have a say in the process. In fact, they are even eligible (I suppose technically, so is any other Catholic Male, even Alex )

BUT... The Pope is also Patriarch of the West, and what sort of role should the other Churches having in choosing the Latin Patriarch?

I suppose it these types of issues that make the Theologians earn their Panus Quotidianae.

Dear Scotus,

That has been my traditional position - the Eastern Church Patriarchs need not concern themselves with the election of the Pope as they generally look after their jurisdictions themselves.

But I guess Rome wants to make the Eastern Patriarchs feel good . . .

Alex

Dear Eric:

You asked:



Of the 22 sui juris Eastern Catholic Churches, only 5 have their Patriarch/Primate/head
as Cardinals and are, therefore, members of the Sacred College of Cardinals responsible for electing the next Pope.

Of the 5, only 3 are currently eligible to participate in the papal election, namely: HB Lubomyr Cardinal Husar of the Ukrainians, 69; Mar Varkey C. Cardinal Vithayathil of the Syro-Malabars, 75; and HB Ignace Moussa I Cardinal Daoud, the retired Patriarch of the Syrians, 72. HB Nasrallah Peter Cardinal Sfeir of the Maronites and HB Stephanos II Cardinal Ghattas of the Copts are now over 80. (Interestingly, the respective Patriarchs of the Armenians, Chaldeans, and the Melkites ARE NOT Cardinals, who, as rumors go, "politely"(?) refused their red hats when offered by Pope John Paul II.)

Within the Sacred College, the Cardinals are grouped in 3 descending Orders: Order of Cardinal-Bishops, Order of Cardinal-Priests, and Order of Cardinal-Deacons. The Cardinal-Patriarchs belong to the Order of Cardinal- Bishops.

We like to think that the Pope, the successor of Peter, as THE universal pastor of the Catholic Church. In this vein, all of the heads of the Eastern Catholic Churches should participate in the election of the Pope by accepting their red hats if and when proffered, always with sincerity, by the Holy Father!

If I am not mistaken, there are currently 114 Cardinal-electors, unless in the meantime some have reached 80.

How could an Eastern patriarch become a Pope if he does not want to be a member of the Sacred College of Cardinals?

AmdG

Dear Amano,

The College Elects the Pope, but they may choose any Catholic Male, as the Spirit might direct them.

Now granted, the Spirit has chosen most commonly from members of the College of Cardinals, but that is by no means a requirement.

And as to the Orders of Cardinals the Orders themselves are co-equal. As the College is open to all who are Ordained in Holy Orders, the Order only refers to the state of their ordination, not to a rank within the College.

A Deacon could be inducted into the College for example and would become a Cardinal Deacon, but would be co-equal to any other Cardinal.
In practice, all such candidates are Ordained to the Episcopate prior to installation, so I do not believe there are currently any Cardinal Deacons or Cardinal Priests in the College.

Brendan,

I believe what you state is how it was in the long ago past.

Today, only bishops (and higher) maybe honored with the title of cardinal. When they are elevated to the office of cardinal they are assigned to be either Cardinal Deacons, Cardinal Priests, or Cardinal Bishops.

Also, these groups are not co-equal, as they process in the order of, first) the date that they were made a Cardina, second) by order, that is Cardinal Deacons first, Cardinal Priests second, and Cardinal Bishops last.

As for who can be elected pope, yes any catholic male can be. I believe that in the far past a lay monk was elected, he was ordained a deacon, then a priest, then a bishop, before being raised to pope.

I am sure others (Alex) will correct me where I am wrong.

Here is a good link to an article that discusses this and has a link to who all the current Cardinals are.

There is a paragraph within this article that states how one is make a Cardinal Deacon or a Cardinal Priest.

I suggest everyone take a quick look at it as it is rather short.

Your brother in Christ,
David

Dear Scotus:

It seems your views do not correspond to the current Sacred College.

For example, Cardinal Husar belongs to the Order of Cardinal-Priests (144 members), while the election of the Dean of the College belongs to the Order of Cardinal-Bishops (currently with 9 members, 3 non-voting=Cardinal-Patriarchs).

Majority of the Cardinals belong to the Order of Cardinal-Priests (144 members), while there are 28 Cardinal-Deacons.

The Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals presides over the papal election during a conclave.

AmdG

P.S. For a previous discussion on these matters, click on:

https://www.byzcath.org/bboard/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=000843;p=2

In my opinion only, I think that it is excellent that all Catholic males from whatever tradition or ethnic background may be tapped for the post. And having Hierarchs of all the jurisdictions in the selection process would definately help. One doesn't need to be a Cardinal or Latin to qualify although it's clear that it would be strange circumstances that would make a non-Cardinal the choice.

But then, the Holy Spirit is to guide them in their decision right?

As a side note, I found from some casual reading that there have been 10 Greeks and 7 Syrians in the Papal chair. Most of these probably went west during the Islamic conguest, but at least some if not all cannot have failed to have a positive impact on the church!

I would love to know more about them.

Peace!!
Michael, sinner

Greetings.

In regard to the College of Cardinals:

*H.B. Cardinal Husar is a cardinal priest;

*while current pontifical legislation states that anyone chosen a cardinal who is not a bishop will receive episcopal ordination, Pope John Paul II has routinely dispensed the aged priests whom he has named cardinals from this requirement. The three cardinals who are not bishops are Avery Dulles,SJ; Roberto Tucci, SJ; and Leo Scheffczyk.

*with the exception of the 3 cardinals noted above, all other living cardinals have received episcopal ordination. They pertain to one of the 3 cardinalatial orders of bishop, priest, and deacon.

The best site for comprehensive and up-to-date information on cardinals past and present is that of Salvador Miranda. The url is:
http://www.fiu.edu/~mirandas/cardinals.htm

Peace,

Charles

Alex, anything's possible according to Hollywood.
Don't forget about that great Anthony Quinn movie
"In the Shoes of the Fisherman" where he portrayed
Kyrill Lakota in a what if scenario of a fictious Eastern Cardinal being elected Pope. It was based on the life of His Beatitude Joseph Slipyj. It even show's this Eastern Pope wearing a white raissa and white kobluk and veil! It is definitely an interesting movie!

Ung-Certez

Dear Friends,

Probably the most notable non-Bishop to be named a Cardinal was England's John Henry Newman, an Anglican Priest who joined the Catholic Church in the 19th century. He was a noted preacher and theologian.

Have a Blessed St. Cyril and Methodius Day!!!!

John
Pilgrim and Odd Duck

The current issue of Catholic New York (Feb. 2003) pictures Cardinal Avery Dulles, SJ during the celebration of a mass at St. Mary of the Assumption Church on Staten Island, an Archdiocesan parish administered by the Jesuits.

The Cardinal is pictured wearing episcopal vestments: the mitre, zucchetto, pectoral cross and carrying the crosier. This would indicate that he was indeed consecrated to the episcopacy, something that I thought I remembered reading elsewhere also.

Just a note for clarification. If I'm missing something in this matter, I'd be glad to know. God bless you all.

Fr. Joe

Amado wrote:

Amado,

Who do you mean by "we"? Certainly many Byzantine Catholics would disagree with you 100% that Eastern Catholic prelates should accept a red hat. Maximos V (memory eternal!) basically told the Pope to forget it when he was offered the "cardinalate"--an office LOWER than an Eastern patriarch, no matter what your Latin Canon law might say at the moment.

Patriarchs of Eastern Churches should participate in the election of a Pope *as Patriarchs* and regardless of age. Forget about trying to make our patriarchs "cardinals"!

Why would an Eastern Patriarch WANT to be Pope?! Patriarchs are all equal, except we accord the Pope of Rome some special rights. Patriarchs of Eastern Churches have all the same dignities and if they aspired to be a Pope I'd have to say 1) they are eager to abandon the Eastern Church because by becoming Pope they would automatically be Latin-Rite and 2) they would be ambitious because they already have the best office, namely Patriarch. Why would they need to be a "little more powerful" patriarch??

Amado, we don't sit around hoping that Eastern bishops become Popes. I, for one, would not WANT an Eastern bishop as Pope.

anastasios

Brethern,
I tend to agree with Anastasios on the Eastern side of the Church, being a Roman Rite for all these years and just finding the Eastern Church last year after much daily prayer and intercession for direction. I found the prayers and teachings of the Eastern Church to appear more alive and meaningful, which has affected my life forever.

I praise and thank the Holy Spirit daily for leading me to where I am today and the Lord willing tomorrow.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.

james