Is it God or cardinals etc who chooses who will next be pope?

Question

I was told it was the cardinals and that they let it be known when they are all in agreement when the white smoke appears.....but it can take days for this to appear.....why does it take so long sometimes when surely they all follow the same scripture and bible and teachings....Doesn't God give them some idea of who it should be seeing as the pope is going to be His voice on earth.....Religion is so confusing :o)

Answer 1

Both. The cardinals pray for guidence of the Holy Spirit to elect the right person.

A Papal Conclave works like this:

+ A pope dies and is buried

+ The cardinals come to Rome for the conclave that will elect the new pope. The word conclave (Latin, *** + clavis, literally, "locked with the key") designates:
. • The place in a locked section of the Vatican where the cardinals elect a new pope.
. • The actual gathering of the cardinals.

+ The conclave begins 15 to 20 days after the pope's death.

+ The cardinals pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit during a Mass

+ The cardinals, sealed in the Sistine Chapel, vote every morning and afternoon.

+ A two-thirds majority plus one is required for election for the first 30 ballots. After that, a simple majority is required.

+ After each vote, they burn the ballots and add special chemicals to make the smoke white or black.
. • Black smoke means no new pope yet.
. • White smoke announces the election of a new pope.

+ The cardinals may elect any baptized male they wish. There have been occasions in the past where they have elected a layman. After their election, the layman has to be ordained priest and bishop.

+ They ask the one elected if he accepts. The moment he accepts, he is pope.

+ The pope chooses his “Papal” name.

+ Then the new pope is announced to the world.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

The process of electing a new pope for the Catholic church has undergone many changes through the centuries. Although some traditions have remained consistent, each new pope may issue guidelines for the selection of the next pope.

As guided by Pope John Paul II, 120 cardinals must participate in the selection. The basic requirements are that no pope over 80 can be elected, and a two-thirds plus one majority must select the new pope. If this majority cannot be reached, voting must occur for several days with two votes taking place in the morning and in the evening. If four days of voting does not result in the 67% majority, then the candidate with the majority of votes becomes the new pope.

There are several processes, which must be completed prior to the election of a new pope. First, when the old pope passes away, his chamberlain, called the camerlengo, pronounces the pope’s death. No autopsy is performed as this is considered desecration. At this point, the camerlengo officially holds the papal office until a new pope is elected.

Nine official days of mourning occur at the death of the old pope. At the conclusion of mourning, the process for voting is organized and convened by the camerlengo. The time period also gives the College of Cardinals time to convene in Rome for the election. However, the election cannot take place until 15 days after the pope’s death, and no more than 20 days afterwards.

During the days of mourning, all cardinals eligible to vote must attend official meetings called General Congregations. They help to order the election, and arrange the funeral for the pope. There are also usually some frontrunners, called preferiti, who are discussed as possible candidates to lead the church.

Although it is technically possible for any Catholic male to be elected a new pope, selection tends to be limited to those priests who are Cardinals. In the past, however, people who were not even priests have been elected, and were instantly given ordination as bishops. This is an unlikely scenario in present day.

Official voting for the new pope is done in a process called conclave, from the Latin *** clavis. This means “with key,” and essentially means that the voting is secret. Cardinals are locked into a room, specifically the Sistine Chapel. Voting is done by secret ballot. Should the electoral process take more than a day, the cardinals have lodging at St. Martha’s house. They are “sequestered” like a jury however, and have no contact with the outside world.

Non-voting cardinals, and attendants on the cardinals may be part of conclave as well. However, they are sworn to secrecy both before and after the new pope is elected. Each vote goes through a complex tallying process. All ballots are burned and if the vote has elected a new pope, this burning causes white smoke to float above the Vatican, signifying the world has a new pope. If the vote is unsuccessful, water or a chemical is added to the burning ballots to cause gray smoke to appear. This signifies a vote without an election.

Many Catholics wait in St. Peter’s Square for signs of the smoke. Many feel it is symbolic of rebirth of the church and an end of grief for the old pope when the white smoke appears. After the election, the new pope will accept the office, and dozens of formal ceremonies then occur, some quite private, and others very public.

Answer 3

Officially, the Cardinals come together when the Pope dies to elect the new one. I don't know what the deciding margin is (simple majority, 2/3, ????). The 1st sign to observers outside the building is indeed the white smoke.
In the best of times, they all do listen to their hearts, souls, & consciences, and hopefully hear God, but unfortunately this happy occurence rarely happens. In the worst of times, there is so much backstabbing, infighting, & intrigue, it's a disgrace. And in nearly 2000 years, we have certainly seen both.
The reason for this is simple: according to Catholic teachings, we humans were given free will to do well or ill as we choose. If we choose to ignore God, that's our right, tho naturally we consider that wrong. Human nature being what it is, it can be very hard, esp when one's ambitious or greedy, to do the right thing. And it can be easy to justify actions.
It really would be simpler if God crowned the new Pope with an aura or other unmistakeable sign, but then we would lose that free will.

Answer 4

God works through humans who are limited in what they know and believe. If we knew all of the answers, we would not need to pray or to seek God's help. When the cardinals get together to vote, there are cardinals from all over the world who speak many different languages. Unless one or two or a few particular cardinals, like our present Pope, is well known because of his job or role in the Church, it takes time for the other cardinals to know whom to vote for.

Answer 5

Cardinal Francis Arinze is very qualified. He was spoken highly of the last time there was an election for Pope.

Answer 6

Cardinals choose, but with the guidance of God, through the Holy Spirit.

Answer 7

Before a fundamentalist pope leaves he appoints fundamentalist cardinals to vote another fundamentalist pope in. How else could papa ratsi get in? He can't be the result of the vatican's search for divine wisdom.

Answer 8

The pope is head of a very rich country and a very large world wide organisation. It is there a position of considerable power so he has to get elected by someone or by some sort of conspiracy. God, if such a thing exists, has nothing to do with it

Answer 9

White smoke has nothing to do with decree of divine sanction.A time comes that all cardinals will be divided and querreling but some knave errand boy at the Vatican be releasingthe white smoke.

Answer 10

the cardinals choose the next pope