If Cardinal Roger Mahoney was elected next Catholic Pope, would he be infallible?
Would he be a good representative of Jesus Christ/St. Paul?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardinal_Mahoney
2007-11-15 03:06:25 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No, he would not be, since no Pope of Rome has ever been infallible, regardless of the overblown claims made by that schismatic See.
2007-11-15 03:11:54 · answer #1 · answered by Hoosier Daddy 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It's highly unlikely that any U.S. person would be elected pope, as long as the U.S. is a world power. But even if that wasn't true, I doubt Mahoney has the muster that would earn him enough votes.
If for some reason Cardinal Mahoney was elected pope, he would not be automatically infallible in everything he did and said. Like all other popes, the only time a statement of his would be considered infallible would be when he spoke "ex cathedra." This is a great rarity - there hasn't been an "ex cathedra" statement in many decades.
Would Mahoney be a good representative of Jesus? Once elected pope, he would be specially endowed by the Holy Spirit to do so, but he's still just a guy, and none of us can tell the future, so who knows.
2007-11-15 03:27:10 · answer #2 · answered by sparki777 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
+ Good Popes +
No one can be a "good" pope without help from the Holy Spirit.
Anyone can be a "good" pope with help from the Holy Spirit.
An old saying goes: God does not call the qualified. God qualifies the called.
+ Papal Infalliblity +
The Catholic Church teaches that the Pope is infallible at closely defined times.
The Pope is only infallible when he, in union with the body of bishops, solemnly teaches that a doctrine as true. This is called "ex cathedra", literally meaning in Latin "from the chair".
This comes from the words of Jesus to Peter (the first Pope) and the Apostles (the first bishops), "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven" (Matthew 18:18) and "He who hears you hears me" (Luke 10:16).
At all other times the Pope can be just as wrong or sinful as you and me and be in need of forgiveness.
For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 891: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p4.htm#891
With love in Christ.
2007-11-15 15:18:29 · answer #3 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, the Holy Spirit would keep Him from teaching error in the matters of faith and morals.
This does not mean that he would be incapable of committing gave sins.
2007-11-15 03:14:12 · answer #4 · answered by Sldgman 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋