Choosing a new Pope

When a pope dies and while the Apostolic See is vacant, the whole College of Cardinals meets in General Congregations and in a Conclave. The General Congregations are held before the beginning of the election by all the Cardinals who are not legitimately impeded solely (1) for the dispatch of the ordinary business and of problems that require immediate action and (2) for the preparation of everything necessary for the election of the new pope. It cannot act on matters coming under the power of the Supreme Pontiff which are reserved for the future pope or even change the norms for the election of the new pope, which in this case are set forth in the Apostolic Constitution issued by Pope John Paul II himself on February 22, 1996 (Universi Dominici Gregis, Sections 2 and 7). The Conclave on the other hand is the meeting called by the General Congregation to elect the new pope pursuant to the said provision of the Apostolic Constitution.

And so the General Congregation has already called the Conclave for the election of the new pope on April 18, 2005. The date set is in accordance with Section 37 of the Apostolic Constitution which provides that "from the moment when the Apostolic See is lawfully vacant the Cardinal electors who are present must wait fifteen full days for those who are absent". Actually it is the 16th day as the Pope died on Saturday, April 2, 2005 at 9:37 p.m. But this is still in accordance with said section as the College of Cardinals may defer the elections a few days more except that "when a maximum of twenty days have elapsed from the beginning of the vacancy of the See, all Cardinal electors present are obliged to proceed to the election."

Between now and the date set, the conjectures and the guessing game on the possible next pope will undoubtedly intensify. Pope John Paul II must have been aware of this eventuality, so he likewise exhorted the Cardinal electors in Section 83 "not to allow themselves to be guided, in choosing the pope, by friendship or aversion, or to be influenced by favour or personal relationships towards any one, or to be constrained by the interference of persons in authority or by pressure groups, by suggestions of the mass media, or by force, fear or the pursuit of popularity. Rather, having before their eyes solely the glory of God and the good of the Church, and having prayed for divine assistance, they shall give their vote to the person, even outside the College of Cardinals, who in their judgment is most suited to govern the universal Church in a fruitful and beneficial way".

The choice therefore is not limited to the Cardinals. The person elected may not even be a bishop yet, although before the announcement of his election is made and before homage is paid to him he should be solemnly ordained a bishop according to the usage of the Church by the dean of the College of Cardinals (most senior) or, in his absence by the subdean or, should he too be prevented from doing so, by the senior cardinal bishop (Section 88-90). So instead of choosing the favorites and front runners or openly expressing preferences and giving criteria on who is most qualified, the Catholic faithful all over the world should support "the work of the electors with fervent prayers and supplications to the Holy Spirit and implore for them the light needed to make their choice before God alone", with concern only for the "salvation of souls, which in the Church must always be the supreme law" (Canon 1752).

The right to elect the Roman Pontiff belongs exclusively to the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church who have been "created and published before the College of Cardinals, x x x even if they have (he has) not yet received the red hat or the ring, or sworn the oath" except: (1) those who have reached their eightieth birthday before the day of the Roman Pontiff’s death or the day when the Apostolic See becomes vacant; and (2) those who have been canonically deposed or who with the consent of the pope have renounced the cardinalate (Sections 33 and 36). All Cardinal electors are required, in virtue of holy obedience, to obey the announcement of convocation for the election of the new pope called by the Cardinal Dean and to proceed to the place designated for the purpose unless they are hindered by sickness attested to under oath by doctors, or by some other grave impediment, recognized and confirmed by the majority of the electors. If a Cardinal elector is constrained to leave Vatican City once the election has begun, because of illness, the election can proceed without asking for his vote although he must be readmitted if he desires to return, healthy or not. No Cardinal elector can be excluded from the active or passive voice in the election of the Supreme Pontiff for any reason or pretext, but if a Cardinal elector should refuse to enter the Vatican to take part in the election, or subsequently once the election has begun, should refuse to remain to discharge his office without manifest reason of illness attested to under oath by doctors and confirmed by majority of the electors, the Cardinals shall proceed freely with the election without waiting for him or readmitting him (Sections 35, 37-40).

The conclave shall take place within the territory of the Vatican City. Before April 18, 2005, all the Cardinal electors must have been assigned and must have taken up suitable lodging at dormitory built for the purpose called the Domus Sanctae Marthae. The conclave will be held at the Sistine Chapel of the Apostolic Vatican Palace. From the beginning of the electoral process until the public announcement of the election of the new pope, these places as well as the areas reserved for liturgical celebrations are closed to unauthorized persons. Provision shall be made to ensure that no one approaches the Cardinal electors while being transported to and from the Domus Sanctae Marthae and the Sistine Chapel (Sections 41-43).

As early as 1996 therefore, Pope John Paul II had seen to it that the choice of his successor is "speedy, harmonious and fruitful as the salvation of souls and the good of the whole people of God demand."

(Next: The electoral process)