PAPABILE
In explaining my own statements made in countering objections, we have reviewed the qualifications of electors. Now we will proceed with a review of the qualifications for Pope. In WILL THE CATHOLIC CHURCH SURVIVE THE TWENTIETH CENTURY? we reviewed the ideal qualification. (pages 446 and 447) However, we may not have made it clear who could be elected Pope. Therefore we shall do this now.
The Papacy is much like the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Once received validly it cannot be removed by any human authority, although the Pope, unlike others in Holy Orders, may resign and by resignation loses the office of Papacy. Only God can otherwise remove a Pope; this he does by ending the Pope's life. Since the Papacy is somewhat like the Sacrament of Holy Orders, we can analyze it in the same manner. However, since all the Sacraments have similar requirements, we shall use the Sacrament of Baptism in this analogy, because of the simplicity and ready knowledge of the requirements for this Sacrament:
Baptism
MATTER: Water, Baptismal for Solemn Baptism, ordinary water in case of necessity
FORM: I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.
INTENTION: To remit original sin. The intention is required in the minister, and in the case of those with the use of reason, the recipient as well. The intention to do what the Church does is sufficient.
MINISTER, ordinary: Pastor or a priest or deacon delegated by him. The ordinary minister must confer Baptism solemnly
Extraordinary minister: Anyone, Catholic or non-Catholic, provided they use the Catholic Rite and have the proper intention. For licitity the Church has laid down certain laws which are not important to our discussion here. The extraordinary minister may not baptize solemnly, although the Church does advise deacons and priests baptizing in case of danger of death to baptize and. proceed with the rest of the ceremonies in the Ritual.
Papacy
MATTER: A baptized male, 14 years of age, capable of human acts, who is neither insane, heretical or an apostate.
FORM: Election. By common tradition from the election of the second Pope to this day, election has obtained the force of law. The previous Popes may regulate the form of election, and the current law requires a two thirds plus one majority to elect.
INTENTION: To elect a Pope.
MINISTER, ordinary: The Cardinals, except those who are deposed. Again, the previous Popes may regulate the ordinary electors, and other electors may be designated by a future Pope.
Extraordinary Electors: although various authors differ on who has this right after the Cardinals, all are in agreement that the Church is the court of last resort. Since we have demonstrated that all previous elective colleges have disqualified themselves, and today have no members, the Church must elect. (We shall demonstrate later that by way of privilege, Canon Law gives the laity the direct right to vote.)
We must examine the essential parts to determine what remedy, if any exists in case of a doubtful election of a Pope. As with the Sacraments, a doubtful Pope is no Pope, just as a doubtful priest is no priest. (The presumption of law in marriage is, however, in favor of validity, unlike the other six Sacraments.)
MATTER: In this case, if Baptism is absent the election is invalid. Also heresy invalidates the election; even suspicion of heresy is sufficient. However, if one has not been declared a heretic and has removed any cause for suspicion, he is capable of election. In several cases previous Popes have imposed ecclesiastical law restrictions on who could be elected but all such restrictions were removed by the election of one who was restricted. Therefore, the ecclesiastical law cannot restrict who is elected. Only Natural and Divine law can render one incapable of election. The Natural law forbids the insane and those incapable of human acts to vote or be elected. Divine law forbids apostates, heretics and those under suspicion of heresy, (as Paul IV decreed in 'Cum ex...'), to vote as well.
FORM: One would immediately conclude that a doubtful or invalid election automatically disqualifies. However, the acclamation of the Faithful is considered a second and valid election, supplying for defect of form. This is a return to the people and clergy elections of the first millennium of the Church. So acceptance of the Church of a man as Pope supplies in case of an election which is for some reason invalid. However, this acceptance cannot supply if the man is not papabile to begin with; that is, not capable himself of being elected, as was the case with Roncalli. The problem was not in the form, but in the matter. Roncalli was an anti-Pope, because heretics, who are not members of the Church, cannot become head of the Church.
INTENTION is presumed to exist, because of the outward manifestation by proceeding to an election.
MINISTER: Defect in the ordinary ministers could be supplied by acclamation, since acclamation is a second election with its own matter, form and intention. However, the Cardinals, when they disqualified themselves in 1958, were incapable of electing at all in 1963 or any time before or after. Even acclamation could not cure this defect. The Cardinals were obliged to call an imperfect council to cure the defects; a council of the Bishops of the Church to depose anti-pope Roncalli and proceed to an election. Those Cardinals who were Bishops would also be permitted to participate. In our case, we must assure ourselves that no unqualified voter participates. A voter whose disqualification is occult would not invalidate the election and the subsequent acclamation of the members of the Church outside the conclave would supply for any defect. However, those publicly under suspicion of heresy, or whose crime is notorious must be barred without exception.
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