Leadership Flashcards
What is the Church?
Note the Capital Letter
The People of God
Who is a bishop?
A successor of the 12 apostles, who oversees a diocese.
Who is a pope?
The leader of the Catholic Church on Earth.
Who is an apostle?
One of the 12 disciples, who were the closest companions of Jesus, and were chosen by him to preach the Gospel.
Sometime after Pentecost, where did Peter go to become the bishop of that area for a few years?
Antioch (a great city to the north of Jerusalem).
Where did Peter go after staying in Antioch to become bishop of this new area?
Rome, the centre of the Empire, and became the Bishop of Rome
When did Emperor Nero begin persecuting Christians?
64 AD
Were Peter and Paul affected by Nero’s persecution?
Yes, they were both killed.
How was Paul killed?
Beheaded
How was Paul believed to have died?
Crucified upside down.
Why did the Church in Rome become the most important Church for other Christians?
It was in Rome where the two greatest leaders of the early church were martyred.
What was the name of the person who oversaw the church in Rome?
The Bishop of Rome
What did the title ‘Bishop of Rome’ get changed to?
Pope
What does ‘pope’ mean?
Father
What do Catholics believe about the Pope’s succession?
He is the successor of Peter, the first Pope/Bishop of Rome.
Because Pope means ‘father’, what does this mean about his role in the Catholic Church?
He has the same task of leading the whole Church, and he must be like a loving father to God’s people on Earth.
How many popes have there been?
266 popes
How did the apostles pass down the authority that Jesus gave them to others?
They laid hands on other men and called down the Holy Spirit on them.
What is the name given to a person who received the laying of the hands?
Bishops, and looked after the Church in a certain place.
What did the newly appointed bishops do that was similar to what the apostles had done to them?
These bishops laid hands on other men to make new bishops.
What is the reason why Catholics believe that bishops are successors of the apostles?
They have received the same Spirit and duties of the apostles.
Approximately how many bishops are there in the Catholic Church today?
5600
What did Jesus say to Peter when he handed him the authority to oversee the Church?
Short Form:
“You are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my church… I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Long Form:
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Why does Jesus change his name from Simon to Peter?
‘Rock’ in Latin is ‘Petra’, and Jesus is claiming him as the rock and foundation from which the Church should grow, and so his name becomes Peter, similar to the Latin Word.
What is the Vatican?
The Vatican is the official residence (home) of the Pope, in Rome. It is the centre of the Roman Catholic Church.
What is the Vatican City known as?
The Holy See
What is the estimated population of the Vatican City?
764-825
What is the ring of office that the Pope wears?
The Fisherman’s Ring
What immediately happens when a Pope dies?
His ring of office and his personal seal/stamp are broken.
How many days of mourning happen after the pope’s death?
9 days
What happens after the mourning has finished?
His funeral takes place.
Are there replacements for the ring of office and seal once the new Pope is chosen?
Yes
What is the name of the cardinal who is temporarily in charge of the Church and makes sure that a new Pope is chosen?
The Carmelango
How many days after the funeral does the electoral process begin?
about 7 days
What is the meeting where the College of Cardinals meet to start the election?
a Conclave
Under what age does a cardinal have to be to be allowed to take part in the election?
Under 80 years old.
Where do the cardinals meet for the Conclave to meet and pray?
In the Sistine Chapel
What happens to the cardinals once they have prayed in the Sistine Chapel?
They are locked into an annexe (extension or attachment) of the chapel to cast their votes in a secret ballot (vote/poll).
When are the cardinals allowed to leave the annexe?
Not until a new Pope is elected.
What is the minimum percentage of votes needed for a new Pope to be elected?
2/3 and 1 vote
If the 2/3 and 1 vote is not achieved within two weeks, what is the minimum number of votes reduced to?
1/2 and 1 vote
How many ballots are taken each morning and afternoon?
Two
What happens if a ballot does not result in an election (meaning not enough votes)?
The ballot papers are burned, with a chemical that makes the smoke black, and it comes out of the Chapel’s chimney.
Why are the papers burnt?
This can be seen by the public in St Peter’s Square who can then understand that there is yet to be a new Pope, or a Pope has been elected, depending on the different colours.
What happens to the papers if the ballot is successful and the Cardinal accepts the honour and authority?
The papers are burnt without the chemical and so, instead of black smoke, white smoke comes out.
Who announces that the Church has a new pope?
The Dean of the College of Cardinals.
Where does the Dean announce that there is a new pope?
From the balcony in St Peter’s Square
What does the Dean say to those in St Peter’s Square to let them know that there is a new pope?
‘Habemaus papam’
What does ‘Habemaus papam’ mean?
We have a Pope.
Although the new Pope immediately takes the responsibility of his predecessor, it is a little while before what takes place to officially declare him as Pope?
Yes.
His official enthronement takes place with all the pageantry (elaborate ceremony) of a royal coronation.
Who was the Camerlengo during the period of Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation and Pope Francis’ election?
Tarcisio Bertone
How quickly was Pope Francis elected?
It took two days with 5 ballots for Pope Francis to be elected.
What is Pope Francis’ birth name?
Jorge Mario Bergoglio
Why did Pope Francis choose Francis as his Pope Name?
He chose it in honour of St Francis of Assisi, who was a man of peace, poverty and nature, who was also known for his love and protection of all God’s creation.
What were Pope Francis’ first words when he was presented to the crowd?
“Now, I would like to give you a blessing, but first I want to ask you for a favour.”