Leadership In The Church Flashcards
How is a pope elected?
After a Pope dies his ring of office and his personal seal are broken. A cardinal called the “Carmelango” is then placed in temporary charge of the church and making sure a new pope is chosen. After the popes funeral there are 9 days of mourning and then about a week after that the College of Cardinals meet to start the electoral prcoess. This meeting is called a conclave. Only cardianls under the age of 80 are allowed to take part. They meet in the sistine chapel and then are locked in an annexe of the chapel to cast their votes: they are not allowed to leave the annexe until a new pope is elected. There must be at least two thirds plus one votes for a new Pope to be elected. If this does not happen within two weeks then a total of half plus one can be accepted. There are two ballots taken each morning and each afternoon. If a ballot does not result in election (not enough votes) the ballot papers are burned with a special chemical that makes the smoke turn balck as it comes out of the chimney of the chapel which can be seen by the public in st. Peter’s square and they will know that there is not a new pope. However, when the ballot is successful and the elected cardinal has accepted the honour, the ballot papers are burned without the chemical so the smoke is white and the public knows that there is a new pope. After the Dean of the College of Cardianls announces from the balcony in st. Peter’s square, “Habemaus papam” (we have a pope) and then the new pope introduces themselves. Although the pope does take over the responsibility of his position immediately it is a little while before his official enthronement/formal enthronement takes place with all the pageantry of a royal coronation.
What are the titles of the Pope and what do they mean?
Pope - means father, this shows that the pope must be like a loving father to God’s People on earth.
Holy Father - This title shows how the pope must be like a loving father.
Bishop of Rome - The Pope is the Bishop of Rome. Peter was Bishop of Rome. The Pope is a successor of one apostle, Peter. Other bishops are successors of the apostles as a group
Vicar of Christ - a vicar acts in place of someone. Cathokics belive that the pope acts in christ’s place as head of the church on earth. This shows that the pope’s authority comes from jesus christ. The pope has no authority of his own.
Servant of the Servant of God - Those who work in the church, especiall bishops and preists, are servants of god. The pope is even more of a servant since he has to serve the whole church, he is the servant of the servants of god.
What is the role of a pope?
The pope is at the top of the church’s hierarchy as he is the supreme leader of the universal church.
What are 6 of the popes duties?
Cononising saints - After there has been evidence that the virtuous person performed a miracle in their lifetime or after their death, the Pope declares that this person is a saint. He makes the declaration during a special mass in honour of the new saint.
Papal encyclicals - the pope writes letter addressing concern and sends them to bishops all around the world so that they can spread them. They are usually about subjects that he feels strongly about.
Appointing and meeting bishops around the world - There are more than 5,000
bishops and it is the pope’s responsibility to meet with them at least once every five years. This is an important task because the bishops carry out the Pope’s vision at local levels.
Selecting members of the College of Cardinals - the group that will elect his successor. This is also crucial since these men will carry out Pope Francis’ vision for the Church even after he’s gone.
Weekly mass - The pope offers a weekly blessing to tourists and Catholics visiting
the Vatican. He often takes the opportunity to pray for peace, particularly in areas of great conflict and tension.
Head of the Holy See - he leads decision making on issues of faith and morality for catholics around the world with the Roman Catholic Church’s government.
What is the role of a cardinal?
A cardinal is a senior leaer of the Catholic Church and an advisor to the Pope. They are chosen by the pope. The cardinals are the Pope’s advisers and helpers in the administration of the Catholic Church; they are the hands with which he runs the church throughout the world.
What are the three ‘grades of cardinal’?
Cardinal bishops, cardinal priests, cardinal deacons. The distinctions are not important, except when organising the order of processions on great occasions.
What clothes do cardinals wear?
Cardinals wear a zucchetto and a biretta. Zucchettos are skullcaps and birettas are four-cornered hats with a tassel. Cardinals also wear scarlet (crimson) coloured robes. The robes are red, the colour of blood which symbolises the commitment of each cardinal to defend the church to the death.
Explain how a saint is canonised?
- The process can only begin when the holy person is dead.
- A bishop then approves the ‘Cause of Canonisation’.
- The potential saint gets the title ‘Servant of God’.
- The Congregation for the Causes of Saints (a Vatican department) then decides whether the person shows ‘heroic sanctity’.
- The person can then only be declared as venerable by the Pope once it has been proved that they lived a virtuous life and they did good works.
- A miracle attributed to the holy person after their death is evidence that the person is in heaven with God.
- A cure has to be instantaneous, lasting and unexplainable to be comsidered miraculous.
- After the first miracle has been proved the person becomes known as blessed at a ceremony called beatification.
- After a second miracle has been proven the pope declares the person as a saint.
- However, only one miracle is required for a martyr.
- A pope might also dispense with the second miracle if the person is considered an unnofficial saint in some countries or cultures.
- The catholic church does not believe that through this process a person becomes a saint we are merely recognising their sainthood. It is our way of affirming that they are in heaven with God hearing and assisting our prayers.
Name two ways in which Catholics believe a saint can help them in their life?
To support their prayers
To follow their example
Name the four steps to sainthood in the correct order?
- Servant of God
- Venerable
- Blessed
- Saint
What is a saint?
A person who is specially honoured by the Catholic Church as an example of holiness (likeness to God).
What is a Papal Encyclical?
An encyclical is a letter written by the Pope and sent to bishops all around the world to spread to their diocese. There are many purposes for them being sent out including to address issues of concern and to point out dangers that might affect the Church or the world.
What is Fratelli tutti about?
He talks about how people are growing apart from each other. He talks about having fraternity and social friendship in the world to build a better and peaceful world. He says we need to become a global family.
What are the duties of a priest?
The primary duties of a priest are to administer the sacraments (Baptism, Reconciliation, Holy Communion, Anointing of the Sick and Marriage, eucharist), help people understand how the Word of God relates to their lives, to visit the sick and serve the local community.
What does vocation, ordination, holy orders and prostrate mean?
Vocation: A strong feeling of suitability - ‘a calling’
Ordination: The act of being made a priest.
Holy Orders:The sacrament in which a man becomes a priest.
Prostrate: Lying face down on the floor as a sign of humility.
