The Pope runs the entire Church and is the top of the hierarchy of the entire ecclesiastical structure of the Catholic Church across the world. Not to mention that he is also the sovereign ruler of an independent country. I'd say there is PLENTY of responsibility for any Pope.
It doesn't matter. When the Pope dies, executive power over Vatican City and the Church is maintained by the Camerlengo and a revolving set of 3 members of the College of Cardinals until a new Pope is chosen.
I'd say like paintball, only with real weapons. The one left alive is pope since he obviously has god's favor.
Nothing to worry about. Ewan McGregor will take care of things.
Like what?
Honest question here... What changes if there is no Pope designated right away? I mean, what's the drawback?
Nothing
I mean, don't they usually go until death (which is unpredictable)
What exactly are his job responsibilities? How often does he have to meet with god and discuss things?
What exactly are his job responsibilities? How often does he have to meet with god and discuss things?
Sometimes they get assassinated.
Chronological list of popes murdered
- Stephen VI (896–897): Strangled[5]
- Stephen VII/(IX) (939–942): Mutilated[citation needed]
- John XII (955–964): Presumed Murdered
- Benedict VI (973–974): Strangled[6]
- John XIV (983–984): Either by starvation, ill-treatment or direct murder[7]
- Gregory V (996–999): Poisoned[citation needed]
Chronological list of popes who are alleged to have been murdered
- John VIII (872–882): Allegedly poisoned and then clubbed to death[8]
- Adrian III (884–885): Allegedly poisoned[citation needed]
- Leo V (903): Allegedly strangled[9]
- John X (914–928): Allegedly smothered with pillow[10]
- Stephen VII/(VIII) (928–931): Allegedly murdered[citation needed]
- Sergius IV (1009–1012): Allegedly murdered[citation needed]
- Clement II (1046–1047): Allegedly poisoned[11]
- Damasus II (1048): Allegedly murdered[citation needed]
- Boniface VIII (1294–1303): Death possibly (though unlikely) from the effects of ill-treatment one month before[12]
- Benedict XI (1304–1305): Allegedly poisoned; no evidence provided[citation needed]
- Pope Pius XI (1922-1939): Allegedly, due to the fact that his doctor was the father of Benito Mussolini's mistress.
- John Paul I (1978): death just 33 days after Papal election led to conspiracy theories.[13]
You say "run" like he's sitting at a workstation, tweaking knobs, optimizing the network throughput, or making any decision that needs to be quicker than 'some time in the next year or so'. The organization is self sustaining, and doesn't need input from any individual. The Pope is to the church, as Mickey Mouse is to Disney.
You say "run" like he's sitting at a workstation, tweaking knobs, optimizing the network throughput, or making any decision that needs to be quicker than 'some time in the next year or so'. The organization is self sustaining, and doesn't need input from any individual. The Pope is to the church, as Mickey Mouse is to Disney.
Perhaps the Pope has Alzheimers?
Why don't they get a younger Pope? Seems like many of these guys have one foot in the grave when they take office.
Why don't they get a younger Pope? Seems like many of these guys have one foot in the grave when they take office.
You don't get to a position where you can dig up enough dirt on the other cardinals to be able to coerce their votes until later in life. The election process for pope is so corrupt and so rife with greed, bribes and back-stabbing that it makes the U.S. elections look like a Mormons tea party.
The Pope isn't unlike the President. He spends tons of time traveling, promoting, responding to current social issues, dealing with his direct reports, etc. It's an exhausting job. He is head of one of the largest organizations in the world, which has more than a billion followers.