www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Andrew Greeley on the Conclave

web page [suntimes.com]

I found this to be an interesting perspective. Comments?

Yours,

hal

That was a good essay.

On the other hand, democracy isn't necessarily a perfect system for selecting the best people for office: witness many elections for the civil government.

Perhaps a mixture of some kind would be a good balance? I'm speculating, but perhaps the system for electing a pope could be changed to one body (the cardinals) electing the pope with the advice and consent of the rest of the people of the Church (through some kind of representative body). Again, I'm speculating.

For now, however, the Church is stuck with the system that it currently has to elect a new pope. So, I pray that the Holy Spirit will guide the cardinals to pick the right man to be chosen as the next pope.

--John

I think the fact that the Church is much, much larger than in the 1st 1,000 years is important. A democratic election in an essentially "town hall" format in an individual city, would now be a logistics nightmare on a world-wide basis. Besides, Florida would screw up the balloting someway, somehow. Just kidding, Floridians.

Okay, look, I love Father Andrew Greeley. He's a good writer (sometimes).

But this is nothing new. He's been saying this for years. He's also in favor of women priests, birth control, gay rights, and addresses God as a woman.

And he has every right to believe these things, of course. But don't hold your breath waiting for his suggestions to be adopted.

And I am almost certain Fr. McBrien of ND agrees with Fr. Greeley's concept of "democracy" in the Catholic Church!

Amado