Why can't cardinals over 80 vote in the conclave?
score:12
The Church excuses them from voting out of concern for the Cardinals themselves. Selecting the Supreme Pontiff can be a great burden of responsibility, and especially so when one is advanced in age. These Cardinals instead take the role of supporting the electors by helping to lead the People of God in prayer during the election.
From Pope John Paul II's Universi Dominici Gregis, on the subject of papal elections:
In the present historical circumstances, the universality of the Church is sufficiently expressed by the College of one hundred and twenty electors, made up of Cardinals coming from all parts of the world and from very different cultures. I therefore confirm that this is to be the maximum number of Cardinal electors, while at the same time indicating that it is in no way meant as a sign of less respect that the provision laid down by my predecessor Pope Paul VI has been retained, namely, that those Cardinals who celebrate their eightieth birthday before the day when the Apostolic See becomes vacant do not take part in the election.10 The reason for this provision is the desire not to add to the weight of such venerable age the further burden of responsibility for choosing the one who will have to lead Christ's flock in ways adapted to the needs of the times. This does not however mean that the Cardinals over eighty years of age cannot take part in the preparatory meetings of the Conclave, in conformity with the norms set forth below. During the vacancy of the Apostolic See, and especially during the election of the Supreme Pontiff, they in particular should lead the People of God assembled in the Patriarchal Basilicas of Rome and in other churches in the Dioceses throughout the world, supporting the work of the electors with fervent prayers and supplications to the Holy Spirit and imploring for them the light needed to make their choice before God alone and with concern only for the "salvation of souls, which in the Church must always be the supreme law".
More post
- 📝 How is Christian worship different than Christian religion?
- 📝 How can suffering from natural causes be reconciled with an omnimax god?
- 📝 How do Cessationists view "being filled with the Holy Spirit"?
- 📝 Can a Christian be a Conservative?
- 📝 Is the Christian Religion based on "Faith in Faith" or does it have a foundation of "Acceptance of Facts"?
- 📝 Can any catholic rite call themself Roman Catholic?
- 📝 According to Catholicism, how can a relic help a sick person?
- 📝 How does the relationship of the Church of Scotland to the state differ from that of the Church of England?
- 📝 What is the significance of the Eucharist's sacramental species?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for a post-tribulation rapture?
- 📝 Reading NIV bible for AR points
- 📝 A confusion about the fullfilment of the law
- 📝 Why do some churches eat leavened bread and wine for the Lord's Supper?
- 📝 Is God's sovereignty a term associated with Reformed theology?
- 📝 Why do some Christians have trouble with the concept of non-existence?
- 📝 Why are Sts. Peter and Linus not on the cool scrollbar-of-the-popes on vatican.va
- 📝 If the old priesthood is abolished, what is the point of having Catholic priests?
- 📝 Is it Catholic doctrine that no one can be certain of being in God's grace?
- 📝 Who are the remaining Apostolic Succession lineages that are non-Rebiban Succession?
- 📝 Is 'sola gratia' as a soteriology traceable in the period leading to the Protestant Reformation?
- 📝 Gates of hell lock forever. What does gates of hell mean?
- 📝 What hymns about death were common in the early 1400s?
- 📝 According to believers in an eternal conscious torment/separation, what is the biblical basis for distinguishing between life and consciousness?
- 📝 Should the "angel of the abyss" be capitalized?
- 📝 What is the difference between the Amish and Mennonites?
- 📝 What is "your peace" in Matthew 10?
- 📝 When did the demon announce they were afraid of God?
- 📝 Are there different Trinitarian foundations?
- 📝 Can a Mormon wife be unsealed from her husband, and what is required for it?
- 📝 How can incorrect information on a Catholic baptismal record be corrected?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Why can't cardinals over 80 vote in the conclave?
- 📝 If miracles stopped after the Apostles, then why are there admonitions to pray over people?
- 📝 Why did the conclave elect Pope Stephen I, when he died prior to taking office?
- 📝 What is the history and explanation as to why the "diaconate" was MIA in the Western Church over a certain period of time?
- 📝 Why does the Catholic Church prefer burials over cremation?
- 📝 Why was the devil given power over death?
- 📝 Why does the debate over election/predestination matter?
- 📝 Why did Jesus say the Son of Man was Lord over the Sabbath because the Sabbath was made for man?
- 📝 Why do some traditional Catholics choose Confirmation in the Extraordinary Form over going with their parish Confirmation?
- 📝 Are the persons nominated to be created cardinals eligible to participate in the conclave before the consistory?
- 📝 Why are missionary priests allowed to fumble over liturgies in the vernacular?
- 📝 Why are the creeds still accepted as a belief system over scripture?
- 📝 The Bible seems to allow polygamy. Why doesn't the church?
- 📝 Why are Matthew, Mark, and Luke called the synoptic gospels?
- 📝 Why are there so many translations of the Bible?
- 📝 Why was Lot "let off the hook" for offering his daughters to be raped?
- 📝 Why did Jesus not want to be known as the Messiah?
- 📝 Why is the Book of Enoch not regarded as canonical?
- 📝 Has any prominent theologian ever explained why Jesus let a thief be in charge of the money?
- 📝 Why did the Pharisees need Judas to betray Jesus?
- 📝 Why are there different divisions of the Ten Commandments?
- 📝 Why didn't the Jews understand "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani"?
- 📝 Can somebody summarize the different "branches" of Christianity to me, and explain why they exist in the first place?
- 📝 Why did people live so long before the Flood?
- 📝 Why is Jesus named the Prince of Peace instead of the King of Peace?
- 📝 According to those holding that Lazarus was literally raised from the dead, why did Matthew, Mark, and Luke not mention it?
- 📝 Why do we use the order "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit"?
- 📝 Why did Jesus wear the crown of thorns?
- 📝 Why were Deuterocanonical books rejected in the Reformation?
- 📝 Why was God so upset with Moses for striking the rock the second time in the desert?