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White smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel March 13, 2013, at the Vatican signaling that Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who became Pope Francis, was elected the 266th Roman Catholic pontiff. The cardinals will again gather May 7, 2025, to elect a a successor to Pope Francis, who died April 21. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)
Many over recent decades have pondered if every pope is guaranteed by the Holy Spirit to be the pope God “chooses” for us. How far does the inspiration of the Holy Spirit extend into conclaves? Are the “dice” loaded by God who alone determines the outcome by “causing” the cardinal electors to choose the man he wants? And, more broadly, are there any settings in which God, the Holy Spirit, either causes or prevents certain outcomes or teachings?
There are indeed some settings within Church life where we can say that the Holy Spirit prevents or even directs certain outcomes. One example of this is an ecumenical (i.e., full) gathering of the bishops, in union with the pope, when they issue teachings or decrees on faith and morals to be definitively held by all the faithful. The first example of this took place at the Council of Jerusalem in A.D. 50. There was vigorous debate among the leaders of the Church as to whether Gentile converts must live culturally as observant Jews. Even the apostles had differing views (e.g., Paul and Barnabas opposed the “party of James.”) Peter rose and established a position to end the debate. James asked for certain concessions which were granted, and the matter was settled. But most important for our purposes is the wording of a letter that went forth from the council (Acts 15:23ff):
The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the believers of Gentile origin … greetings. Since we have heard that certain persons who have gone out from us, though with no instructions from us, have said things to disturb you and have unsettled your minds, we have decided unanimously to choose representatives and send them to you … . For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose on you no further burden than these essentials: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication.
Continued below.
Does the Holy Spirit guarantee a good pope?
Does God choose every pope? Discover how the Holy Spirit guides Church decisions without overriding human freedom.
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