How did Pope Benedict XVI become the pope?

Answer 1

He was elected by the cardinals

Catholic AnswerBy Conclave: The assembly of cardinals for the election of a pope; also the place where the assembly meets. It takes place 15 days after the pope's death, when the cardinals are locked up in certain halls of the Vatican with their attendants; each cardinal has a separate "bed-sitting-room". Voting takes place twice a day by secret ballot in the Sistine chapel into which none but the cardinals are admitted; the checking of the votes is most stringent; and the daily ballots are continued till someone gets a two-third plus one majority. Election may also be by inspiration or compromise. Theoretically any male Catholic, even a married layman, could be elected; in fact, all popes wince Urban VI (1378) have been cardinals, and all since Adrian VI (1522) Italians (except for the last two!). Immediately on election the pope selects a new name, receives the homage of the cardinals, is proclaimed to the people and gives his blessing to the City and to the World. Before his coronation he must be consecrated if he is not already a bishop, and afterwards take possession of and be enthroned in his cathedral-church of St. John Lateran. (This could not be done during the reigns of Leo XIII, Pius X and Benedict XV owing to the Roman Question. His jurisdiction starts from the moment of his election.

from A Catholic Dictionary, Edited by Donald Attwater, Second Edition, Revised.

Answer 2

All Popes are successors of St. Peter.

It is said that the line of Popes comes from the hand of St. Peter himself and that hand has been passed down in blessings.

In fact, the office of the pope as visible head of the Church was founded by Jesus Christ on his authority and will exist until his second coming.

Answer

With all due respect to the first person to answer, I herewith give my answer to the question. Peter, James and John were ordained as the Presidency of the church, and held all of the power and authority to govern in their calling. The other disciples held the same priesthood but not the authority to preside over the church.

The Presidency called Bishops to preside over the various churches particularly those in Rome. However these Bishops only held the authority and power to preside over their own particular branch of the church, and not the church as a whole.

This authority was the same as the First Presidency but the power was only as far as their calling was concerned. When the Twelve were all killed there was no one to administer the higher authority. This being so no one could be called to preside over the church.

The authority to call Popes was done by civil authority who held neither power nor priesthood what so ever. So it has been since the death of the apostles, Popes have been called by civil authority to this day. As there is no record in scripture of this same authority being given to any others, other than the twelve. This being so then there must be a restoration of the same power and authority as was given in the early church.

Answer 3

After his predecessor then Pope John Paul the Second died, Cardinal Ratzinger was called to an conclave. This is where all of he cardinals meet up in secrecy to decide the next Pope and whether it would be the will of God and they chose Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany who then chose a new name and he decided to name him self after the Benedictine order and became Pope Benedict the Sixteenth.

Answer 4

Peter was appointed as leader of the Church when Our Lord said:

And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven. (Matthew Chapt. 16)

Peter assumed the position upon the Ascension of Our Lord into heaven. The term 'pope' did not come into usage until many years later but Peter was still considered a pope even though the establishment of the office of pope and hierarchy was yet to come. All the apostles, even Paul, deferred to Peter for important decisions.

One thing needs to be pointed out here. Our Lord and Peter were speaking in Aramaic and not Greek. In Aramaic there was but one word for 'rock' and that is cephas. There is no confusion in usage as in Greek depending upon the size of the 'rock' which is an argument that many non-Catholics seem to ignore. The confusion in vocabulary arose years later when the gospel was translated to Greek.

And, yes, Peter did reside, at least for a time, in Rome and died there under orders from Roman Emperor Nero. Francis A. Sullivan SJ in his book From Apostles to Bishops states unequivocally that Peter was in Rome and died there. His statement is based on both scripture as well as the writings of early Church fathers.

Peter would have assumed leadership about the year AD33 and he died sometime between AD64 and AD67.

Answer 5

pope john paul 2 died and Benedict was chosen out of all the cardinals

Answer 6

No cardinal does anything to achieve the papacy except to be present in the conclave and rely on the Holy Spirit to guide the election.

Answer 7

Each cardinal writes his choice on a piece of paper and they then approach the Altar one by one. Up to four rounds of voting are allowed each day to choose the new pope.

Answer 8

Pope Benedict was elected pope in a papal conclave by the College of Cardinals soon after the funeral of Pope John Paul II.

Answer 9

Benedict became the pope because he was elected as pope by the College of Cardinals in a secret conclave in 2005.

Answer 10

Benedict became the pope because he was elected as pope by the College of Cardinals in a secret conclave in 2005.