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STATEMENT OF THE SUPERIOR GENERAL OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS
Digital News Service SJ
Vol XVII, No. 6 | 14 March 2013
 
In the name of the Society of Jesus, I give thanks to God for the election of our new Pope, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J., which opens for the Church a path full of hope.
 
All of us Jesuits accompany with our prayers our brother and we thank him for his generosity in accepting the responsibility of guiding the Church at this crucial time. The name of "Francis" by which we shall now know him evokes for us the Holy Father's evangelical spirit of closeness to the poor, his identification with simple people, and his commitment to the renewal of the Church. From the very first moment in which he appeared before the people of God, he gave visible witness to his simplicity, his humility, his pastoral experience and his spiritual depth.

"The distinguishing mark of our Society is that it is . . . a companionship . . . bound to the Roman Pontiff by a special bond of love and service." (Complementary Norms, No. 2, § 2) Thus, we share the joy of the whole Church, and at the same time, wish to express our renewed availability to be sent into the vineyard of the Lord, according to the spirit of our special vow of obedience, that so distinctively unites us with the Holy Father (General Congregation 35, Decree 1, No. 17).

P. Adolfo Nicolás S.J.

Superior General
Rome, 14 March 2013
 

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A Brief History:
In the early days of the church, the pope was chosen by clergy and laity. In 1059, Nicholas II gave Cardinals the leading role in electing popes, in part to fight off feuding and lobbying by families and civil officials that was making the position more political than spiritual. In 1179 the Third Lateran Council restricted the election to Cardinals and decided it would take a vote of two thirds of the Cardinals to elect the Pope (a rule that holds true today). In 1268, following the death of Clement IV, it took three years to choose the next pope, Gregory X. That happened only after local officials (in Viterbo, Italy where the election was) locked the cardinals in a building with no roof and threatened they would only get bread and water. Gregory X was elected almost immediately. Gregory X then stipulated the Cardinals should gather in the town where the Pope died and be locked in without a key to avoid outside influence. The cardinals couldn’t receive any funds during the conclave from the papal treasury and, after eight days, would be fed bread and water. In 1274, conclave rules were spelled out at the Council of Lyons. Many of these rules remain. In 1996, Pope John Paul II issued an apostolic constitution, UniversiDominiciGregis: onm the vacancy of the Apostolic See and the Election of the Roman Pontiff, outlining the guidelines to follow when the papacy is vacant. In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI issued an apostolic constitution, De AliquibusMutationibus in Normis De Electione RomaniPontificis, amending Universi Dominici Gregis and requiring a two-thirds votefor the election of a new pope, regardless of how many ballots are needed.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why do we call the Pope the Vicar of Christ?

Jesus gave an office uniquely to St. Peter, the first of the Apostles, to be transmitted to the Successors of St. Peter. A vicar is someone who stands in the place of another. Peter was chosen by the Lord himself to be his vicar. He was not elected by the other Apostles to preside over the Church. Jesus Christ specifically prayed for Peter. Now, the cardinals, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, seek to choose the man who the Lord has destined to be the next Pope.

What do we mean by the term “the power of the keys?

The Lord gave an office uniquely to St. Peter. The “power of the keys” entrusted to him (cf. Matthew 16:19) represents this authority. By virtue of his office the Pope possesses supreme, full, immediate, and universal ordinary power in the Church, which he is always able to exercise freely.

Why do we call the Pope the Servant of the Servants of God?

The Pope is the head of the College of Bishops. He serves those who serve. When Christ bestowed special gifts on Peter, these were not to be considered or used as special privileges for his own benefit; rather, these special gifts were to be a means of serving others. The Pope’s life is spent in imitation of Jesus who came to serve and not to be served.

Why do we call the Pope the Holy Father?

Catholics (and even non-Catholics) refer to the Pope as “Holy Father” or “His Holiness” because these terms reminds us that the Pope is the universal pastor of the Church, into which Christ wants to gather all the children of God into one (cf. John 11:52). The Pope’s office has an objective sanctify about it, flowing from its divine institution.

What does conclave mean?

Conclave comes from the Latin words for “with a key,” cum clave. The Cardinals are locked “with a key” in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope.