Thomas at American Papist has a poll question asking “What is the single most important position for a pope to have held prior to his election?” The options include parish priest, diocesan bishop, curial office, monastic or contemplative order, teacher at a seminary/grad school, or diplomat. I voted for parish priest, because I think what’s most important is that one have the experience of dealing with the faith as it is lived. A priest needs to console the grieving, baptize the young, visit the sick, and so on. Otherwise, it’s too easy to become a bureaucrat.
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Peter didn’t have a position in the Church before Christ appointed him. And the College of Cardinals do not have… well, the insight, shall we say, that Our Lord would have had. The comparison isn’t a fair one.
As a married fisherman, a newly-elected Pope would have to live apart from his wife, who would likely enter a convent—if we’re going to make THAT comparison a fair one.
Of course it’s a silly question. We’re not forwarding the information on to the College of Cardinals for use in future conclaves. It’s supposed to be a fun opinion poll.
And no one’s asking whether Peter was qualified to become pope. Presumably the requirements of a first-century papacy are different from a 21st-century one. Did Thomas really have to specify “current-day” pope?
If you don’t want to participate, then don’t.
I think…Marketing and Sales director for a major Japanese corporation. no, no, no…taste tester for Indian company looking to enlarge market in Canada, no,no,no…speech writer for Cardinal Mahoney (maybe he’d actually SAY the right things, then!) no, no, no….a father of 12…hmmm….so many ideas, so little time!