So we now have two Popes...and the Pope is always right...

[Auntie Bush]

If they have totally different opinions about something...how do they decide which one speaks for the Holy Father? Example - suppose new Pope says it's OK to use condoms, or practice birth control or for gays or priests to get married and old pope says no way would God approve that and neither does anyone else of authority...who would have the final say? Just wondering.

[pipoman]

1. Which ever one could win an arm wresling tournament..thats how

they are picked anyway, no?

[LeftyMom]

2. That's not how it works.

The Pope is only considered infallible when speaking ex cathedra, which is rare. Benedict can't do it now.

Essentially you're asking what happens if Obama and Bush the lesser issue contradictory executive orders, and the answer is the same: only one of them can.

[Canuckistanian]

13. Yup.

Most people misunderstand the "infallibility" claim. It only applies to church doctrine, not the world at large.

[gateley]

3. Well first of all New Pope would ever say any of that stuff is okay (sadly), but

I'm guessing Old Pope gave up his right to have the official say in anything. He's Pope Emeritus.

I worked for the Dean Emeritus of the U of W School of Business Administration and he didn't have any real clout there anymore. I DID tell him I genuflected when I passed by his photo in the lobby, though.

[Whisp]

12. is Bill Clinton like the old Pope then?

[gateley]

16. Haha! He probably has more clout than Benedict!

[Cleita]

4. It won't be the first time in history that there were two popes. n/t

[hrmjustin]

5. The Pope is the Bishop of Rome. That is what makes him pope so there can only be one bishop at

a time. Benedict does not have any authority anymore.

[ashling]

6. There's only ONE Pope

the other guy was too pooped to pope so he took the lead of Sarah Palin, patron saint of
quittin' stuff early. We don't care whether or not the old pope can see the almighty from his
apartment in the Vatican anymore.

[Autumn]

9. ^^^^THIS^^^^^

I'm just glad they are both fucking gone!

[Whisp]

14. hehehe.

omg. rich.

[pipoman]

17. I wondered if he quit

to try to avoid the inevitable baking in the sun and deteriorating for weeks after his death, while grannies fly in from all over the world..

[ashling]

19. Maybe he was forced to resign for expecting

the Spanish Inquisition!

[Tx4obama]

7. Benedict will not be saying anything. So, the issue is moot. n/t

[HuckleB]

8. Duh.

Humor! It's good for the soul. (Not that a soul is anything but a fictional non-entity, mind you, but I digress.)

[HuckleB]

10. It would be sweet if Benedict actually moved to Avignon!

[Nye Bevan]

11. Nope. "Pope emeritus" is like "former President". (nt)

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. Pope Emeritus Benedict said he will follow the new Pope.

And once he lost his ring he lost that temporal power

[liberalhistorian]

18. Benedict has resigned, therefore

he has no official authority or power. There are not "two popes", there is only one pope.