# If the Pope becomes brain-dead, what then? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 31, 2005, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-pope-becomes-brain-dead-what-then/297139 "2005-03-31T23:01:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Freyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freyr/32/5763_2.png) [@Freyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freyr)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2005, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-pope-becomes-brain-dead-what-then/297139/21 "2005-04-02T18:09:25Z")
> [@JohnM](#): > > Just found [this](http://www.beliefnet.com/story/162/story_16236.html) article from the National Catholic Reporter: > > The other level on which the incapacitation question occurs is church governance, and there the waters are considerably murkier. Canon law makes no provision for the removal of a pope except through his own free choice to resign, exercised in the moment. Without a pope able to give assent to decisions for an extended period of time, bishops could not be appointed and teaching documents on faith and morals could not be issued. The long-term risk would be paralysis. This is really my debate point, if this situation were to occur, and given modern medicine, it’s a very real possibility now, what could the Church do? I’ve always thought that the RCC was a rather conservative organization (conservative in the sense of embracing tradition and changing very slowly). Would the College of Cardinals or and Ecumenical council move that quickly to replace the pontif should he become incapcitated in a coma or PVS? And then, the nasty question again, what happens if the miracle occurs and _presto_ the pontif awakes and discovers he’s no longer Pope? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-pope-becomes-brain-dead-what-then/297139/22 "2005-04-02T21:37:36Z")
Even putting aside health problems, it’s easy to imagine an assassination attempt that doesn’t kill but inflicts significant brain damage. Had the 1981 shooter aimed a few feet higher, for example, JP2 could easily have been comatose/vegetative/significantly impaired quite early in his reign. I can imagine a Church doctrine being created similar to the American 25th Amendment, section 4, allowing the College of Cardinals to temporarily appoint an Acting Pope. It wouldn’t surprise me, in fact, if it was rushed through before the next election. If it’s all done in a very formalized manner (perhaps with future Popes unofficially designating a like-minded “vice-Pope”), I don’t expect any major schisms. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-pope-becomes-brain-dead-what-then/297139/23 "2005-04-03T00:35:08Z")
This thread is now moot. RIP JPII. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-pope-becomes-brain-dead-what-then/297139/24 "2005-04-03T02:27:37Z")
Well we could always freeze him and make a Popesicle. ---
**Author:** ![Freyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freyr/32/5763_2.png) [@Freyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freyr)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-pope-becomes-brain-dead-what-then/297139/25 "2005-04-03T03:05:23Z")
> [@Bryan Ekers](#): > > Even putting aside health problems, it’s easy to imagine an assassination attempt that doesn’t kill but inflicts significant brain damage. Had the 1981 shooter aimed a few feet higher, for example, JP2 could easily have been comatose/vegetative/significantly impaired quite early in his reign. > > I can imagine a Church doctrine being created similar to the American 25th Amendment, section 4, allowing the College of Cardinals to temporarily appoint an Acting Pope. It wouldn’t surprise me, in fact, if it was rushed through before the next election. If it’s all done in a very formalized manner (perhaps with future Popes unofficially designating a like-minded “vice-Pope”), I don’t expect any major schisms. Given the recent situation in Florida and Terry Schiavo and how JP II lingered over the past few months, do you think the RCC might move quickly on this, after the new pope is installed? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-pope-becomes-brain-dead-what-then/297139/26 "2005-04-03T06:31:51Z")
> [@Freyr](#): > > Given the recent situation in Florida and Terry Schiavo and how JP II lingered over the past few months, do you think the RCC might move quickly on this, after the new pope is installed? Frankly, yes. I expect they’d move _quietly_ though, since there’s no need to publicize the matter. A papal candidate who declares that he’ll guide the Church from his very deathbed if need be might have sounded bold and strong a generation ago, but is unlikely to inspire support these days. Before the next Pope is ordained, I’m sure it’ll be made clear to him that he’s expected to resign if stories about his health get more press than stories about his edicts. I don’t expect the Schiavo case will have any lasting effect on on Church politics. The whole thing was ridiciulously overblown. ---
**Author:** ![Avenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de0a6/32.png) [@Avenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avenger)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-pope-becomes-brain-dead-what-then/297139/27 "2005-04-03T09:05:46Z")
They would just claim that the Pope was still responding to people around him and still in control. “Your Holiness, if you still think sex before marriage is bad, say ‘ahhhh wahhh’ now…” ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2005, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-pope-becomes-brain-dead-what-then/297139/28 "2005-04-03T19:57:53Z")
> [@](#): > > If the Pope becomes brain-dead, what then? Well, if he’s dead, they hit him on the head with a little silver hammer, to see if he wakes up. So, they would hit him _again_, but a little bit harder. And then, they would hit him _again_, but a little bit _harder_. And the, they would hit him _again_, but _realy hard_. And then, he _would_ be dead. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-pope-becomes-brain-dead-what-then/297139.md?page=1)