Advertisement

How to become pope instructional video goes viral

Since Workopolis hasn't posted the job criteria for pope yet, someone took it upon himself to teach the public how to achieve ambitions of leading the Catholic Church.

It's not that hard to become pope, says the narrator of an instructional video uploaded by YouTube user C.G.P. Grey. The video has more than 700,000 views, no doubt from aspiring popes who needed a quick job development lesson.

There are really only two rules: you must be Catholic and you must be a man. Easy, right? Not so much.

[ Related: The Pope’s role won’t change anytime soon, McGill professor says ]

For just as soon as C.G.P. Grey outlines the minimal skill requirements, he reminds us that the last time a regular churchgoing Catholic became pope was basically never. Popes are almost always Cardinals first, and that's when your stellar work in Sunday school simply won't cut it anymore.

To reach the first rung of the "Catholic corporate ladder," as he describes it, priesthood, a candidate often needs a bachelor's degree and a master of divinity.

Next, he must make it onto a secret list of candidates to replace a bishop after retirement or death. Oh, and he should probably get a doctorate in theology. That accomplished, he says a bishop hopeful will have to make it through several more steps, including an interview, panel vetting, and approval by the current pope.

[ Related: Did sickness and scandal lead to Pope Benedict XVI’s retirement? ]

Almost there, except not really because the pope will have to appoint him a cardinal and then the pope will have to die, or rarely, as we have just seen, abdicate his position.

Then a vote among cardinals makes the final, binding decision on who gets to be the next pope.

Voila, easy as receiving communion.