The Oath

You may also be wondering what the oath is that the folks involved in the conclave have to swear.

Here ’tis:

I, N.N., promise and swear that, unless I should receive a special faculty given expressly by the newly-elected Pontiff or by his successors, I will observe absolute and perpetual secrecy with all who are not part of the College of Cardinal electors concerning all matters directly or indirectly related to the ballots cast and their scrutiny for the election of the Supreme Pontiff.

I likewise promise and swear to refrain from using any audio or video equipment capable of recording anything which takes place during the period of the election within Vatican City, and in particular anything which in any way, directly or indirectly, is related to the process of the election itself. I declare that I take this oath fully aware that an infraction thereof will make me subject to the spiritual and canonical penalties which the future Supreme Pontiff will see fit to adopt, in accordance with Canon 1399 of the Code of Canon Law.

So help me God and these Holy Gospels which I touch with my hand [UDG 48].

It seems to me that this oath leaves something to be desired in two respects:

  1. It contains no provision against the use or planting of electronic equiptment that may transmit or allow the monitoring of things going on in the conclave. (Bugs are not recording devices, typically, as far as I know.)
  2. At least some of the spiritual and canonical penalties ought to be determined up front and included in the oath. At least some of them ought to be automatic (latae sententiae) lest folks get the idea that they only run the risk of being slapped with them if they get caught.

Author: Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."

5 thoughts on “The Oath”

  1. It is a sad state of affairs when you have to worry about Princes of the Church violating the spirit, if not the letter of the oath.

  2. A nit:
    It says “…unless I should receive a special faculty given expressly by the newly-elected Pontiff or by his successors”.
    I thought that a Pontiff was a direct successor to Peter, not the previous Pontiff.

  3. He’s both.
    To be a successor to someone just means that you succeeded them in office. Johh Paul II succeeded John Paul I in office and was thus his successor, as well as the successor of all prior popes all the way back to Peter.

  4. I was wondering, how does this oath square with Jesus’ admonition against swearing any oaths in Mt 5:34? I know it’s probably legit, but it still feels funny. Why not just enforce Canon 1399 if the need arises? Why is it necessary for these people to swear a special oath? I don’t understand what it accomplishes.

  5. It is a sad state of affairs when you have to worry about Princes of the Church violating the spirit, if not the letter of the oath.
    I would call that particular state of affairs “being part of the Church Militant.”
    Original sin means that none of us are safe.

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