Q&A for How to Become Pope

Yes, but it would have to be at a designated greeting, which can be difficult.

According to the Vatican press office, the black smoke is produced by a mixture of potassium perchlorate, anthracene and sulphur. The white smoke is a mixture of potassium chlorate, lactose and a pine resin, also known as Greek pitch.

There is no official age requirement for becoming pope.

He is Pope Emeritus - essentially, he's retired. Although one can't know for sure, given His Holiness Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has said that he is on the last stretch to Heaven, he is likely writing his final memoirs.

He was a cardinal. Before being a cardinal, he was a bishop and before that, a priest.

It is done to maintain the secrecy of the ballot, and to maintain Catholic tradition.

No, the Pope is the spiritual head of the Catholic church. He is not affiliated to Islam. You have to be a Catholic male to be elected as Pope.

In a private conversation with his longtime friend from Buenos Aires, Oscar Crespo, Pope Francis reportedly revealed his plans to change important "archaic" parts of the Catholic rules. Crespo claims the Pope intends to overturn the "centuries-old ban" on Catholic priests from getting married and to lift the banishment of divorcees from the Catholic church. So, yes, he has some power to make changes.

Yes, this is done through RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) where a person is brought into the Catholic religion. After this the process is the same.

You have to get through college to be a priest, and it takes several years/decades to work your way up to it, but besides that no.

A pope is the leader of the Roman Catholic church. All popes start as priests. So yes, the pope is a priest.

Yes, all the popes are priests, and they all celebrate mass very regularly. Some even celebrate mass daily. So to answer your last question, Pope Francis is the most recent pope to celebrate a mass.

No, you can't be a pope if you're a woman. You have to be male, just as there are no female priests, bishops, archbishops or cardinals. Women can become nuns.

Yes, any race can become pope, but so far only white popes have been elected.

Yes, currently, you have to be a male to be the pope.

The article How to Become a Saint explains the factors used to decide that someone was a saint.

It is inscribed in the Bible that God changed the names of those he assigned special missions to.

The pope does not get paid.

Although it is possible for an average Catholic male to become the pope, all popes so far have been priests.

Although it is possible, it has never happened. The chances are extremely slim.

While possible, that is incredibly unlikely. It is incredibly unlikely even for a lifelong Catholic to become the pope.

The pope is the leader of the Catholic Church, so you must be Catholic to become pope. However, it does not matter if you are Indian.

A vicar is a term used by the Church of England (Anglican) for a parish priest.

No. The Pope is chosen from priests who have dedicated their entire adult lives to God and Catholicism. I think you would have a difficult time being a good priest if you don't believe in God.

Yes, a Muslim can convert to Catholicism.

Yes, so long as the Indian in question is a practicing, male Catholic. There is no rule against any race with regard to the Papal conclave.

Traditionally the Catholic Church only accept males for priests, bishops, archbishops, cardinals and popes and it is a strict catholic church rule. If you are female you can become a nun.

Yes, it just hasn't happened yet. There aren't any rules against it, contrary to the urban legend that says so. It would be completely fine.

A woman cannot become a Pope or a priest because the church does not allow it. You can become a nun though!

Yes, race does not matter to God and a black pope is always a possibility.