ASK FATHER: What if the cardinals chose a man who is not in the conclave?

From a reader…

QUAERITUR:

What if the cardinals chose a man who is not in the conclave?   They can chose a baptized male, right?   It’s unlikely that they would go outside the Cardinals in the conclave, even for an older non-voting Cardinal.  It’s extremely unlikely that they would choose a non-Cardinal.  But if they do, what happens?

BTW… see the post immediately before this one!  The Sonnet by Belli about this topic.

The document about death the election of Popes is called Universi Domini Gregis.  UDG says:

90. If the person elected resides outside Vatican City, the norms contained in the Ordo Rituum Conclavis are to be observed.

The ORC says:

62. Si autem Electus extra Civitatem Vaticanam degit, Cardinal, electores duos Cardinales eligunt ut Cardinali qui praeest continuo adsint usque ad adventum et acceptationem Electi.

Deinde Cardinalis qui praeest et duo Cardinales qui ei adsunt Substitutum Secretariae Status arcessent, qui caute et prudenter efficiat ut Electus quantocius ad Urbem perveniat, vitatis omnino mediis communicationis socialis per quae secretum Conclavis violari possit. Cum Electus in Civitatem Vaticanam pervenerit, Substitutus Secretariae Status immediate dc cius adventu Cardinalem qui preeest cer-tiorem faciat eiusque mandata adamussim exsequatur. Cardinalis qui praeest, consiliis cum duobus Cardinalibus qui ei adsunt collatis, Cardinales electores convocabit et Electum in Sacellum Sixtinum introducet, ut ad acceptationis ritum procedatur.

63. Post acceptationem, Electus qui episcopali ordinatione iam pollet est illico Romanae Ecclesiae Episcopus simulque verus Summus Pontifex et Caput Collegii Episcopalis; idemque actu plenam et supremam potestatem in universam Ecclesiam acquirit.

or

62. If the Elect resides outside Vatican City, the Cardinal electors choose two Cardinals who assist the presiding Cardinal until the arrival and acceptance of the Elect. Then the Cardinal who presides and the two Cardinals who assist him will call the Substitute of the Secretariat of State, who will carefully ensure that the Elected One comes to Rome as soon as possible, absolutely avoiding the means of communication by which the secret of the Conclave can be violated. When the Elected Representative is in Vatican City, the Substitute of the Secretariat of State immediately informs the presiding Cardinal of his arrival and follows his orders exactly. The presiding Cardinal, after having taken counsel from the two Cardinals assisting him, shall convoke the Cardinal electors and introduce the Elected Cardinals into the Sistine Chapel so that the rite of acceptance may take place.

63. After acceptance, the Elect who has already received priestly ordination is immediately Bishop of the Church of Rome, true Supreme Pontiff and Head of the Episcopal College; he acquires in fact the full and supreme power over the universal Church.

So, they send a couple of guys (they better be strong) to go get the poor man and drag him to the Sistine Chapel and put the question to him formally.  By this time, he has probably figured out what’s going on.

I would be tempted to make them stop at a bar first before getting to Vatican City.

One problem I have with this is that at the death of a Pope, all roles in the Curia cease except for the Camerlengo, the Vicar of Rome, and the Major Penitentiary.   So, there shouldn’t be a Sostituto, technically, since there is also not Secretary of State, technically.