My father, 95 and suffering from some dementia, asked: If the ruler of England converted to Catholicism and became Pope, what would happen to his/her spouse?

His assembled offspring replied that we thought:

  • such a conversion would be an unlikely choice for a modern British monarch,
  • it is unlikely such a person would be chosen to be Pope,
  • it is very unlikely that a woman would be chosen as Pope,
  • any candidate for Pope would have to be unmarried,
  • getting a divorce would also be disqualifying.

He seemed satisfied with this answer and went back to sleep. But now I’m left wondering why he asked it in the first place.