Pontificating

[lil_shepherd]

So, the Pope is resigning. At least he has the decency to resign so that we can say what we think without speaking "ill of the dead." Not that this normally stops me.

I hope the Catholic church has better luck with its choice of the next Pontiff, but I really doubt it. On one hand it seems that there can't be any worse scandals than those that

Comments

[cmcmck]

I think makes him the first since Celestine V in the 13th century and even he was, if you like, 'persuaded' that it might be a good idea to step down- a man of exemplary holiness but an awful Pope!

[cmcmck]

Oh, and hippo birdy two ewes! :o)

[lil_shepherd]

Fank twoo.

[lil_shepherd]

Ah, trust a historian to know the date of the last Pope to resign! I knew it was a while ago...

Maybe Benedict was also 'persuaded'. They say that his personal secretary, the handsome Georg Gänswein, has an awful lot of influence.

[lil_shepherd]

Thank you.

In a way I'm sorry Benedict is going - he was such an easy target!

[fredbassett]

I rather suspect they'll elect one of the even more vile (if that's possible) homophobic African bishops.

But I do hope there's a really juicy scandal in the closet.

[lil_shepherd]

They've never gone outside Europe (rarely outside Italy, actually) and if they do it would be more likely to be South America.

The list of living cardinals (and it is highly unlikely they would go outside that) is here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_living_cardinals

[cmcmck]

Shame the wonderfully named Cardinal Sin of Manila is no longer with us! :o)

[lil_shepherd]

*snork*

[louisedennis]

Well that is something I never expected!

[lil_shepherd]

Me either.

[del_c]

It was a bit of out of the blue at work. Me being deaf, I had to ask several times for clarification: "*not* died? *not* died!? why is that news? oh, you were saying *ruh-signed*!"

"resigned" doesn't sound like the right word, I mean which boss accepts your letter? (apart from the Obvious one). "Abdicated" would seem more appropriate.

Happy birthday!

[athgarvan]

I wonder will they need a Conclave at all with so many papal "experts" around!

[lil_shepherd]

I understand that several bookmakers are already taking bets.