Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted November 22, 2010 Trust you to take a break when you did! Rumours are emerging that the Pope may well have farted this morning as he ate breakfast. More details are to follow. Don't be cheeky! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted November 22, 2010 LOL - I lasted less than one day. Here is another new article, that more or less repeats everything we already know: **** In a book of interviews, the 83-year Pontiff challenged centuries of Catholic Church tradition by saying that he would not hesitate to relinquish his post if no longer felt "physically, psychologically and spiritually" up to the job. ... Pope Benedict is considered overall to be in good health but broke his wrist last year after slipping and falling while on holiday in the Italian Alps. He admitted, however, that he is often taxed by his papal duties and frequent overseas visits. "Of course, I am sometimes concerned and I wonder whether I can make it even from a purely physical point of view," he said in the book, which has so far attracted most attention for his remarks on the use of condoms being permissible in exceptional circumstances. Earlier this year it was revealed that his predecessor, John Paul II, signed a document in 1989 saying that would resign if he became incurably ill, but unlike Benedict he ordered that the possibility remain a secret during his lifetime. Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/...alth-fails.html **** The article ends with some more speculation about his successor. Contrary to the article mentioned yesterday, these bored journos ARE punting on an Italian: **** Benedict made 24 new cardinals at the weekend, 10 of them Italian, leading to speculation among Vatican observers that the next Pope could be from Italy. The most likely contenders include Dionigi Tettamanzi, the Archbishop of Milan; Angelo Bagnasco, the head of the Italian bishops' conference; and Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, the president of the pontifical council for culture. **** Okay - my thoughts. Yes, Ravasi seems to be a very good chance and is probably the most likely of the Italians now that Angelo Scola is politically screwed. Ravasi is head of the Vatican's cultural department and seems to actually be one of the better cardinals out there, though that isn't saying much. He and Antonelli are probably the best two Italians if there is to be any chance of even small reforms. Tettamanzi seems less likely. He was one of the favourites going in last time and he is known for his flamboyance and "roly-poly" physique. Apparently, he even had a photo shoot before going into the conclave. Since he was completely passed over last time, it seems unlikely they will vote for him now. He has close links to Opus Dei and put out a CD-ROM sponsored by Microsoft (probably not much difference between those two!) Death List trivia: Tettamanzi is apparently the Italian word for "Bull's breasts." Yes, I know bulls are males... Bagnasco is, by all accounts, a rather sleazy political figure in the Vatican and has ultra-conservative, pro-military views. He is the main rival of Angelo Scola and has constantly outmaneuvered him. Okay, I really am going to take a break now! I promise! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted November 22, 2010 Tettamanzi seems less likely. He was one of the favourites going in last time and he is known for his flamboyance and "roly-poly" physique. Apparently, he even had a photo shoot before going into the conclave. Since he was completely passed over last time, it seems unlikely they will vote for him now. He has close links to Opus Dei and put out a CD-ROM sponsored by Microsoft (probably not much difference between those two!) Death List trivia: Tettamanzi is apparently the Italian word for "Bull's breasts." Yes, I know bulls are males... Actually, Tettamanzi might not be too bad. Check out this hilarious, panicked rant by a Catholic traditionalist from the last election: "Gentlemen: It has come to my attention that there are two Italian cardinals in the running to become our next Pope -- one excellent, the other exceedingly bad. "First, the bad news: "1. One of the men being heavily promoted to become our next pope is the notorious Dionigi Tettamanzi, the Cardinal-archbishop of Milan. This has caused great apprehension among orthodox Catholics concerned about the future of the Church. Tettamanzi is frequently described in the media as a 'conservative,' but in reality, from what I have been told, there is nothing conservative about him. He is -- I quote trusted sources -- a 'wolf-in-sheep's clothing,' a dangerous innovator, who, if given a chance, might make John XXIII and Paul VI look like Hard-Right Traditionalists -- I kid you not -- Tettamanzi's detractors believe he would usher in ANOTHER REVOLUTION were he to become pope. "What is the evidence for this? Well, for starters -- and even the Encyclopedia Britannica might not be able to contain all of this man's antics, were it to chronicle them -- Tettamanzi is best known as the main contributor to a book of essays on 'Christian Anthropology and Homosexuality,' in Italian: Antropologia cristiana e omossessualita -- now in its THIRD PRINTING. The essays caused a sensation when they first appeared, and have now been immortalized in a book -- popular among liberal psychologists and 'forward-thinking progressives' -- but Tettamanzi's book has flown beneath the radar screens of most Americans, and certainly the media. It is an overt attempt to 'understand' the homosexual ethos, from a 'new' Christian perspective -- the same perspective which has led to so much permissiveness in our seminaries and beyond. "Tettamanzi has successfully fooled certain Catholics into believing he is a 'conservative' because he uses traditional, even pious language, even mentioning the influence of Satan, in a transparent effort to inoculate himself from any suspicion. He apparently even has the support of some in Opus Dei. Also, he has an innocent, roly-poly look which leads some to believe he is a jovial, harmless prelate, not at all looking to rock the boat. But if you get beyond the 'conservative' reputation, and his disarming appearance -- if you read him carefully, and you talk to people in the know, they will tell you that Tettamanzi, were he to become Pope, would be the worst disaster to befall the Church in many a century. In fact, one colleague admitted to me privately: 'If the new Pope walks out onto the papal balcony, and I see Dionigi Tettamanzi's smiling face, I think I'm going to collapse. I'll be curled up into a fetal position, and it will take several weeks for friends to rouse me. The Church, as we know it, will be over.' "Over and above his sympathy toward the homosexual ethos is Tettamanzi's ambition, which is looked down upon in Rome. Indeed, if there is one thing which may prevent Tettamanzi from becoming Pope -- perhaps our best hope -- it is this unbridled ambition -- in today's Church, ambition is less forgivable than adopting a 'new' perspective on sexual immorality. Among the orthodox, a cry has gone out to the faithful Cardinals gathering for the Conclave: 'No to Tettamanzi!' and even 'Anybody but Tettamanzi!' (Well, almost anybody -- we wouldn't want anybody from the Netherlands, for example). ... edit for conciseness ... A perfect -- and chilling -- description of Tettamanzi's elusive, deceptive, oh-so-seductive thinking: he is like the German philosopher Heidegger, or the impenetrable Immanual Kant: his philosophical novelties are like little time bombs; but they are so dense and incomprehensible that nobody understands them at first... but Tettamanzi's got that smile, and he reminds people of John XXIII, so people think he must be great. But wait: ecclesiastical in-fighting to the rescue: Time indicates that the liberal Cardinal Martini--whom the ambitious Tettamanzi replaced in a bitter transition -- is still upset with the way he was unceremoniously forced to retire, and Time indicates that Martini may enact revenge at the Conclave: 'Martini, the man who might have been Pope, could work to derail Tettamanzi's candidacy.' Source: http://www.insidethevatican.com/newsflash/...sh-apr06-05.htm Okay, I really am going to take a break now! I promise! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted November 23, 2010 Breaking news: homosexual theologian talks about corruption and hypocrisy in Roman Catholic Church. (Yes, I know "and in other news, the sky is blue and the grass is green.") Notably, though this guy comes from the German church, so much the same culture as Herr Pope: ***** Berger: Ever since Pope Benedict XVI, at the latest, you have to be anti-modern to have a career in the Catholic Church. I criticized the relatively progressive theology and left-wing church policy of Karl Rahner. That is how people noticed me. Because I was an expert on the medieval thinker Thomas Aquinas, I was invited by almost all right-wing conservative groups to give lectures... SPIEGEL: What went on at the meetings? Berger: These groups are very careful about who they invite. They meet in very high-class venues, sometimes in former aristocratic residences or in luxury hotels. Old men smoke fat cigars, drink expensive red wine and eat well. It is a parallel world whose inhabitants seek to defy the modern world. [snip] SPIEGEL: Why didn't you turn your back on the church at that point? Berger: Many gays are attracted by the clear hierarchies of the male world of Catholic rituals. Among clerics I discovered extremely effeminate behavior of the sort I knew well from certain gay scenes. People give each other women's names and attach very high importance to clerical robes in all colors. Just think of the nicknames Bishop Walter Mixa (who recently stepped down amid accusations of violence and financial irregularities) and his housemaster friend gave each other: "Hasi," or "bunny," and "Monsi," short for monsignore. SPIEGEL: Did you get the impression that your homosexuality may even have helped your career? Berger: In clerical circles I kept getting shown through unmistakeable looks, hugs, stroking of my upper arms and excessively long handshakes that one didn't just appreciate my work a lot. The fact that many prelates had homosexual tendencies is certain to have made them more ready to help me get positions. [snip] SPIEGEL: Can one really apply your experiences with peripheral right-wing groups to the whole church? Berger: Ever since the rehabilitation of the Pius Brothers with a Holocaust denier among its leaders it has become evident how much influence extreme conservative circles have won in just a few years. The views that used to be exchanged discreetly at gentlemen's evenings or in the editorial conferences of newspapers and magazines have now been declared part of the official doctrine of the Catholic Church by leading clerics. Source: http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/...00.html#ref=rss ***** I wonder what Ratzinger's "woman's name" is? Seriously though, apparently that Mixa guy had fraudulent financial dealings and beat children in his care. He is also "one of the Pope's closest conservative allies in Germany." (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article7082705.ece). Charming. Okay, I really, really, really am going to take a break now! I promise! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DevonDeathTrip 2,348 Posted November 25, 2010 Sister Manuela Camagni, part of Pope Benedict's "Papal Family" (she was his maid) has died of head injuries after she was run over by a car whilst pottering about in Rome. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Windsor 2,230 Posted November 25, 2010 Sister Manuela Camagni, part of Pope Benedict's "Papal Family" (she was his maid) has died of head injuries after she was run over by a car whilst pottering about in Rome. She knew too much. Or summat... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted November 25, 2010 Sister Manuela Camagni, part of Pope Benedict's "Papal Family" (she was his maid) has died of head injuries after she was run over by a car whilst pottering about in Rome. She knew too much. Or summat... A little warning to remind Herr Ratzinger that "thou shalt not speak out of turn on condoms!" Actually, I was expecting her to be some little, shrivelled-up, hunched-over old nun but she wasn't a bad looker for her age. Would have been quite a babe in her youth: Pity these sisters stay virgins! She should have shared her prettiness a little with some appreciative men folk... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted November 29, 2010 The child abuse allegations are flaring up again. Ratzinger is being directly implicated: http://www.spiegel.de/international/german...,731683,00.html http://www.thejournal.ie/ratzinger-failed-...eports-2010-11/ So we have a smoking gun but I doubt it will be enough now to bring the pope down since he survived the earlier crisis. Also, it seems that the bastards in Washington are just as incompetent as me at being Vatican watchers: http://www.romereports.com/palio/Wikileaks...glish-3163.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted December 6, 2010 Things weigh in Death List's favour: http://www.independent.ie/world-news/next-...ve-2428636.html If we have a few popes come and go relatively quickly, that will make up for the long wait (and multiple death teases) in the JP2 years - almost. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted December 12, 2010 Just in case anyone hadn't seen it yet, here is Saint Julian Assange's leaks about the Vatican: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BA13U20101211 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/1...e-mobile-phobia Being a bunch of technophobes who shelter the Pope from negative comments, I guess they don't swing by DeathList too often. They refuse to co-operate with child abuse inquiries and really upset the Anglicans through their arrogant imperialism. So, in other words, nothing else we didn't already know there: http://www.metrolic.com/wikileaks-cables-i...candals-152044/ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/1...e-investigation http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/1...icans-catholics Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted December 13, 2010 Back to business as usual: *********** Vatican Bank 'allowed clergy to act as front for Mafia' The Vatican Bank is under new scrutiny in a case involving money-laundering allegations that led police to seize €23m (£19.25m) in September. The Vatican calls the seizure of assets a "misunderstanding" and expresses optimism it will be quickly cleared up. But fresh court documents show that prosecutors say the Vatican Bank deliberately flouted anti-laundering laws "with the aim of hiding the ownership, destination and origin of the capital". The documents also reveal investigators' suspicions that clergy may have acted as fronts for corrupt businessmen and Mafia. The documents pinpoint two transactions that have not been reported: one in 2009 involving the use of a false name, and another in 2010 in which the Vatican Bank withdrew €650,000 from an Italian bank account but ignored bank requests to disclose where the money was headed. ... Yet the scandal is hardly the first for the bank, already distinguished from other banks by the fact that its cash machines are in Latin and priests use a private entrance. In 1986, a Vatican financial adviser died after drinking cyanide-laced coffee in prison. Another, Roberto Calvi, was found dangling from a rope under London's Blackfriars Bridge in 1982, his pockets stuffed with money and stones. The incidents blackened the bank's reputation, raised suspicions of ties with the Mafia, and cost the Vatican hundreds of millions of dollars in legal clashes with Italian authorities... *********** Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/eu...ia-2158692.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted January 10, 2011 Sexual and civic education in schools in Europe is an "attack" on religious freedom, Pope Benedict XVI said on Monday in a traditional annual address to foreign diplomats to the Vatican. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/11/3110101.htm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maryportfuncity 10,584 Posted January 11, 2011 Even Radio Four saw fit to discuss his 'attack' on fundamentalist Islam yesterday. Restrained by some standards but given that the Vatical has diplomatic relations with around 130 countries it was strong by their standards. Still a long shot but I did note that Paul the Postie and his mates selected him for their Deathrace line-up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted January 19, 2011 Another smoking gun directly linking the Vatican to covering up the child abuse: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/01/letter-...hild-sex-abuse/ Lots of comments saying Pope will go this time. Who knows? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted January 19, 2011 Another smoking gun directly linking the Vatican to covering up the child abuse: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/01/letter-...hild-sex-abuse/ Lots of comments saying Pope will go this time. Who knows? By the way, "nice" photo attached to that article of the old boy doing his best Emperor Palpatine-meets-Santa Claus impersonation: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lewd_Squirrel 330 Posted January 20, 2011 Another smoking gun directly linking the Vatican to covering up the child abuse: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/01/letter-...hild-sex-abuse/ Lots of comments saying Pope will go this time. Who knows? By the way, "nice" photo attached to that article of the old boy doing his best Emperor Palpatine-meets-Santa Claus impersonation: I feel dirty & diseased just by looking at that pic. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted February 14, 2011 The pope has something of a revolution on his hands this morning, as 144 theologians stand up to the Vatican demanding sweeping reforms: http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/1...front-hierarchy http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/eur...t-priests-marry I don't know if there is much (if any) precedent for a wide-scale revolt like that. Also, to top off the old boy's bad day, he has been warned that the Irish church is on the verge of collapse: http://www.herald.ie/national-news/catholi...ld-2539381.html http://www.uscatholic.org/news/2011/02/vis...pse-priest-says Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted March 23, 2011 Just when things were quietening down again, there is a new call for the old boy to resign: "And now we get to the hard part, the need for a courageous act. The pope could initiate this change by resigning from the papacy and calling for the resignation of all the other bishops, like him, who were complicit in the abuse scandal. (In Ireland, the archbishop of Dublin proposed such action, and five bishops offered to resign.)" Source: http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/richa...t-should-resign Not going to happen now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted May 1, 2011 The Pope is making headlines in my own part of the world this morning after he decided to stand down a bishop for airing an opinion. Not particularly Christian of him. Just goes to show that absolutely no dissent is allowed. Pope stands down outspoken Queensland bishop By Andree Withey Posted 13 minutes ago The Catholic Bishop of Toowoomba on Queensland's Darling Downs has quit after a row with the Pope. In a letter to the Toowoomba diocese, Bishop William Morris says he has been forced into early retirement after a five-year investigation sparked by a "disaffected" group. A dispute erupted after comments by Bishop Morris about the need for the Catholic church to be more open towards ordaining married men and women to help counter a looming shortage of priests. He has been the Bishop of Toowoomba for 18 years. In his farewell address at the weekend, Bishop Morris said Pope Benedict had decided he should be replaced. A formal announcement is expected from the Vatican. Bishop Morris' retirement comes two years after the Catholic Church ousted Brisbane priest Peter Kennedy because of his views regarding the ordination of women and gay unions. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/02/3204821.htm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted May 2, 2011 The Pope is making headlines in my own part of the world this morning after he decided to stand down a bishop for airing an opinion. Not particularly Christian of him. Just goes to show that absolutely no dissent is allowed. Pope stands down outspoken Queensland bishop By Andree Withey Posted 13 minutes ago The Catholic Bishop of Toowoomba on Queensland's Darling Downs has quit after a row with the Pope. In a letter to the Toowoomba diocese, Bishop William Morris says he has been forced into early retirement after a five-year investigation sparked by a "disaffected" group. A dispute erupted after comments by Bishop Morris about the need for the Catholic church to be more open towards ordaining married men and women to help counter a looming shortage of priests. He has been the Bishop of Toowoomba for 18 years. In his farewell address at the weekend, Bishop Morris said Pope Benedict had decided he should be replaced. A formal announcement is expected from the Vatican. Bishop Morris' retirement comes two years after the Catholic Church ousted Brisbane priest Peter Kennedy because of his views regarding the ordination of women and gay unions. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/02/3204821.htm An updated report from later in the day shows how the Pope has angered the community: Community upset Catholics in the Toowoomba diocese say they are in shock after their bishop was forced to quit after the dispute with the Pope. Father Dorfield says the community is upset by what has happened. "There is a whole range of reactions - some people are just shocked and saddened, some people were in tears, some people were extremely angry," he said. "Some people were just shaking their heads - just simply couldn't comprehend how a man who was so well regarded in our diocese, prayerful and pastoral, could be considered as not suitable to be the Bishop." The chair of the diocese and pastoral council in Toowoomba, John Elich, says Bishop Morris has done an extraordinary job. "Bishop Bill Morris has been poorly and unfairly treated and secondly, I guess disappointed on behalf of the church that a decision could be made with no forms of natural justice whatsoever - no access even to a report that was prepared," he said. "I think the vast majority of priests would be supportive of Bill Morris". A vigil mass will be held outside the Bishop Morris's house in Toowoomba tomorrow. Shocked parishioners Toowoomba parishioner Regina Ryan says Bishop Morris's resignation came out of the blue and that fellow parishioners were shocked to hear his resignation letter read out. "I had a cousin who attended a mass on Saturday at another parish who actually called my mum and myself and 'I was at Mass - this is what just happened, oh my gosh'," she said. "So I had the heads up but that didn't make it any less disturbing and surprising." Ms Ryan says the popular bishop will be missed. "In my travels around the diocese, Bishop William has been very active in travelling and visiting parishes," she said. "Something like seven or eight maybe nine months of the year, he's on the road travelling to one place or another. "He makes a point of visiting as many of the communities and parishes of our diocese as possible every single year." Ousted priest Meanwhile, Bishop Morris's retirement comes two years after the Catholic Church ousted Brisbane priest Peter Kennedy because of his views regarding the ordination of women and gay unions. Father Kennedy was forced to quit St Mary's Church at South Brisbane over his support for the ordination of woman and gay unions. He says he is not surprised by the Vatican's decision. "It was John Paul II who said the actual ordination of women could never be discussed even and it was interesting to hear he was beatified yesterday," he said. "The absolute authority of the Vatican that is held over bishops - you've got to remember that bishops, when they become bishops, promise obedience of mind and will to the Holy Father." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted May 24, 2011 Pope shuts down monastery that liked to party Posted 1 hour 11 minutes ago Pope Benedict has shut down a famous community in Rome that organised dances by a former nightclub dancer nun and hosted VIPs like Madonna, earning the disfavour of the Vatican. The closure of the monastery of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, which holds some of the Church's most prized relics, was reported by Italian daily newspapers La Stampa and Il Foglio. The reports said the community of Cistercian monks based at the church for more than five centuries was being transferred to other churches in Italy. The basilica had become a hub for the Friends of Santa Croce, an aristocratic group, and had been criticised for some unorthodox practices including dances in which nuns pranced around the altar. One of the nuns who performed at the church, a former disco dancer, can be seen in a YouTube video performing a modern dance with a crucifix. The basilica's long-time abbot, Simone Fioraso, a flamboyant former Milan fashion designer, was already moved out of the basilica two years ago. The ban was adopted in March by the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life following an inquiry but has not yet been made public, the reports said. Pope Benedict, the leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics, is also the bishop of Rome, so the basilica is part of his diocese. Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, built around a chapel dating to the 4th century, is one of Rome's oldest and most prestigious churches. - AFP Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/25/3226078.htm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted September 21, 2011 Haven't shared a papacy article for a long time but this one nicely summarizes how screwed up Ratzinger's church has become: http://www.spiegel.de/international/german...,787314,00.html It contains no info on Ratzi's health but it does note that Cardinal Lehman, 75, "who is perhaps the last great liberal in his church, was on crutches after knee surgery and seemed weak." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted September 22, 2011 More on the German visit: http://www.spiegel.de/international/german...,787808,00.html "During the address, [Ratzinger] looked a little frail, as if he viewed his visit to Germany as a last battle." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted September 26, 2011 Make what you will of this: *** The 84-year-old pope has seemed tired at times during the four-day-visit, but his spokesman said "he's extraordinarily well" despite the heavy schedule. "We are surprised that he managed so well this trip that was so intense. It's a great satisfaction for us," Federico Lombardi said. The pope was scheduled to return to Rome later Sunday. The Vatican dismissed an Italian newspaper report on Sunday that he was considering resigning next year when he turns 85. "The pope's health is excellent," Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said. "We don't know anything about it. Ask the person who wrote it." Catholic writer Antonio Socci, writing in the Italian newspaper Libero on Sunday, said the pope was considering resigning when he turns 85 next April. He did not cite any sources or reasons. In a book last year, the pope said he would not hesitate to become the first pontiff to resign willingly in more than 700 years if he felt himself no longer able, "physically, psychologically and spiritually" to run the Catholic Church. Father Lombardi noted that the pope was "holding up very well" during the trip to his German homeland. "It's clear that he is still able to deal with very difficult commitments," he said. *** Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/t...ve-Germany.html Unsourced statement from some hack journalist versus standard response bullshit from the Pope's PR guy... ************************* EDIT: More details from other sources (it is all over the web now): "There is one front page news story that will certainly not go unnoticed: that is, that the Pope is thinking about resigning during the Spring of 2012. Journalist Antonio Socci has confirmed the same in the Italian daily, Libero. "For now,” Socci writes, “he is saying that this may be true (Joseph Ratzinger’s personal assumption), but I hope the story does not reach the news. But this rumor is circulating high up in the Vatican and therefore deserves close attention. The Pope has not rejected the possibility of his resignation when he turns 85 in April next year.” " http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/homep...-renuncia-8389/ Also, from the Pope's brother a few days ago: "The 84-year-old German-born pope, who is due to begin his first state visit to his homeland on Thursday, should resign if his physical health were to deteriorate, said his elder brother. "If it is not going well health-wise, my brother should have the courage and the willpower to resign from his position," Ratzinger, 87, said. "But it hasn't come to that yet; he is very capable of taking action."" http://www.news24.com/World/News/Pope-neve...rother-20110921 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davey Jones' Locker 1,324 Posted October 3, 2011 Your daily scandal has arrived: "The mysterious suicide that has rocked the Vatican" http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/eu...an-2364712.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
