Pope Francis Stepping Down

I hear he's transitioning, not retiring. Will become the first woman to hold the position of Pope. La madre.

He needs to go because all of the boys he abused are starting to come out of the wood works.

Imagine! Three popes alive at one time!

It’ll be just like the Middle Ages!

Can they start accusing each other of being anti-popes?

He is a dirty old pedo and a supporter of Putin.

R2 , R4. Link please?

Fuck him and his Russian apologism. He will burn in Hell.

R5.

r1 Bitch, please.....

- Pope Joan

Stop posting these stupid threads where the headline says something is going to happen definitely and the link says it's just rumored. Until this is verified, this is fake news.

Russia really has turned Western liberals deranged, hasn't it?

Anyway it's better than he retires at some point, so as to normalise the practice of Popes stepping down before dying in office, and confirming the modern precedent set by Benedict XVI.

The problem is that he's only just managed to hold the crazy reactionary ultramontane tradition in check and they're going to want to install one of their own and roll back any progress the church has made since Vatican II. Not convinced he has packed the Consistory of Cardinals sufficiently yet.

[quote] Will become the first woman to hold the position of Pope.

Not quite!

R8 and R11, pure myth.

Hardly surprising if the Roman Catholic Church is rewriting the rules. They've been doing it for centuries. And according to Christ, they're supposed to sell the art and give the money to the poor. They've never managed that, have they?

Love this pope for so many reasons so my wish is that he's with us many more years.

When it's time it's time. He was an above average Pope and we thank him for his service.

When it's time it's time. He was an above average Pope and we thank him for his service.

Fact that Rome is vigorously denying any possibility of Pope Francis retiring means something might be up.

Quite honestly the man wasn't exactly a picture of health when Francis was elected pope. That he's lived this long is going against odds given at the time.

Like UK and some other monarchies this is becoming a growing issue; better healthcare, sanitation and rest means people are living longer. Coupled with those whose genetic material predisposes them to a long life (Queen Elizabeth comes from some pretty long lived Hanoverians including Queen Victoria), and you have makings of a monarch who may live well into their dotage.

Have the ungrateful hand spanker booted from the Vatican!

[quote]Russia really has turned Western liberals deranged, hasn't it?

So we should just watch and marvel at their interesting behavior? Fuck you’re tedious.

[quote]And according to Christ, they're supposed to sell the art and give the money to the poor.

Hey, they just want the art to increase in value.

The Pope is right about the war.

So young.

[quote][R8] and [R11], pure myth.

So it fits right in with christianity.

[quote]Love this pope for so many reasons so my wish is that he's with us many more years.

[quote]When it's time it's time. He was an above average Pope and we thank him for his service.

Seek professional help.

He's almost the exact same age Benedict was when he retired. I do think he was waiting for Benedict to kick the bucket to retire from the Papacy, but seeing that Benedict at age 95 refuses to die, he will have to either hold on a little bit longer or retire and have for the first time in history (not counting when there were anti-popes) three living popes (two retired).

Also, taking into account that cardinals older than 80 are barred from voting in a conclave, he has packed the college just enough to prevent the ultra-conservative faction from electing his succesor.

Hateful man.

Well Pope Bennie had the right idea, IMHO. Retire while you've still got your marbles with a handsome 'amanuensis' and all your red Prada pumps. It was miserable watching JP-2P drooling and bobbing he head and mumbling incoherently at the end of his reign.

I'm available if they're looking for someone a bit younger and fabulous.

Laughing at myself.

" 3 Popes alive at the same time " had me going, "What?", Who?", "How can there be 3 alive at the same time?" completely forgetting that, at death or resignation, all the Cardinals will travel to the Vatican for the Bunk-in and elect another Pope.

I've read it remarked by those who would know that the US Pentagon and the Vatican, when it comes to climbing, are tied when it comes to back-stabbing, double-dealing, deal-making, promises and pure politics.

That they make the politics in public elected office compared to those two, seem like student council elections.

I hope the Snatch Game will be a part of the next selection competition.

[quote] [R8] and [R11], pure myth.

Yeth?

R29 wins the thread

Not everybody needs to work until they die.

I can't honestly say I've paid much attention, but given the political battles he's fought the last couple of years, I could see him retiring once he has a successor in place to carry on his legacy and with the essential support to make that happen.

Honestly, he should start telling these American bishops pushing their own agenda that he's going to excommunicate them.

Saying Russia was provoked is like saying a rape victim dressed provocatively. One country invaded another: no means no. The Russia stuff was by far the worst moment of his papacy.

But he's been a good Pope by and large. He's been, as expected, the Franciscan Pope. If he goes I'd hope we'd get another Franciscan, but the way the world is going we'll likely get a Christo-fascist Opus Dei...

The pope should sell the Vaticn and give the money to the poor. Also F--- the pope

oops Vatican^^^^

I know tried to bring in as many moderate Bishops as Cardinals as he could. Is there enough there for the next election of Pope to pick a moderate?

He’s consecrating a ton of new cardinals in August. The bloc of voting-age conservatives at the next conclave will be a minority.

[quote] But he's been a good Pope by and large. He's been, as expected, the Franciscan Pope. If he goes I'd hope we'd get another Franciscan, but the way the world is going we'll likely get a Christo-fascist Opus Dei...

He's a Jesuit.

[quote]He’s consecrating a ton of new cardinals in August.

The fact that the catholic church measures its clergy by the ton is perhaps the most refreshing thing I have ever heard about the sect.

The squabbling at the Vatican reminds me of the backstage drama of an out of town musical in trouble.

Don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya!

r40, would you prefer "He's consecrating buttloads of new cardinals in August"?

I would.

I'd have to see the new cardinals prior to committing to any "buttloads".

r10 Exactly.

At least, that's what I hear in my circles. He's been far too progressive.

and what the "Church" is afraid of is losing their resources, especially as China makes it's move on African nations' resources, and of course, the return to political extremism, both influenced by hard right in the west and influences of the islamic world that also see it as an area of influence for those fighting against the reconciliation/globalization of the middle east and broader west asia.. which, for the church, Africa remains one of the primary regions they're concerned with for economic loss, which would largely be by such progressive ideals.

as the entire continent is going through a reformation period -- a larger portion of nations heading to a more mainstream progressism but comparatively, some obvious differences, militias and greater corrupted govts aside, the people are at the cusp of the 1950s America and the transition into the 60s brand of politics... than ready for the world post 60s.

In the west, they have no real pull with progressives while conservatives are pulling away -- not just the U.S because U.S. Catholics have always been somewhat anatagonistic and separatist, in regard to the politics, to the church. But in other nations where they have stronger pull and are also taking a position towards the hard right once again.

R39 Sorry, of course. (Although he fell out with the Jesuit power structure). But his taking the name Francis and his messaging to "secular Franciscans" and his adopting St Francis' values... is not aligned with the other Popes of this century, most notably Benedict XVI.

The next Pope will have to be a Black Transwoman, or else.

R47 You are trying to make your anti-woke disease about everything, eh? The Christo-Fascist Roman Catholics who control the US Supreme Court want, eventually, to make YOU a criminal and put you in jail. That's the trend in Catholic circles. Fun, huh?

Fuck the Pope. Any Pope - past, present or future.

Fuck the Catholic Church.

Fuck organized religion.

🖕

His sister, Connie, had a lot of hit songs.

He's fine and sends his thoughts and prayers.

Fun Fact: according to the prophecies of St Malachy of Armagh, the present Pope (named 'Petrus Romanus' in the prophecies) will be the last ever before the end of the world. So he perhaps knows something that we don't.

I got $5 sez the world isn't ending anytime soon.

It is a shame he simply wouldn't make a final exit.

I don't think he should retire. They made a mistake allowing Benedict to do so.

Monarchs and popes are the only positions I would say you must serve for life.

Yes, they're old and probably senile once they hit their 90s, but we aren't talking about a typical job here. There's a sanctity and a tradition to the position that should be respected and an entire institution that exists to guide them.

If he's really losing his marbles he should be delegating more.

R55

Pope Benedict XVI was 85 when he announced his retirement. He still is living at 95, and would freely admit is in no fit condition to hold office.

[quote]Monarchs and popes are the only positions I would say you must serve for life.

I think in situations where the role is that of an impartial figurehead, yes that's true. But some recent missteps aside, Pope Francis was active in denouncing Russia, urging support for the poor during COVID, urging people to get vaccinated and generally being a force for good. Given the politics of the Catholic Church, that's not a job for a guy spending all of his time shuffling back & forth between the toilet and his chair. Francis, for whatever you think of the CC, has been a force for good & I think most people would prefer to see him pass the torch to a successor rather than become a puppet of more powerful & odious forces because he's too weak to fight back.

I'm available! Just lost my job.

These recent popes haven't got much staying power, have they?

Francis is a wonderful pope and I hope he hangs on until he tilts the college to reflect his views. Americans hate the papacy because they don't get a say in it and can't manipulate it to their convenience.

He wants to spend more time with his... travelling companion.

[quote]Americans hate the papacy because they don't get a say in it and can't manipulate it to their convenience.

They hate the papacy because they talk about the stuff that Catholics hate like loving your neighbor & feeding the poor rather than the red meat stuff like hating gays & blathering on about abortion

More people should follow his example and retire already

If only RBG had retired when Obama suggested it.

[quote]They hate the papacy because they talk about the stuff that Catholics hate like loving your neighbor & feeding the poor rather than the red meat stuff like hating gays & blathering on about abortion

So why are Billy Graham and many, many televangelists so influential in the American cultural space? They hate the pope too. Anti-Catholicism is instinctive in Americans, yet they can't bring themselves to ignore it.