what is the big deal with picking a Pope?

[Skull Pilot]

Meet the new pope same as the old pope

Don't use birth control even though you can't afford more kids

when will the fossils of the catholic church be locked in a museum where they belong?

 

[The2ndAmendment]

Unless he announces that they will ANATHEMATIZE child molester priests, there won't be much change.

In passing this sentence, the pontiff is vested in amice, stole, and a violet cope, wearing his mitre, and assisted by twelve priests clad in their surplices and holding lighted candles. He takes his seat in front of the altar or in some other suitable place, amid pronounces the formula of anathema which ends with these words: "Wherefore in the name of God the All-powerful, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, of the Blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and of all the saints, in virtue of the power which has been given us of binding and loosing in Heaven and on earth, we deprive N-- himself and all his accomplices and all his abettors of the Communion of the Body and Blood of Our Lord, we separate him from the society of all Christians, we exclude him from the bosom of our Holy Mother the Church in Heaven and on earth, we declare him excommunicated and anathematized and we judge him condemned to eternal fire with Satan and his angels and all the reprobate, so long as he will not burst the fetters of the demon, do penance and satisfy the Church; we deliver him to Satan to mortify his body, that his soul may be saved on the day of judgment." Whereupon all the assistants respond: "Fiat, fiat, fiat." The pontiff and the twelve priests then cast to the ground the lighted candles they have been carrying, and notice is sent in writing to the priests and neighbouring bishops of the name of the one who has been excommunicated and the cause of his excommunication, in order that they may have no communication with him. Although he is delivered to Satan and his angels, he can still, and is even bound to repent. The Pontifical gives the form for absolving him and reconciling him with the Church. The promulgation of the anathema with such solemnity is well calculated to strike terror to the criminal and bring him to a state of repentance, especially if the Church adds to it the ceremony of the Maranatha.

 

[AmyNation]

The church does not change quickly or easily. It's a shift from the last Pope, and we will see changes, but a complete about face isn't going to happen.

 

[Gracie]

I'm not catholic, but I like his choice of a name....and everything I have been hearing so far, he seems to be a perfect fit.

 

[NYcarbineer]

They picked a South American Pope out of fear of the dramatic growth of Mormonism in that region of the world.

 

[Truthmatters]

his family is italian

 

[Truthmatters]

The church does not change quickly or easily. It's a shift from the last Pope, and we will see changes, but a complete about face isn't going to happen.

Can a Pope be depoped?

 

[AmyNation]

Depoped?

 

[NYcarbineer]

So finally the average American can name someone from Argentina.

 

[NYcarbineer]

I was rooting for Jeremy Irons.

 

[Political Junky]

Francis I, the first Jesuit Pope.

 

[NYcarbineer]

He hasn't been there since just after WWII by any chance, has he?

Oh wait, we just had a Nazi pope....

 

[bitterlyclingin]

Ritual, Gramps. Some places are like a comment one poster put down, "He was twelve or thirteen before he realized there were even other religions'.

Besides the sodomizers and muff divers were hoping he'd loosen up the rules a little, the church would approve of men marrying men, men marrying donkeys, goats, multiple wives, men marrying their three and four year old nieces, or their three year old nephews, women priests, maybe changing the mass to allow some satanic rituals, gotta be inclusive, yano. The Democrats in Congress were hoping the chiurch would cede all its wealth to them and the priests could go around in sackcloth and ashes for real, instead of pretending, and Comrade Barry, just think of all the good he could do with the Church's wealth in his hands, all the votes he could buy. He could import at least ten million more Mexicans and teach them enough English so they'd be able to pull the Democratic Party lever by 2014. Democratic House. Democratic senate. Democratic Executive. What's not to like?

And the old Pope, he's still around, they could get together and commiserate, which Cardinals involved in hanky panky with his housekeeper, which Cardinal has trouble making his Communion Wine inventories balance each week. Do you suppose the Old Pope, Ratzinger, did a Paul Volker and said "That's it! I've had it!" and resigned like Volker did after the Fed Board of Governors voted against him during a Fed meeting?

 

[TheSeventhTiger]

I always thought they had all 7 colors for the smoke, each one with its own meaning.

 

[candycorn]

All this fanfare on tv......for what? I dont get it.

We should do that to Congress--lock all 538 members in a chamber until they come up with a plan to right the fiscal ship. We'll let them out when we see green smoke up the chimney.

Seriously, I think it's sort of neat the way Catholics pick their leader. Much ado about nothing but its good to see the faithful interested in this.

 

[Katzndogz]

An Agentinian born Italian no less.

 

[NYcarbineer]

At least they didn't pick another one who looked like he was right out of central casting for a Dracula movie.

This guy looks like the retired guy who bags groceries parttime.

 

[TheSeventhTiger]

does "The One" know that Argentina and Italy are not the same country? and they do not speak Austrian in Argentina?

 

[Avatar4321]

All this fanfare on tv......for what? I dont get it.

Seems odd that a media completely opposed to the church cares so much.

 

[Avatar4321]

All this fanfare on tv......for what? I dont get it.

caring about your fellow human beings has never been your big suit

It hasnt been yours either.