Papal Bull****.

[Sunbeem]

Since reading of the murder of Pope John-Paul the first in 1978, my interest in Papal shennanigins has grown. No soap-opera could match a plot like the ongoing activities in the Vatican, and the recent events seem to highlight a growing schism within the Catholic Church as a whole.

The Pope's exit was most interesting. In his leaving address, describing his "eventful" term of office, he attempted to create a metaphor from the story of Jesus quelling the storm after the disciples had panicked and woken him in the fishing boat. Benedict was mis-quoted on the BBC as saying that sometimes God appeared to be asleep, twisting his metaphor dangerously near to blasphemy, and appearing to shuffle any blame for his own mendacity onto the Almighty.
I can't imagine a more devastating blow to his pride, than having his exit smeared with such a twisted account of his words. (Bene = good, dict = word.)
The loss of his little red shoes will pale into insignificance, (and anyway, he's got a spare pair under his cassock).
 Who kicked him when he was down -- and why?

Sunbeem.

[Desi Bike]

I'm.looking forward to the TV showings of the 1968 movie 'Shoes of the fisherman' Its about the papal elections from the inside. Seems like the only time its aired is during a Papal election.

[Sunbeem]

According to a review, it's quite a prescient film, with a strong cast -- I'll look out for it, thanks.
I'm tempted to re-read David Yallop's book "In God's Name" to set the scene for the next succession. What really chilled me was his mention of JP the first's answer, when asked what his papal name would be. "Call me John Paul the First" he said. The thing is, "the First" is only added when the second turns up. Which he did, 30 odd days later.
At a rough and premature guess, I'd say a chill Conservative wind of change will mark the church's final five or six decades. Retreat into rigid dogma will be the order of the day, since it seems that every institution eventually puts self-preservation above all else.

Sunbeem.

Be bopaloo bop, a lambam boom! St Hildegard of Bingen.

[mattsz]

As a recovering catholic myself...  Yeah, an abdicating pope is unusual - but why are major news stories being broadcast discussing what he will wear once he's out of office?  Wasn't that long ago if you were a catholic you were a nobody in this town.  JFK was elected despite being catholic...

[Sunbeem]

Heavens Mattsz! We're not supposed to talk about the real facts of the case, that's strictly the expert's territory. I understand that Time magazine is aimed at those with a reading age of fifteen, so a relative assessment of most newspapers would indicate that  they are aimed at folk who can barely read at all. Hence the pictures.

That's why we're so interested in shoes - talk to us about vice and corruption amongst our "betters" and we just get confused.

On the night that Albino Luciani was bumped off, the 33rd of his papacy, he had set in motion a clean-up of the Vatican Bank, a proposal to reverse the Church's ban on contraception, and he had made a list of over a hundred of the clergy who were members of P2, a secret group of Freemasons which they were banned from joining on pain of immediate excommunication, and the places (at the far ends of the Earth) to which they would be permanently dispatched.

Within the hallowed cloisters of Vatican City, these ideas did not receive universal approval.

John Paul's avowed intent to become the world's first poor Pope was particularly unwelcome, both with the Bank's chief, Archbishop Paul Marcinkus, a thug from the back streets of Cicero Illinois, and Roberto Calvi, who was later found hanging beneath Blackfrier's Bridge in London, his beautifully tailored pockets stuffed with rubble.

So it really is important that we stick with the shoes -
Nothing to see here folks -- move along now ... after all, you don't need to open your eyes to pray, do you?

Sunbeem.

[The_Rigger]

My question is what does a retired Pope do for a living?  I mean, I guess he could be a greeter at Walmart...

McDonald's counter help... "Dominos Fobiscum... Supersize that, sir?"

Used car salesman.... "Call us today!  Dial Eccum Spiri 2-2-0!"

[Sunbeem]

I'm not sure that the uniforms provided by either of those establishments would satisfy one with such divine taste in apparel Dave, but if he were allowed to retain some of his lace and frills, then he could walk straight into a job in the circus.
As to your further speculation, surely the only people who would buy a car from this man are safely locked away in secure institutions.
And talking of locking away, how many of these priestly pederasts have been tried in court? Benedict could have filled San Quentin had he not protected those who are guilty.
Perhaps we should ask the question why, when the Pope was misquoted about the Almighty taking a nap, the Catholic spokesman who followed did not choose to correct the mistake -- to me that implies a willingness to see Benedict pilloried, and  the likelihood of further criticism of his reign.
If they are going to start a new page by blaming everything on the last incumbent, then we can be sure we will be hearing absolutely nothing from him.
And there's only one way to guarantee that.

Sunbeem.