Will the Pope step down?

[SkyDaddy7]

According to this article: http://theweek.com/article/index/200964/Should_the_Pope_resign

"London bookmakers are taking 3 to 1 odds that Pope Benedict will step down amid the Church's growing sex abuse scandal"

And...The Pope can't be fired or forced to resign because no one person or group is higher than the Pope so he would have to do it on his own. The last Pope to step down was almost 600 years age "The last involved Gregory XII, who stepped down amid a "battle for the papacy" in 1415"

Will the Pope step down?

[get the red out]

1. He's a very old man

They will just wait him out, even if the Bishops, by some miracle, are even slightly concerned that he gave a child molester a free pass. But I can't imagine them being concerned, how do we know some of them haven't benefited from a free pass?

There is a complete disconnect between the leadership of the Catholic Church and its regular people. The question is how much longer will they tolerate that? Especially in the US and Europe?

[LiberalFighter]

3. How many of them are not guilty? Very few if any.

[LiberalFighter]

6. Unless he has serious health problems he could live another 15 years.

[ZombieHorde]

22. There is a complete disconnect between the leadership of the Catholic Church and its regular people

If Catholics really cared about the molestations and the bigotry they would stop giving the church money.

People who really disapprove of the actions of organizations don't voluntarily give those organizations money.

[get the red out]

31. I wish they would stop giving the Church $$$ also

But still most Catholics I know are nothing like their hideous leadership is, or tries to demand they be.

[rurallib]

2. I am thinking his boss may retire him soon.

[trotsky]

14. But strangely, his boss did nothing to protect innocent children from being raped.

Strange boss.

[rurallib]

17. or in the words of Epicurus

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?
Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing?
Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him God?”

[66 dmhlt]

29. Ecumenical Council has the power to remove a pope - it's done it before

(I)t does not imply that the answer is that a pope cannot be fired. The fact that the laws on the books provide no avenue for the removal of a pope doesn’t mean that the laws couldn’t be changed to make it possible.

There is an authority in the Catholic church that possesses power at least equal to that of the pope: the Ecumenical Council. The decrees of an Ecumenical Council have a force like that of Papal dicta, and they constitute the canon law by which the Pope governs. The Councils write the laws. So the Pope is supreme within the law, but the Council is supreme over the law. As a result, a Council can remove a pope. In fact, it’s happened several times.

The Councils of Pisa, Constance, and Basel all fired one pope or another.

Source is from Andrew Sullivan's blog:
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/03/can-the-pope-be-removed-ctd.html

[pampango]

4. At the Reuters link in the article they say the odds were 12 to 1, but there was a "cascade of bets"

against the pope, so they lowered the odds. I think 3 to 1 is still really good odds. Unless it is proven that the pope abused someone himself, the church is never going to pressure him to resign and he wouldn't do it on his own.

[peekaloo]

5. Gucci's are for stepping out not down.

FrankenPope only steps down on the truth.

[Hubert Flottz]

7. "Does The Pope Shit In The Woods," Frank Zappa

What does Pope mean in German?

[peekaloo]

12. ?

something to do with dick-tation?

[HopeHoops]

30. "Is a bear Catholic?"

You beat me to the "shit in the woods" thing.

[Robyn66]

8. Of course not

Do you think for he (or any Pope for that matter) has ever given a shit about this issue?

[DrDan]

9. no - he does not think he did anything wrong

the church must be protected at all costs

[Rhythm]

10. This arrogant asshat? Not a chance... n/t

[Raschel]

24. He'd have to give up his hat and dress! What would he be then w/o his fancy finery?

Religion - blechh

[Walk away]

11. It seems like his entire entourage is involved in abuse or cover up.

Who is going to make him step down. Certainly not the Catholic congregation. They continue subjecting their children to this organization and supporting them financially. They seem quite sheep like and isn't that what their leaders tell them to be? It's kind of creepy to be a flock led around by shepherds that abuse you. It's been going on for many years.

[tekisui]

16. Yeah. If he steps down, the rest should go too.

[On the Road]

13. Thank You for the History

Unlike Gregory XII, there is no anti-pope now to precipitate the process.

[spanone]

15. he's infallible, according to the church

[ZombieHorde]

23. The Pope is only considered infallible during a certain ceremony thingy.

I have been out Sunday school for a long time so I don't remember the details.

[RaleighNCDUer]

25. Not on a daily basis. Only under special circumstances.

And of course, that's only since what, 1870?

Of course, that doesn't mean he doesn't THINK he is infallible - a common trait with conservative authoritarians.

[havocmom]

18. Step down? Can't see it happening

Now, being taken out when the bad news gets just too unbearable (and damaging to the church) for other powerful clerics to stand, that seems possible.

So many things can end an old life. So many means to an end.

[Love Bug]

19. What would be the point? They'll just replace him with one just like hitm. eom

[RaleighNCDUer]

26. Just like him?

Just how many ex-Nazis do you think there still are in the church?

[LibertyLover]

20. Estimates on popes who have abdicated range from 4 to 10

but everyone agrees there have been a few who did resign the papacy. Do I think that the current Benedict will abdicate? In a word, no. I am a former Catholic. One of my earlier memories is watching Pius XII's funeral and wondering why he was being buried in a building (I was already familiar with Irish wakes and cemeteries). It seems to me that this pope is both tough minded and mystical - an intense combination. I believe that he is not only convinced that he was placed on the throne of St. Peter for some specific purpose by God, but that he has taken the right actions to preserve the Roman Catholic Church and made those tough, hard choices in both a pragmatic fashion and doing God's will. Benedict believes in himself, believes his judgments and decisions have always been correct and will not admit to failure.

[Dulcinea]

21. Never.

The Catholic Church teaches that the Pope is infallible.

[LostInAnomie]

27. Should he? Yes. Will he? No.

When "God" is involved in the selection process it's hard to oust someone.

[UTUSN]

28. If THESE things haven't made him do it, nothing will

*************QUOTE**********

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1728239,00.html

The Heartthrob from the Vatican

By Jeff Israely/Rome

When Pope Benedict XVI touches down for his first papal visit in the United States next week, you may notice that he doesn't have the same onstage flair as his predecessor, John Paul II. But you may also begin to notice a very handsome man of the cloth never far from the pontiff's side. That would be Monsignor Georg Gänswein, the Pope's personal secretary, responsible for everything from deciding who gets to see Benedict, to keeping His Holiness on schedule, to discreetly handing him his papal reading glasses just before a homily or other public discourse. While he is the paradigm of discretion, others have taken liberties with his image. Fashion designer Donatella Versace said her Spring 2007 collection was inspired by Gänswein, confessing: "I was thinking of an austere, severe and ethical man. I find Father Georg's austerity very elegant."

Italians have taken notice of Gänswein, and nicknamed him "Bel Giorgio," which Americans might translate as: Gorgeous George. Paparazzi have snapped photos of him playing tennis in his tennis whites, while the Roman and Bavarian press eagerly report his bravura on the ski slopes and appearances at evening Church functions. Nevertheless, despite the glamour imposed on him by the celebrity press, the tall, athletic and dirty-blond Monsignor in his clerical black, concentrates on his pivotal but quiet job choreographing papal appearances. And that is how Americans will see him, in a supporting role buoyed by his scene-stealing good looks. ....



http://disembedded.wordpress.com/2006/11/18/pope-benedict-issues-formal-vatican-decree-a-smile-is-not-a-sin/

Pope Benedict Issues Formal Vatican Decree: A Smile Is Not a Sin

November 18, 2006

POPE BENEDICT AND MSGR. GANSWEIN, THE POPE’S DEVOTED PERSONAL SECRETARY

The New York Times published an article today that disclosed some of the jokes making their rounds about Pope Benedict and his secretary, Msgr. Georg Ganswein. This brief extract from the Times article describes some of those satirical moments:

Perhaps it is his good looks, or his work in the ever-so-serious Vatican, but for whatever reason, Msgr. Georg Gänswein, Pope Benedict XVI’s secretary, has suddenly found himself the butt of jokes in the Italian news media. ....

In a curious “non-response” to this growing wave of satire, the pope’s secretary told his radio audience that “the Vatican was not offended.” “We’re convinced that smiles bring religion closer to the people,” he said, “because a smile is never a sin.”

Pope is Wrong: This One’s Very Sinful.

In response to the Times article, Andrew Sullivan published this irreverent, biting criticism of the article (and the Pope) today on his Time Magazine blog, The Daily Dish:

“The NYT runs a very curious article today about Italian humor about the current Pope. None of the jokes cited seem to me to be very risque or even funny. The entire argument of the piece is undermined by lack of any real evidence that this pope is subject to any more ridicule than has historically been the case. Except of course for that photograph (see above, seated with Msgr. Georg Ganswein). It shows the actual source of the jokes circulating in the Vatican and elsewhere about this Prada-preferring, Gucci-wearing, high-drama German intellectual (Pope). The actual jokes – which the NYT won’t print – are about how good looking so many of the men are who surround Benedict, especially his personal assistant, Msgr. Georg Gänswein, shown holding the large phallic microphone in front of Benedict’s face. The Vatican gossip merchants call Georg 'Gay-Org.' He is inseparable from Benedict. And he surely is easy on the eyes. There is no evidence that Benedict has ever broken his vows of chastity; but there is no evidence that he is heterosexual either. Hence the gossip; hence the jokes. When you’re a Pope who declares that even closeted, chaste gay men cannot be priests, it’s pushing your luck to clothe yourself in Prada, bedeck your Pope-mobile with luxurious Natuzzi Italian white leather, and surround yourself with assistants who look like they strayed from the pages of 'L’Uomo Vogue.'

"Butch it up, sister. Or the jokes will only get louder.”

******************UNQUOTE************

Padre Alberto CUTIE:

Video of beach romp: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf6rXBnLc3Y&feature=rela...

Him preaching Prodigal Son: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyAww8sol5I&feature=rela...


And then there's THIS creepazoid:
************QUOTE***********



http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/legion-christs-father-maciel-father-mexican-men-molested/story?id=10009430

Father Maciel Is Our Father, Say Two Mexican Men, And He Molested Us

Two Men Claim That Founder of Catholic Order Legion of Christ, Already Disgraced by Pedophilia Charges, Used Fake Name in Long Relationship With Their Mother

*************UNQUOTE***********