Pope Francis died at age 88

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Pope Francis died at age 88. Last time there was a non-european Pope in Rome was Syrian-born Gregory III in 741.

He was also the first Jesuit to be elected as Pope.

To his supporters, he was a principled reformer who strove to modernize the Church and make it more relevant to a fast-changing world. He was also seen by many as heralding a new era for Catholicism, and a man whose momentous decisions will go down in history but who lived with an unwavering humility and kindness.

His conservative critics attacked many of those momentous decisions, such as the blessing of homosexual couples and reform of the Roman Curia. He also faced accusations of both authoritarianism and of not doing enough to tackle clerical sexual abuse.

Pope Francis obituary: humble reformer who clashed with conservatives

The first pope from the Americas, whose drive to modernize the Catholic Church divided opinion, has died in Rome aged 88.

www.newsweek.com

 

[Free]

So, back again with The Next Pope, 2025 Edition.

The Week posted their part in this less than...a week ago.

Who will the next pope be – and how are they chosen?

The rituals surrounding the papal succession date back centuries, but the process has been given a modern revamp after a team of Catholic journalists and researchers compiled a new online guide to every cardinal who will choose the next pontiff.

The College of Cardinals Report – a "slick, interactive website", said Crux – features details of all 252 cardinals, including where they stand on issues such as ordaining female deacons, blessing same-sex unions and making priestly celibacy optional.

Out of the 252 cardinals listed in the report, 137 of them are currently under the age of 80 and so eligible to participate in the conclave – the papal election.

Some pretty good coverage of the "front runners."

 

[Free]

By the way, any conspiracy theories about this being one of his last meetings?

Vance meets with Pope Francis after pontiff's criticism of Trump policies

 

[Isabeau]

Couch fucker, pope killer, all-round shit stainer

 

[Noodles]

By the way, any conspiracy theories about this being one of his last meetings?

Vance meets with Pope Francis after pontiff's criticism of Trump policies

My only though was that it would really suck that one of your last days was meeting with some POS Nazi.

 

[detrius]

My only though was that it would really suck that one of your last days was meeting with some POS Nazi.

The nazis are probably jacking off at his age at the time of death.

 

[Noodles]

One silver lining here maybe he was fairly progressive and has appointed something like 80% of the people who will choose his replacement.

 

[detrius]

One silver lining here maybe he was fairly progressive and has appointed something like 80% of the people who will choose his replacement.

Unless they pick a female pope, they can still go screw themselves.

 

[Khamon]

I would say "who?" except that he recently postponed a meeting with Vance while a high ranking Cardinal schooled the beep on the true meaning of mercy and Christian love. James Donald did not receive the message but at least they tried.

 

[Soen Eber]

A note I'm preparing for someone I know on the blessing of homosexual couples:

On December 18th, 2023, Pope Francis issued a statement suggesting blessings could be offered under limited circumstances … if not confused with the sacrament of marriage, i.e. marriage is still not allowed. Source: AP News

From an explanatory note from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops "Doctrinal dicastery explains how, when gay couples can be blessed"

Doctrinal dicastery explains how, when gay couples can be blessed

The Vatican offered a narrow set of conditions under which a priest or deacon could give a blessing to a same-sex or other unmarried couple, making it clear ...

www.usccb.org

The church "remains firm" in teaching that marriage can be contracted only between one woman and one man, he said, and continues to insist that "rites and prayers that could create confusion" about a marriage and another form of relationship "are inadmissible."

"The request for a blessing is ... a seed of the Holy Spirit that must be nurtured, not hindered"

A person who asks for God's blessing, the declaration said, "shows himself to be in need of God's saving presence in his life and one who asks for a blessing from the Church recognizes the latter as a sacrament of the salvation that God offers."

The church, it said, should be grateful when people ask for a blessing and should see it as a sign that they know they need God's help.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Con-clave

The New Right and the battle for the Vatican

davidaaronovitch.substack.com

Evernote Link to unpaywalled article

 

[Sid]

All in all Jorge Mario Bergoglio was one of the good guys who lived on this planet during my lifetime.
May he rest in peace.

 

[Sid]

Con-clave

The New Right and the battle for the Vatican

davidaaronovitch.substack.com

Evernote Link to unpaywalled article

A popular saying in Vatican circles is that if you “enter a conclave as pope, you leave as a cardinal.”

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Well for me he was a welcome change in themes and focus after the backlash popes JPII and Benedict XVI., moving the view away from Europe to the Americas.

Despite that in terms of making the Roman-Catholic branch of christianity appeal to more people and bringing it into modern times he did too little, too late. And I doubt his successor will be better.

It's really sad that the spirit of the 2nd Vatican Council nowadays is not today the common life in the Roman-Catholic church, but viewed as utopia again. And battled by many people.

 

[Caete]

Unless they pick a female pope, they can still go screw themselves.

Well, given that any Roman Catholic male can be elected pope, but since 1379, every pope has been selected from the College of Cardinals so I doubt your baseless desire for a DEI hire to be made head of the church will come true. Personally I hope they pick the best qualified candidate for the position, be they male, female, horse or cat.

 

[Jopsy Pendragon]

Unless they pick a female pope, they can still go screw themselves.

Even so. Have you met nuns? Some of them are even more hardline than the men.

This world doesn't need a Pope Maggie Thatcher

 

[detrius]

your baseless desire for a DEI hire

You misspelt "long overdue".

For over a thousand years, the Catholic Church has been under the control of a cabal of sexually frustrated pretend-eunuchs who generally lack the emotional stability to handle simple concepts like "feminine hygiene" in a calm and rational manner. All of the current problems of the church can be traced back to hysterical men who were put into leadership positions despite being incapable of handling the word "pussy". It's pathetic.

And yet, more than half of practicing Catholics are female. Multiple protestant churches already have female bishops, so when the Catholic Church finally decides to move into the 20th century, it shouldn't even be considered a revolutionary or brave decision. If you genuinely believe that wanting to have more women in leadership positions like that is "baseless" or "DEI" - well, that's just a "you problem", not a "me problem".

Oh, and if the College of Cardinals gets in the way, then let's just send those useless old goats to the pasture and replace them with women as well.

 

[detrius]

Even so. Have you met nuns? Some of them are even more hardline than the men.

This world doesn't need a Pope Maggie Thatcher

That's just another symptom of the patriarchal system inherent in the Catholic Church. Every authoritarian regime needs accomplices - a Quisling, Stephen Warren or Phyllis Schlafly. People like that exist because they're useful when it comes to maintaining the hierarchy.

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

You misspelt "long overdue".

For over a thousand years, the Catholic Church has been under the control of a cabal of sexually frustrated pretend-eunuchs who generally lack the emotional stability to handle simple concepts like "feminine hygiene" in a calm and rational manner. All of the current problems of the church can be traced back to hysterical men who were put into leadership positions despite being incapable of handling the word "pussy". It's pathetic.

And yet, more than half of practicing Catholics are female. Multiple protestant churches already have female bishops, so when the Catholic Church finally decides to move into the 20th century, it shouldn't even be considered a revolutionary or brave decision. If you genuinely believe that wanting to have more women in leadership positions like that is "baseless" or "DEI" - well, that's just a "you problem", not a "me problem".

Oh, and if the College of Cardinals gets in the way, then let's just send those useless old goats to the pasture and replace them with women as well.

The church is clearly an anachronism from a bygone era. ...though it can only update so much before it ceases to be Catholic. I think the Catholic church will continue to decline, just slowly.

I'm worried the next pope will be a step backwards, but we'll find out soon enough maybe.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

I'm worried the next pope will be a step backwards, but we'll find out soon enough maybe.

Given the way societies around the world have been sliding farther to the right lately, I fear your worry isn't unfounded. But I still hold hope that whoever replaces him will continue nudging the Church leftward, even if ever so slightly. Maybe that would help temper the conservative slide we've been seeing around the world.