Pope Benedict to resign??

[anonymous-user]

Just breaking on CNBC.

[Chris_]

Just seen this as well. He is leaving on 28th Feb due to "health reasons"

[Eric Mc]

When is the last time this happened?

Just heard - 700 years ago.

[Chimune]

Someone has some bad stuff on him. Has to be.
I predict he will not go to his grave with honour.

[Tyre Smoke]

No Pope goes for 'health reasons' the last incumbent was propped up like a Communist Dictator for years.

My 'something dodgy' meter is twitching.

[wolves_wanderer]

This is a chance for the catholic church to come into the 21st century.

How about "Pope Factor"? Loads of cardinals turning up to a football stadium, telling their sad stories and then getting the chance to say mass in front of Simon Cowell, winner chosen by public vote.

[jmorgan]

Wonder what his replacement will say in her inauguration speech.

[V8mate]

Nazi stuff or kiddy stuff?

[Asterix]

wolves_wanderer said:

This is a chance for the catholic church to come into the 21st century.

How about "Pope Factor"? Loads of cardinals turning up to a football stadium, telling their sad stories and then getting the chance to say mass in front of Simon Cowell, winner chosen by public vote.

Pope Idol, shirley?

[cslgirl]

Why are they so old when made Pope? Surely be better to have someone younger who can give more years than a 78 year old could of.

[BlackVanDyke]

Tyre Smoke said:

No Pope goes for 'health reasons' the last incumbent was propped up like a Communist Dictator for years.

My 'something dodgy' meter is twitching.

My thoughts exactly. WTF is going on?!

[Alfa numeric]

cslgirl said:

Why are they so old when made Pope? Surely be better to have someone younger who can give more years than a 78 year old could of.

I think that's deliberate as it's an appointment for life and they don't want them to rule for too long. They reverted to an old geezer this time as the last Pope was too young and just went on and on...

[Cyder]

Guam said:

Asterix said:

Pope Idol, shirley?

[Iceman82]

BlackVanDyke said:

My thoughts exactly. WTF is going on?!

I don't think that there is anything deeper to this. He said previously that he would stand down if he felt he couldn't perform the role any further. I suspect that if anything is being hidden it's the fact that he might have something terminal.

Could be a great chance for the Church to elect someone from the developing countries or the 3rd world.

[colonel c]

So, who I wonder will get the job next??

[CarTimeNow]

they almost always have a long serving pope followed by a short term stand in pope (maybe whilst candidate they really want gets a couple more years)

[Iceman82]

colonel c said:

So, who I wonder will get the job next??

[Eric Mc]

wolves_wanderer said:

This is a chance for the catholic church to come into the 21st century.

How about "Pope Factor"? Loads of cardinals turning up to a football stadium, telling their sad stories and then getting the chance to say mass in front of Simon Cowell, winner chosen by public vote.

That's what they were saying back in 1979 when John Paul II was elected (although they were referring to late 20th cfentury of course at the time).

Because he was Polish and from a (then) Communist country they thought he would be forward thinking and progressive. He turned out to be an arch-conservative.

[Mr E]

Asterix said:

wolves_wanderer said:

This is a chance for the catholic church to come into the 21st century.

How about "Pope Factor"? Loads of cardinals turning up to a football stadium, telling their sad stories and then getting the chance to say mass in front of Simon Cowell, winner chosen by public vote.

Pope Idol, shirley?

Genius. Pure genius.

And I'm going to steal it.

[Fishtigua]

V8mate said:

Nazi stuff or kiddy stuff?

There has been a banking scandal going on too, along with that butler thingy.

This reaks to, pardon the pun, high heaven.