The pope has died

[BombayBicycleclub]

https://news.sky.com/story/pope-francis-has-died-the-vatican-says-12890455 just that really. Will they do the conclave now? Or in a few days as it’s Easter?

Still here, despite it all being so boring? 😆

I can’t see who mentioned the film of The Two Popes now but I’ve just watched it (on Netflix). It is incredibly moving after today’s sad news. Very well acted and the cinematography excellent. The actual clips of Pope Francis bring something else to the film, I actually preferred it to Conclave, which I loved.

😳@ all the deletions. This thread is largely respectful about a man beloved and respected by billions, whether catholic or not.

Whatever PF’s shortcomings, he did his best in not much longer than a decade in an institution that spans the world that has formed its traditions and practices over 2000 years. He wasn’t going to ‘fix’ it, but he definitely made a difference.

RIP Pope Francis. He promoted Peace and unity and will be remembered for that.

As I said Annascaul in the post you got deleted for some reason, I didnt say boring - you made that up.

I didn’t have your post deleted, you’re not that important.
Interesting that you just won’t go away, though.
Have some respect for the other posters and stop it.

Does anyone else think that Pope Francis had a lovely face. Kind eyes and a great smile. There was something about his features that always made me think he was full of goodness.

Not like some of his stern faced predecessors!

I believe Francis appointed the vast majority of the current cardinals ( I saw an estimate of 80% which seems high?) so hopefully they will follow his lead. It would be awful for the Church to go backwards.

As I said before, take your own advice. Leave me alone!

He was the spitting image of my very, very much loved and missed grandfather, especially a few years ago when he was well. I got quite a start the first time I saw him.

He was never going to please everyone, no Pope is ever going to do that (St Peter would really struggle!) but I think his actions were those of a person who actually cared about not just his flock but humanity. Perhaps that is as much as we can hope for from any religious leader.

Just got home to this news. Shocked - I thought he was recovering from his illness. It was brave of him to make his Easter speech when clearly he was failing - I am reminded of Queen Elizabeth II appointing the new Prime Minister just before her death. Whatever your religion or political viewpoint, it can't be denied that some public figures have an exceptionally strong sense of duty, and clearly Pope Francis was one of them.

Usha Vance is a practicing Hindu.

Spurred me on to watch Conclave this afternoon - what an excellent film.

I’m also extremely worried about this.

While Pope Francis tried to promote the role of women in the church in a very limited way and faced lots of opposition in the Vatican, he was more successful in relation to his work on poverty, the homeless, the dispossessed and the environment.

I’m terrified that a more conservative successor will be chosen and any progress made will be lost.

The Catholic church desperately needs change. The chasm between what the average Joe at Sunday Mass believes and practices, and what the hierarchy decrees, is vast. And that cannot be sustainable for much longer?

Oh that’s interesting! Also reassuring. I saw a list reported of the hottest contenders and there were a couple of traditionalists in there, but they are in their 70s, so you would hope they would choose a little younger than that.

I think we are pretty good at cognitive dissonance on that. And just hoping the Church will catch up eventually.

Popes are like Star Trek movies, you get a good pope then a bad pope. We're due a bad pope now, get ready to bash the homosexuals again!

I'm only half joking, and since the rest of the world seems to have lost it's mind, I really wouldn't be surprised if we got a bonkers hard-line traditionalist again and the embezzlers move back into the Vatican bank.

He is part of a party that dislikes people of colour and treats anything associated with non-white people as suspicious. I think its fairly obvious why a republican married to an Asian woman who is also a Hindu picked catholicism.

I’m just relieved that Cardinals Burke and Sarah are too old to be considered. I’m hoping for Tagle as I heard him speak once and he was excellent. I know nothing else about him though.

I’m with you of all of that @Toddlerteaplease

Tagle seems like a good successor to Pope Francis. Really hoping they don’t go for Erdo.

I’ve never heard that prayer before but I must say it’s beautiful. I just looked it up and I think it’s Church of England. Thank you for sharing it.

It’s a sad day for catholics. May he rest in peace. I dropped into my local chapel tonight to say a prayer for the repose of his soul. There was a quiet peacefulness and a few people deep in prayer at the shrine that had been set up for him.

I think he was an excellent choice for pope and did a good job, stood up for the downtrodden and seemed like a really humane , sincere, kind person. I hope they get another like him.

If the church doesn't "woke up" there will be no church.
It already has barely any priests.
Francis knew that.

By all means cling to your exclusive conservatism unloving , but the church will be gone. No clergy and no congregations