Pope on death bed

[velcrobott]

According to CNN he had his last rites tonight...

Lillibet,

Couldn't agree more.

perhaps when someone is, in all probability, dying is not the occasion to criticise their decisions. Does anyone doubt that what the man said was what he sincerely believed to be God's will? I'm not a Catholic but I can regret the pain of the man. Any misguided teachings only affect those who have chosen to accept them but some of his efforts have brought benefits to a wider audience.

but arent we condemmed to another ultra conservative pope for the next one?? I think our only chance for a renewal in the Catholic Church is to hope, like MP, that the next reign does not last 27 years!

however : it is still a sad day and I do feel sorrow at the passing of a Pope..

tatt

True, however I have not waited for the Pope to be dying to hold these views. I guess I am an a lá carte Catholic. But it works for me.

It is sad flea, but it would be hypocritical of me to be upset, as I have clashed with him on a lot of his teachings, not personally over dinner you understand

Tatt: his 'misguided' teachings do not just affect those who accept them, but the affect the work of the catholic relief agencies which affects millions of lives in third-world countries, particularly (as been pointed out) in Africa, where catholic agencies are still not allowed to advise women to use condoms - this is simply wicked.

I too have been criticising the pope pretty much for the last 20 years so will be happy to continue to do so. I find it very difficult to maintain respect for a man who last year wrote that letting gay people adopt children was a form of child abuse.

I agree about Ratzinger, shudder.

Have you seen the Cardinal Ratzinger Fan Club - strictly tongue-in-cheek!

but I did say "A" pope!
I would agree 100% with both LGJ and MP...His teachings do not just effect those that accept them.. it also effects the many Lapsed and not so Lapsed cathlics who attend or want to attend the church of their choosing but cannot due to some of the teachings, or have chosen to ignore the unpalatable teachings and attend mass anyway!

"affect" not effect

Morningpaper, did you look at the rest of the site,? not so sure it is tongue in cheek, OMG that is scary.

Please don't shoot me down for saying this. Do any other religions require that their priests are celibate? I have always felt that celibacy is completely unnatural for humans and although I appreciate that it is probably in order to show total commitment to God it seems a shame IMO that priests can't have children (if they want to , of course) and enjoy normal loving human relationships. My cynical self wonders whether, by insisting on celibacy, the church ensured that any land or property owned by the priests would be acquired by the church on their death.

Got it in one Bubble99

My PP is a converted anglican and therefore married with 2 teenagers, IMO it makes him a better priest, he understands family life.

LGJ, I know we're going a bit off topic, but I don't think that having experienced something, such as family life, makes you better qualified as a religious leader to help your parishioners deal with it. I'm CofE/Baptist (every other week at each church - long story!!) and the best vicar I ever knew was single.

It's like saying that they can't sympathise with the position of gay memebers of the congregation unless they are gay. I beleive that some people can empathise with others regardless of their personal situation.

mp, that Cardinal Ratzinger fanclub thing is hilarious! I've printed off the front page with the T-shirts and beermugs to send to my (very Catholic) 90-year old granny, who's been saying since the late 70s that Ratzinger is a dangerous fanatic.

PMSL at the line "sure to provoke comment at RCIA meetings"!

pardon my cynicism but I'll bet there aren't that many virgins in the catholic church (no offence anyone!)

Shall we agree to disagree ??

I could have made that post a lot longer but I was adressing the celibacy issue.

just seen that Cardinal Ratz.... web he looks more like a member of that other Italian club

Point taken lillibet but there is a difference between being single, by choice or circumstance and being celibate because of church insistence.

Bubble couldn't argue with you there. It wasn't obligatory in the catholic church for the first 1000 years.

Lots of religions see celibacy as a 'higher calling' though.

Frogs

Your granny is so right, just praying that at 78, he is considered too old for the job.

Lilibet: Aren't there many things you now know as a mother, that you would never ever have known otherwise?

I do think that parenthood gives you a totally different perpective on life and opens your eyes to understanding God and the world in new ways.

Lots of religions see celibacy as a 'higher calling' though

So did Archbishop Eamon Casey, until he set up home with Annie Murphy and fathered a child.

Oh and then there was Father Michael Clery.

And I am sure there plenty of instances of it all over the world.

Ah we all know better 'cos we're smug parents...

MP

Not arguing with you, just debunking that celibacy nonsense.

LGJ

What other religions see celibacy as a 'higher calling'? (interest and slight ignorance here)