So, the Pope is sick, probably with Wuhan. He is old. He is missing one lung. He will quite possibly die.

So, if the Commie Pope dies, does Benedict resume the role of Pope or do we get a new Pope? I'm guessing that having a bunch of old cardinals locked in a room together will lead to a Wupocalypse of the Church hierarchy. Perhaps Benedict is the best answer.

POPE BLOW Pope Francis, 83, cancels SECOND day of engagements after being taken ill as corona virus sweeps Italy
Felix Allen - The Sun
28 Feb 2020, 11:14Updated: 28 Feb 2020, 13:03
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/...nts-ill-coronavirus/

POPE Francis cancelled events for the second day in a row today after falling ill.

The Vatican said the 83-year-old pontiff had decided not to go ahead with official audiences after he skipped a church service yesterday.

Pope Francis leads a mass at the Vatican yesterday after pulling out of engagements through illness

The day before Pope Francis blew his nose during an Ash Wednesday mass

The Pope covered his mouth as he coughed

Francis appeared to be struggling during the service at St Peter's Basilica on Wednesday

It comes as Italy is reeling from a worsening corona virus outbreak which has so infected more than 500 people and caused 17 deaths.

The Vatican declined to say whether the Pope will be tested for the virus.

A spokesman said he celebrated Mass as usual this morning and will go ahead with some private meetings.

Yesterday he was too unwell to travel to a mass on the other side of Rome and stayed in the Santa Marta guesthouse where he lives in the Vatican.

His spokesman said he had a "light indisposition".

Concerns for his health had been raised the day before after he was seen coughing and blowing his nose during an Ash Wednesday service in St Peter's Basilica.

Earlier on Wednesday - the first day of Lent - Francis appeared in good spirits as he greeted a large crowd at a general audience in St Peter's Square.

Many of the faithful wore face masks, but others did not as they kissed the the Holy Father and shook his hand.

On Sunday Francis mingled with 40,000 faithful in Bari, hugging and kissing people in the crowds after expressing his support for those infected by corona virus and health workers treating them.

The Argentine Pope has generally enjoyed good health.

But he lost part of one lung after suffering TB as a young man in Buenos Aires, and suffers from sciatica, which makes walking difficult.

The Vatican released this picture of the Pope meeting climate activists after he pulled out of a church service yesterday

Pope Francis appeared in good spirits as he greeted the faithful in St Peter's Square on Wednesday

Francis is kissed by a worshipper on Ash Wednesday

Some of the crowd wore face masks amid a coronavirus outbreak across Italy

quote:

So, if the Commie Pope dies, does Benedict resume the role of Pope or do we get a new Pope?

New

The Vatican released this picture of the Pope meeting climate activists after he pulled out of a church service yesterday. Credit: EPA

Just think of the good he could do for the world if he took out a bunch of "climate activists"!

Well it would be nice if he did some good.

Regardless of his health, large public gatherings are ill advised right now.

Looks quite possible that the corona virus could do us some good with the Iranian hierarchy too.

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
So, the Pope is sick, probably with Wuhan. He is old. He is missing one lung. He will quite possibly die.

Oh, FFS

He could just be SICK, like with a cold or the regular old flu like millions of other people right now around the planet.

Can we stop with the hype already?

83? I didn't think he was that old. I guessed early seventies.

Wait, the High Sparrow is still alive?

I could have sworn that I saw a documentary a few years ago detailing how he was taken out with the rest of the Sparrows by a mass Wildfire eruption beneath the Great Sept...



(The funniest part is that this actor, Jonathan Pryce, actually played Pope Francis in the film "The Two Popes".)

Honestly my first thought when the news broke of him being sick was that I bet many Catholics are secretly hoping it leads to him being replaced, after which they went to confession, which then made me chuckle.

"Wupocalypse"

BAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

quote:

Many of the faithful wore face masks, but others did not as they kissed the the Holy Father and shook his hand.

On Sunday Francis mingled with 40,000 faithful in Bari, hugging and kissing people in the crowds after expressing his support for those infected by corona virus and health workers treating them.

Going to be interesting, if some of them were infected (or if he was) and they then all need to be quarantined.

new

...and my guess is that the next pope will be from African continent or Asia.

Cardinal Robert Sarah is pretty well known secularly, yet despite that, he may be amongst those chosen in the council of bishops.

I hope so anyway.

From everything I know of the man he is verifiably solid.

quote:

Originally posted by CQB60:
Those cardinals go in there & play whack-a-mole, burn a nuns habit & viola = New Pope

You're an idoit.

Pope-in-waiting

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
So, the Pope is sick, probably with Wuhan. He is old. He is missing one lung. He will quite possibly die.

Oh, FFS

He could just be SICK, like with a cold or the regular old flu like millions of other people right now around the planet.

Can we stop with the hype already?

Is it hype. there are cases spreading in Italy. Regardless..at his age a regular flu could kill him

Not a Catholic, but I'm pretty sure there's no mechanism to make "old retired guy" the Pope without going through the usual conclave theatrics. Benedict was the first pope to step down in centuries, so having a living former pope upon the death of the current one is pretty much unprecedented.

^^^ Yes, technically the conclave can choose any male who has been baptized and is over the age of 12. He doesn't have to be a Bishop or even a priest.
Yet, for all practical purposes, they always choose amongst themselves. Old, retired guy, former Pope Benedict is no longer a part of that club.

You can bet that the behind the scenes lobbying efforts have already begun as the "leading Cardinals" attempt to line up support. This thread would apply:
Cardinals Fear Debates Will Devolve Into Horror Show

The next Conclave will be different from the last. How different? Depends on whether we're talking this year, five down the line, etc.

Why?

Because Father Jorge Bergoglio's contemporaries are aging out of voting. "Cardinal Electors" must be under 80 on the day the papacy becomes vacant.

The younger cardinals largely came into the priesthood during John Paul II's papacy. His philosophy colored their view of Church doctrine and governance.

JPII was not a "liberation theology" activist.
JPII was not a Socialist.
JPII was not a moral relativist.

You saw the revolution in the last seven years. Now, watch and wait for the counter-revolution.

quote:

You saw the revolution in the last seven years. Now, watch and wait for the counter-revolution.

Exactly. I'm looking forward to it.
I had the good fortune of seeing JPII several times including in St. Louis, San Francisco, and twice in Rome. He was simply awesome.

I would also add that, if you see an increase in the participation of African bishops, I believe their brand of Catholicism is significantly more conservative. Perhaps they come with leftist political leanings, but Africa and Asia seem to be far less squishy with their articles of faith than legacy white Europeans.