Papa Franciscus

[blazindw]

All over the news now. He announced it earlier this morning to the surprise of the cardinals in attendance. He is stepping down due to advanced age and frail health. Resignation takes effect February 28th.

Crazy to think in my lifetime there have only been two popes...the first was the second longest tenured ever and the second is the first since 1415 to resign.

[Mike Corey]

Am curious to learn more, as a Catholic and out of sheer curiosity as to the cause of this historical anomaly.

[CameronBornAndBred]

That's bizarre, but I love the pope selection process.

[AtlBluRew]

If nominated, I will not run. If elected, I will not serve.

[BD80]

I hear it is about some Swahili courses he took at unc ...

[Blue KevIL]

Pope Benedict always sounded like that was a name of a wide-out for Florida State.

[pamtar]

Pope Benedict always sounded like that was a name of a wide-out for Florida State.

Bwahahah!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gODZzSOelss

[77devil]

That's bizarre, but I love the pope selection process.

Let the white smoke watching begin.

[PSurprise]

Maybe if they can find a Mexican cardinal, the new pope can be the Chihuahua (kinda like the German Shepherd, right?!?)

[missfinch]

I heard he resigned to spend more time with Urban Meyer's family.

[JasonEvans]

If the Church actually goes where its membership is thriving the most, there might finally be a Latin American Pope.

% of Worldwide Catholics, by region
Asia - 11.24%
Africa - 12.57%
N. America - 16.17%
Europe - 26.37%
C/S.America - 30.87%

-Jason "Central/South America is almost 80% Catholic -- no other region comes close" Evans

[PSurprise]

If the Church actually goes where its membership is thriving the most, there might finally be a Latin American Pope.

% of Worldwide Catholics, by region
Asia - 11.24%
Africa - 12.57%
N. America - 16.17%
Europe - 26.37%
C/S.America - 30.87%

-Jason "Central/South America is almost 80% Catholic -- no other region comes close" Evans

That would seem to be a logical thought...And I've seen/read (a while ago though) that many in C/S. America have become non-practicing or have converted. I'm not sure of the accuracy of this statement, and I don't remember the specifics (I think it may have come from CNN months, if not a couple of years ago), but picking a Latin American Pope would help this situation, if in fact, it was/is true.

However, I don't see the European cardinals giving that up in the near future. There's only around two dozen C/S American cardinals (mostly from Brazil) out of more than 200.

I wonder what color smoke UNC jerseys would make if the cardinals burned them?

[alteran]

I wonder what color smoke UNC jerseys would make if the cardinals burned them?

It depends on whether they burn them by fire, or by sprinkling holy water on them.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

So when Coach K gets the Pope job, do we promote Collins, Wojo or Capel, bring back Johnny D, or hire someone from outside like Brad Stevens?

[BD80]

So when Coach K gets the Pope job, do we promote Collins, Wojo or Capel, bring back Johnny D, or hire someone from outside like Brad Stevens?

Johnny D is already the head Cardinal

[tommy]

How long before CNN hires him into the booth as an expert analyst of the black & white smoke ritual?

[theAlaskanBear]

That would seem to be a logical thought...And I've seen/read (a while ago though) that many in C/S. America have become non-practicing or have converted. I'm not sure of the accuracy of this statement, and I don't remember the specifics (I think it may have come from CNN months, if not a couple of years ago), but picking a Latin American Pope would help this situation, if in fact, it was/is true.

However, I don't see the European cardinals giving that up in the near future. There's only around two dozen C/S American cardinals (mostly from Brazil) out of more than 200.

I wonder what color smoke UNC jerseys would make if the cardinals burned them?

A South American Pope is out of the question. For years the Catholic hierarchy has grappled with Latin American clergy for "unorthodoxy", political activism, and Liberation Theology. In fact, one of Benedict's most important jobs prior to becoming Pope was to enforce liturgical orthodoxy in South America.

Here is a solid article about the potential choices, but beware -- it will use up one of ten free NYtimes articles per month.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/wo...ewanted=2&_r=0

[brevity]

How long before CNN hires him into the booth as an expert analyst of the black & white smoke ritual?

This is the aspect of the story that interests me: that we will have 2 living Popes. It will be next to impossible for ex-Pope Benedict to speak privately on anything without the danger of it being publicized and viewed as seemingly contrary to the successor Pope. It's much easier for a Pope's words to be seen as the ultimate authority when all his predecessors are dead.

[JasonEvans]

Th Pope believes he is an instrument of God. The notion that "pressure" would force him to resign over hi9s handling of the pedophile scandal is absurd to me. Look at history, Popes just don't give in to public pressure.

And I agree that this discussion is getting a bit too PPB. Lets keep it civil, people.

-Jason "I think the dude is just old and tired and knows he cannot continue to travel the globe the way a Pontiff should" Evans

[davekay1971]

And to put this thing back in the realm of education and history...

Cut-and-pasted from dailymail.co.uk...

"Pope Gregory XII was the last pope to resign, standing down in 1415.

His resignation ended the Western Schism - a split within the Catholic Church from 1378 to 1417 which saw two rival popes claiming to be in office: one based in Avignon, France; the other in Rome.

The dilemma of papal allegiance arose following the death of Gregory XI, an Avignon Pope, in 1378.

When the College of Cardinals met to vote for a new pope, a Roman mob broke into the voting chamber and forced the election of an Italian pope - Urban VI.
Unhappy with being cornered, some cardinals returned to Avignon where they elected Clement VII as the pope.

This forced followers in Europe to choose loyalty towards either Avignon or Rome.

Until 1409, there were two popes simultaneously, although the Avignon Popes (Clement VII and then Benedict XIII) were seen as antipopes - in other words, those in opposition to the one generally viewed as the legitimate pope.

The Roman popes were Urban VI, Boniface IX, Innocent VII and Gregory XII.

Cardinals allied to Gregory XII and Benedict XIII decided to try and resolve the situation by getting the pope and antipope to meet and make an agreement. However, at the last minute they pulled out and it was decided at a church council in Pisa that they would elect another pope - Alexander V. He died in 1410 shortly after being elected and was succeeded by John XXIII.

To resolve the situation the Council of Constance managed to get Pope Gregory and Antipope John to resign so a new election could take place.

As he refused to step down, Avignon Pope Benedict XIII was excommunicated and his successor, Antipope Clement VIII resigned in 1429 in recognition of the Roman Pope Martin V's legitimacy to the papal throne.

The only others to resign are Marcellinus, who abdicated or was deposed in 304 after complying with the Roman emperor's order to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods; Benedict IX, who sold the papacy to his godfather Gregory VI and resigned in 1045; and Celestine V, who stepped down after five months as pope in 1294."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz2Ke9YAaTw
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