Non habemus papem

[blastula]

And it's none of those. It's an American, Robert Prevost.

Rap name, Pope Leo XIV.

 

[TomC]

How'd that work out for them the first time? During and after the war, I mean?

Which war?
Wasn't "the first time" cozying up to Emperor Constantine?
Tom

I had the Second World War in mind, the one where they sidled up to the Nazi regime and ultimately suffered a catastrophic decline in global trust and influence as a result, not to mention a good bit of gold. Their connection to Constantine the Bull-Necked was, by most measures, a far more sucessful and profitable enterpeise.

Well, the new pontiff is an American.
Sidling up to the Nazis again, it appears.
Tom

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

As the globe is currently suffering from a deluded urge to transition away from the unprecedented peace and prosperity of the last 60 or so years, it becomes a question of where does the Vatican want to stand. With religion evaporating, their significance goes with it. They can make a plea for holding onto peace or they could do the WWII thing and turn a blind eye.

So umm... is this a message to the US? Is it just them naming a Pope? Is it a bad sign?

I have no idea what to make of this.

 

[ideologyhunter]

Several hours of lengthy reporting and commentary in the news of the significance of black smoke.

The inn depth reporting said tomorrow there will be more voting.

Video of mutes of black smoke coming from the roof was very informative.

Drives me crazy to see this on MSNBC -- lengthy reporting of this arrant nonsense, including breathless descriptions of how the cardinals do their electing and -- no fake -- quotations from scripture.
I guess I should just be grateful that the LDS don't have the numbers to make it a matter of life and death when they pick their new President. ...Although it actually is life & death (their method is to pick the most senior Apostle, so there's no suspense, but then again you're going to get the oldest guy you've ever seen. And then, you know, you'll just be abiden' by that decision.)

 

[ideologyhunter]

Pope Pizzaballa, please!

While I would dearly love it to be Pope Pizzaballa -- and imagine the $$$ the Vatican would generate with the franchise alone, I mean, goodbye Chucky Cheese -- there won't be a P.P. for the same reason Fort Wayne doesn't have a Harry Baals Government Center ( and Baals got, by far, the most public support.)

 

[TomC]

Drives me crazy to see this on MSNBC -- lengthy reporting of this arrant nonsense, including breathless descriptions of how the cardinals do their electing and -- no fake -- quotations from scripture.

It may not be a big deal to you, but to a lot of people it is.
And frankly, it'll be over in a couple of days. It's not that newsworthy.
Tom

 

[Thomas II]

White smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney Thursday at 6:07 p.m. local time, signaling that a pontiff had been elected to lead the Catholic Church.

What to know

• Who is Robert Prevost? The former pope, Francis, brought Prevost, 69, to the Vatican in 2023 to serve as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations from around the world, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. As a result, Prevost has a prominence going into the conclave that few other cardinals had.
• What is the order of St. Augustine? Religious orders — which can include priests, nuns, monks and even lay people — dedicate themselves to a particular type of mission and spirituality. A core value of the order Prevost led is to “live together in harmony, being of one mind and one heart on the way to God.” Six popes before Leo XIV were Augustinians.
• How was the new pope chosen? 135 eligible cardinals participated in a secretive voting process known as “the conclave.” The cardinals had no contact with the outside world, and their votes will not be revealed.

 

[steve_bank]

What was interesting was the military aspect of the marching in St Peter;s Square.

Swiss Guard with anachronistic dress and weapons parading around. Marching bands. Security officers marching like militray.

They are full of themselves.

 

[ideologyhunter]

So he's...American....and deeply involved in faith issues for over 3 decades...and we haven't heard from DLH since around the time Francis got sick...I tell you, if this Pope is into dictionaries, I'll think we're onto something...

 

[TomC]

I'm liking him a little better.
According to someone on bluesky,
The new Pope didn't xheet at all in 2024. He did five times this year. Two about the old Popes health. Three to criticize Trump and Vance.
Tom

 

[bilby]

The depth of my disinterest in who becomes the next pope, is matched only by the depth of my disinterest in what he says or does once elected.

 

[Thomas II]

https://time.com/7283887/pope-leo-lgbtq-women-migrants-rights/

 

[TomC]

I just read the article TII posted.
I'm not liking Leo so much.

It's only one article of "late breaking" news, so I don't take it too seriously. But it makes Leo look more like a "placate the base, don't worry about morality so much" sort of leader.

How American is that?
Tom

 

[pood]

Survivors urge Vatican to investigate Cardinal Prevost’s handling of abuse cases.

 

[TomC]

Survivors urge Vatican to investigate Cardinal Prevost’s handling of abuse cases.

Ha ha ha!
That's like asking the Teaparty Congress critters to investigate Trump's hoard of top secret documents or the j6 insurrection?
Yeah right.
Tom

 

[Politesse]

A much better choice than I was expecting them to make. Not someone I knew of previously, but reading his bio he seems like a decent enough guy. There's some deep, subtle historical irony in the idea of the first American Pope being also a liberalish Augustinian.

I do hope no child sex trafficking shit comes to light about the guy, though, goven some of his previous postings.

Also, Leo? We really didn't need yet another Leo...

 

[TomC]

I do hope no child sex trafficking shit comes to light about the guy, though, goven some of his previous postings.

There's already stuff about him protecting child molesters, in Rhode Island IIRC.
It's kinda hard to find a big wig Catholic priest that is not tainted by the pedophile priest scandal.
Oh well.
Tom

 

[bilby]

"Hic venit Papa novo, similis Papa seneci", as The Who would no doubt remark.

 

[steve_bank]

Interesting how Catholics who have no idea who the new pope is are crying over his election.

He is already a wonderful guy.

Goes to show that religion is not going away anytime soon.

Popes have some power to go one way or another, but they still have to deal with Vatican power factions. It is the same old RCC as it has been for 2000 years.

A Vatican spokesperson said if peace comes to Ukraine or Gaza it will be because of Frances. They know how to play politics and create propaganda iages.

Catholic infomercials are appearing on TV.

 

[steve_bank]

I word havliked to have seen Mel Brooks play pope in a spoof of the RCC.