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Alessandro Bianchi / Reuters file
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the cardinal chamberlain, or camerlengo, will officially be in charge of Vatican affairs until a new pope is elected.
With Benedict XVI's abdication taking effect Thursday, the Roman Catholic Church has no pope until the conclave of cardinals settles on a new one. Like many other procedures of the church, the rules for running the institution during this period are ancient and little-known. Here are answers to questions you might have about exactly what happens when the papacy changes hands:
Who's in charge now?
When a monarch leaves, the period before the new king or queen takes over is called an interregnum. In the Roman Catholic Church, it's called a sede vacante (or "empty seat"). The Cardinal Chamberlain, or Camerlengo — currently Vatican Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone — is in charge of running the church, working with three cardinal assistants who are chosen at random and are replaced every three days.
Why did the pope use a helicopter?
Benedict headed off to a temporary retirement home at Castel Gandolfo, the summer papal retreat, while his permanent home on the Vatican grounds is renovated. To get there, he took a helicopter. Pope Paul VI started the tradition in 1975 purely for practical reasons: The ancient Appian Way — the only way to get there by car — is narrow and a traffic nightmare.
Benedict has a pilot's license, and he's been known to fly the chopper himself on visits to Castel Gandolfo. That didn't happen this time.
Who's going with him?
Benedict's private secretary, Archbishop Georg Gänswein, accompanies him to Castel Gandolfo and will continue as head of his household. At the same time, he'll continue to play an important role in the affairs of the new pope, an arrangement that has raised questions about the possible division of his loyalties. (As in all other matters, of course, the new pope could reassign Gänswein for any reason.)
The Catholic Church has been plagued by scandal in recent years, from sexual abuse charges to allegations of financial mismanagement. Now that Pope Benedict has stepped down, he has left serious, unsolved problems for the next Church leader. NBC's Keir Simmons reports.
Watch World News videos on NBCNews.com
Federico Lombardi, the Vatican's spokesman, said the arrangement was likely chosen for the sake of simplicity.
"I believe it was well thought out," he said.
Not staying with Benedict are the famous Swiss Guards. Regular Vatican police now are responsible for his security.
Why isn't Benedict going back to being a cardinal?
There's no modern precedent for what to do with a living ex-pope, so the Vatican has essentially been making new procedures on the fly.
According to the Vatican's Code of Canon Law, "cardinal" isn't actually a job. It's an honor bestowed upon a bishop or archbishop, which remains his formal job. When Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI, he ceased being a cardinal and assumed the duties of bishop of Rome. The new pope takes on that title. Hence the Vatican's decision to bestow upon Benedict the unprecedented honorific of "pope emeritus."
Does he get to keep the robe?
Yes, but not the red shoes or the ornamental fur fringe. Those are reserved for the active pope.
As Benedict XVI's papacy came to a close, focus turned to the cardinals entrusted to elect the next leader of the church. NBC's Anne Thompson reports.
Although it's been widely reported that the red "shoes of the fisherman" are made by Prada, they're not, the Vatican says. They're made by the pope's personal cobbler. ("The Pope, in summary, does not wear Prada, but Christ," it said.) Regardless, they're still quite eye-catching: In 2007, Esquire listed Benedict among the world's best-dressed men — mainly for his red shoes. "The point is: Have a signature," it said.
Benedict also relinquished the gold "ring of the fisherman," which is personally made for every pope. In accordance with tradition, it's to be smashed with a silver hammer by Bertoni, the camerlengo, to keep it from being used to forge documents. Benedict's personal seal will be broken for the same reason.
What happens to @Pontifex?
Benedict was the first wired pope — the first to have an iPod, the first to have a cellphone (it's engraved with his coat of arms, the Vatican says) and the first to have a Twitter account.
This was Benedict's final tweet Thursday (because the account was wiped clean in preparation for its next user, there's no link):
Twitter.com
Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, said the @Pontifex handle will be turned over to the next pope, who may do with it whatever he pleases.
How do they make the black and white smoke?
Short answer: with difficulty.
After each vote of the papal conclave, the cardinals' ballots are burned. If the vote produces a new pope, the ballots are burned alone, which is supposed to produce a white smoke. If the vote's unsuccessful, a chemical compound is added that's supposed to turn the smoke black.
The official Vatican history says that traditionally, wet straw was used to produce black smoke, but that produced too many false alarms during the election of Pope John XXIII in 1958, so in 1963, the Vatican turned to science.
(Covering the gray-smoke mixup in 1958, The Associated Press wrote: "So great was the confusion on that Sunday — there were two false alarms — that conclave marshal Sigismondo Chigi told reporters he would have the cardinals briefed 'in the hope that something can be done to remedy the situation Monday.'" The Vatican says it will also ring bells this time to make it clearer when a new pope is chosen.)
Does the pope have to take a new name?
Not necessarily; it's an ancient tradition, not a law. Until 533, popes used their own names. But that year, a priest named Mercurius of Rome was elected. He was named for the Roman god Mercury, which was obviously inappropriate for the leader of the Christian church, so he took the name John II. (The Catholic Encyclopedia notes that "the basilica of St. Clement still retains several memorials of 'Johannes surnamed Mercurius.'")
Almost every pope since then has adopted a so-called regnal name.
Lou Dubois and Mary Lou Ahern of NBC News contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
It is written that whatever sins are committed before a new pope is chosen are automatically forgiven. Have at it.
Einstein. If what you say is true, all of the little boys had better watch out for the Pedophile Priests. Do they check to see if the person they choose for a Pope is or has been a Pedophile, or is that one of the Requirements? Just asking.
Who here really believes that the Pope, Cardinals or any high ranking Catholic official even believes in God? And if by some remote chance they do, do you think they really believe God is approving of this big money making, power grabing, self serving institution?
You ain't fooling anyone but fools.
Einstein,
I do not know where that is "written", but there is no forgiveness for anyone's sins without repentence.
cigarman,
Benedict was a pedophile? Any proof? Have you checked out the larger abuse by Protestant clergy? I guess they can just do as they please.
The 9th burning question, "Who cares?"
Jebus is magic.
Who was running it when they, the priests, were running rampant having sex with little boys?
I swear, if that dude above,Tarcisio Bertone, doesn't look like a Mississippi Klansmen, I don't know who does, and believe me, where I live, I know what they look like!
"fisherman" red shoes, "fisherman" gold ring - nice term "fisherman" kind of like reality , i.e.- they always fishing for something your money, your vote, your obedience, your virginity, your kids, your life....hey kind like governments hahahahaha...
just kidding so don't crazy- *peace* ... have soda :)
In response to the title of the story my guess would be the child molesters, just a guess.
All of you are missing the most important questions. Now that he's retired, does he get:
-a discount at Denny's;
-the chance to buy insurance promoted by Ed McMahon;
-one of those electric scooters at little or no cost;
-discounts at hotels and on cruise ships (don't take Costa);
-one of those I've-fallen-and-can't-get-up pendants?
And, most of important of all, will he eat supper while watching Wheel of Fortune before he gets ready for bed?
Who cares who's running the church? Those who seek a spiritual relationship with their god, have absolutely no need for a guy who wears funny clothes and threatens them with hell fire if they don't give him money.
Einstein, where in the Bible does it say that you can do anything you want with no pope?
David,
Jesus seems to disagree with you since He installed the first head of the Church.
Where did the Pope threaten anyone with hell fire for money? Proof, please.
I predict Will Ferrell is planning a new movie on it right now. Any chance just to walk around wearing just his underpants around people. "The Pedophile Party Pope".....This pope is too pooped to pope anymore!
NC,
"I do not know where that is "written"
That's because it isn't written anywhere. Einstein just made that up. It's the Gospel according to Einstein, I guess.
I'm gonna mix me a whiskey coke. After reading this article i think i have to.
Question #10: If the former pope was infallible, is he still?
If he is, and his opinions conflict with those of the new "infallible" pope on matters of doctrine, how does the church decide which is the "infallible" opinion?
Or does the papal infallibility only go with the office, and the former pope is now just an ordinary man, with ordinary judgments on doctrine?
In fact, this question extends to every change in doctrine, however slight, over the millennia that there have been popes.
Do the papal changers of doctrine repudiate the "infallibility" of the former popes with every change?
I feel the sand shifting under my feet.
the same people who were running it before his retirement.
Madeline, you ask an excellent question. Those of you that don't care, don't bother to respond. The doctrine of infallibility only applies to the current pope and then only when speaking "ex cathedra" or "from the chair". The concept only applies when the pope invokes his official, final and irrevocable teaching authority as the undisputed head of the Church on earth. It does not apply when the pope merely debates theology with others, it doesn't apply during his sermons when he celebrates Mass. It doesn't apply when he is acting as a head of state or head of government. It doesn't apply when he acts in his capacity of the ordinary Bishop of Rome. Only when he clearly communicates to the entire Church that he is declaring a new doctrine of faith to which all of the faithful are bound. It is an expectation that the members of the Church will accept and abide by these teaching as a matter of faith. There has, to date, been no instance of one pope overruling or vacating these final teachings by an earlier pope. Mostly because the Church believes in the doctrine but also because doing so would invalidate the doctrine for all future popes.
Benedict XVI is truly one of the greatest theologians of modernity-if not all-time. His brilliance will not be fully appreciated for many years. In my opinion, he is the Curtis Martin of the papacy= Underrated. The Church thanks you for your humble service!
Ok.
Who's running the Catholic
ChurchCult?Who gives the southbound end of a northbound rat!
@ Never Stop. You beat me to it. ;-D
gcooper, If you don't care, then why comment? Oh, that's right, you needed to make sure that everyone is aware of the hate you have in your heart.
It's about time one of these Pointy Hatted Apostate Clowns finally had enough sense to Get the _ell Out of The Way and Let The LORD Run his Church. It's a Shame it's only going to be for a few more days before another One takes it Further Down Hill. Have Your Way LORD while they will unwillingly let You.
If the "Lord" doesn't like the church, why doesn't he use some of that galactic power to destroy it?
Come off your inflated soap box my friend. Also look up the definition of apostate, you're using the word wrong.
Alan,
Take that argument up with Jesus. He started it all.
Joe lotsanumbers asks:
That's because every time someone says, "God damn it," he doesn't listen. That's taking the name of thy lord in vain. Come on dude, get with it.
Does he listen every time someone says "God bless America"??
We can't have a conversation with Jesus because he's dead.
NO He Isn't "wolfHump" go suck on a fish head.....
Sorry Queer Beast but Jesus is just a corpse on a stick and he's also gay. Who the fuk would want to worship another man. All his followers were men except for one whore.
Are you gay.....Queer Beast?????
This is like asking who is going to manage Fantasyland.
who cares!
OSU,
You seem to care....
Kinda like Neverland.....LOL!
How will Catholics know how to think and behave without someone telling them what to do?? People are going to be eating meat on Friday! It will be chaos!
Ford,
What you do not like about the Catholic Church is what you THINK that you know...and are incorrect.
Even, worse. People won't know if the major Bingo prize is the afghan or the free car wash at the Shell. There will be rioting in the streets, little old ladies swinging those big, black purses filled with numerous broken rosaries, the prayer books held together with rubber bands, crumped used tissues, and a myriad of half-sticks of Wrigley's gum. The zombie apocalypse will pale by comparison.
Cameron: The meatless friday rule went out decades ago (with some fairly minor exceptions). If you don't know the truth on this one ittly bitty detail, what makes you think you to be an expert on ANYTHING ???
Cameron Ford asked:
NC-lotsanumbers answered:
Cameron, you may have been confused by NC's response, I sure was......at first. But now, I'm pretty sure what he meant was this: What you do not know, is what you do not know and what you think you know is also what you do not know. So, if you think you know, you don't know what you know, and what you know, you don't know, and you might even like the Catholic Church, but you know what? You don't know, and you don't even know what....BUT....Who's on first.
Matilda is also trying to help when she says there are some minor exceptions, but really, they don't count, so you don't know anything. So meatless Fridays, when there's minor exceptions are really meaty Fridays. If you could know anything Cameron, you'd know those itty bitty details, but you don't know what you know. Know what I mean?
When the meatless rule went out many starched shirt catholics got some ruffled feathers and joined cults that were even more strict, which might have involved beating ones self with a spiked cat-o-nine-tails every time one got a hair cut.
What year did jesus tell the church to stop saying mass in Latin? ...jepordy music....
I want to be pope, but if not me I will vote for David Walker he makes sense to me
Is it just me or did that chopper look like the one used in the Da Vinci Code? Who's watching the anti-matter?
He was just doing what Arnold Schwarzenegger told him:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvCZQifVM28
One of the inner circle I am sure. Qualifications only require that you protect the church regardless of the impact on small children, women and anyone not catholic.
JAGER,
How do you know this? Are you just lying to appear to be cute? It is still a lie.
NC I hear that Jesus sounds like a carny from long island, is that true?
Satan, as usual.
Joe,
How would YOU know?
"Burning", I tell ya... WHO CARES! Enough of this story!!
Nobody forced you to read it or comment, right????
I love reading these "words of wisdom" ...just when you think that you've read the most idiotic post, another one mysteriously appears, again and again.
Fukkin hilarious, ain't it.
Yes. Satan. As usual.
Christians just don't get it.
Catholicism is such a corrupt industry. Maybe this was the best Pope and was just always kept from doing the right thing, so he had enough. Organized religion, UGH!
Toosano,
Or, your ignorance is so large that you have no clue.
NC, exactly what route does your cash take once in the collection plate?
@ vicky, not that you will believe it, At our church, which is Catholic, every week in the bulletin is printed the previous weeks offerings total, complete disbursement, all the way down to paying the bills. There are many contributions to charities, lots of them local, some not. If you would venture into a Catholic church I'm sure you would see a different side than what is portrayed by the media and raving wild opinions and lies on this news feed.
Once I put my Sunday offering into the collection plate every week, I sure as hell know and have greater confidence in where those monies go (and are appropriately used for) compared to my local, state or federal taxes.
Amazing all the haters on the forum again, equating the Roman Catholic Church to be some Wall Street company...the hierarchy among the Church (local parish, cathedral in the diocese, basilica in the archdiocese, St. Peter's Basilica) is NO different that a township board, the county, the state and then the federal level.
Wow...talk about NAIVE. The Vatican is the richest, most powerful CORPORATION on the planet. THe LDS Church is running in 2nd place. Keep those blinders on and minds closed. It's people like YOU that let them get away with what they do.
No, mega-corporations who rape American consumers and enslave Chinese are the corporations you mean. Keep your blinders on, buddy.
gemini618 - True! Both the Vatican and the LDS Church have a LOT of money. Both churches also support a lot of charitible work. MANY of those who benefit from these charities are neither Catholic, nor mormon. Many are not Christian. Some are Atheists.
"Burning Questions"? We are talking about a pathetic religion with no grasp of reality. Who the hell cares? Nobody was running the church when he was pope.
Who's running the church? The same behind the scenes, conservative, right wing, Italian bureaucracy that has been running it for centuries.
I really do not understand the whole Pope thing, or religion thing... So weird.
Tax the churches. Good night all.
At his age ....Do you really think the Pope "runs" the church ? He is a figurehead you dopes .....He runs to the restroom quite a bit ....but that's all
We know who is in charged, your typical "White Male, Racist, Child-Molesting, Perverted Catholic"...
and now the sad part is that they are actually thinking about electing a Black man as the next pope, just to say "See, Black people are perverts too"...
We know who is in charged, your typical "White Male, Racist, Child-Molesting, Perverted Catholic"...
White male racist child molesting perverted devil worshipping Roman Catholic.
Those are mutually exclusive terms.
Why do you hate whites, males and Catholics? How is it racist? Check out the numbers of Protestant sexual abuse cases.
Uh oh.....
PBShort - it must suck to be you. So much hate and ignorance in one pathetic little bag of doo doo.
Everybody needs to believe in something, but really, do all those "practicing" catholics believe that this antiquated group of charlatans deserve all that "donated" wealth that is bestowed upon this group of aging con men and pedophiles. The lambs can't see the difference in worshipping the faith vs. worshipping those who profess to administer the faith.
We do not worship people. You do?
OK right NC you don't worship people but want to fight anyone who speaks badly about the Pope. I would bet my farm you would kiss his foot or other body parts in public if he gave you the chance. Just how did a religion that is all about caring for the least of us manage to buy so many billions of dollars (Euros) worth of land, art, property etc. if the money they take in the offering plate was supposed to be used for christs work?
I worship Pussies. Does that count as people...???
I just have to say, those ppl are just like straight tycoon gangsters:
1. They sport some serious bling
2. Have their own choppers, jets, rides (probably some 24" on them), three plus houses (Over $10 millions each I bet), etc...
3. AND not work one day in their lives
That's the life....
Sam,
Sounds like Democrat/liberal paradise, eh?
How do you post from a welfare line?
NC,
Why do all you conservative, rightwing christianists (including catholics like you) always try to make calling those who disagree with your religion poor as an insult? Let's just say, for the sake of argument, that Sam is on welfare. So what? He's poor. Didn't your fictional Jesus always show the utmost respect and preference for poor people while telling rich people that unless they fork their loot over they're going to your hell? Did your mythical Jesus insult people by calling them poor? No one wants the "paradise" of Republicans/conservatives that you obviously espouse. If you think your Jesus does, then please explain what Jesus you made up to appease through your magical rituals as opposed to the one described in the bible.
So let me ask you: how do you post from your plush, corporate office where you sit and make decisions to impoverish people so you can have even more money?
Sadly, the Democrat party used to be favored by Catholics until the 1970s.
THen came the pro-abortion platform, and the spiral downward of spending irresponsibly, and advocating not only for hte poor (which is noble), but society's people who conduct themselves with the least common denominator. Love the sinner, but hate the sin. Liberal-backing people today know that the sinners want love and the love of their sins (so they don't need to amend their ways, and just wallow in their filth and amoral behaviors/actions).
Sounds more like Hollywood and their self-proclaimed smut gods who live like kings with their millions and never even pretend to care about anyone but themselves. Me first! Me first! Watch my smut on TV! I'm a star! I'm a star!
OOOOooooo'
NC's true colors are shinning through! How nasty you are being. You are a true right wing nut job who hates his fellow man and is envious over the picture Fox News paints of Americans in need of aid.
So is it the registered Democrats or registered Republicans on aid that you hate more?
Poor NC, you've been punked by organized religion and too proud to admit it. You have covered just about all of the 7 evil sins...Ha-ha!
I have a more important question......WHO IS RUNNING WASHINGTON DC ?
PValdes,
Satan. As usual.
Satan, with thousands of nuclear weapons!
Its the Sodmom and Gomorrah Show.
Or the fall of the Roman Empire show .....We need some arenas. We could have our legislature fight to the death.....Forget term limits
His eminence Cardinal Obama? He seems to want to run everything else. And I did see on the Time Magazine cover where he had a halo, so he's easily as qualified as he is to be President..
Have you ever considered doing your routine at a comedy club; you are one funny guy!
Who was ever running the Catholic Church when THERE WAS a pope? Surely not God!
Steve,
Yep, God. People tend to get in the way, though.
Don't like that answer? Take it up with Jesus, He started the whole thing.
NC... Jesus didn't start the whole thing. The Catholic Church didn't begin for years after the crucifixion. And as far as crucifixion goes, the Romans crucified people by the thousands. At the time Jesus was crucified there was nothing special about crucifixions. The Appian Way was lined with the crucified as a reminder that Romans ran Rome, and running it with brutality was part of their political philosophy. Jesus on the cross can be considered a logo for Christians, just as the symbol of the fish was used to denote Christian meeting place. The accounts of the crucifixion are varied, even in the Bible, and no one knows the stories which weren't included in the Bible as modern people know it. Language changes with time, and translations vary. It's faith, not fact that can be backed up with news accounts of the day. A great amount of Jesus's life ( time line ) is not known of, at best speculated about by scholars, and Jesus's sayings are never taken in total context, but as metaphors, allegory, and politically expedient quotes.
Thank you for pointing that out. At least now we know who to blame for another religious sham.
Sorry, bitches, but CHrist directed Peter to build a CHURCH (not to "right a book"). THus, the Catholic Church was born. It's the only Church that truly has its roots to the Apostles (therefore being "apostolic.").
Steve, that's why a dead language (Latin) has forever been utilized by the Church. A dead language has words that have a finite meaning. Unlike a living language, such as English, which has an ever-growing lexicon and slang meanings and new words, et al.
It's clear you don't accept Jesus Christ as both man and God. Therefore, His crucifixion (of course) means nothing to you.
Christ's "time line" is indeed non-public for at least 30 years. Also documented in the Bible, but as well as in the histories writtern by Romano-Hebrew historian Josephus. Fact. Still, your point?
As much as cafeteria/convenience "Christians" (Protestants) hate to admit, the Catholic CHurch's doctors/scholars have discussed and investigated articles of faith for so long and for so many centuries, that they readily like to throw out whatever is convenient to legitimize yet another sect being created and "diluting" Truth to the world.
Even mocking the idea that Christ's sayings are metaphors, allegory, et al. is the very reason there is a need for the Church -- that's why Christ told Peter that he would be the rock upon which to build His Church. Having intellectuals and spiritual investigators over the centuries in the Catholic Church ensure that Christ's teaching remain uncorrupted through the millenia, rather than changing week to week (or from TV evangelist to the next, or among every Protestant church minister or attendee).
That has to be the most hilarious and "creative" thing I've read in ages. My sides hurt from laughing. Keep swilling the magical Jebus Juice and living in your mythical fantasyland and the rest of us will carry on with REALITY.
Gimmeabreak... Jesus's native tongue was not Latin. As far as can be speculated by scholars concerning the languages of Palestine, the land of Jesus's origin, and of the stories, of antiquity, Greek was a language to be translated into, and from Greek into Latin. It's highly unlikely that as Jesus traveled from place to place he spoke in Latin, for if he did the people to whom he spoke, would not have understood his tongue. There is speculation that during his travels, in the "blank of time", he traveled as far as India, who's tongue would be the basis for IndoEuropean languages we know today, but not language the "common folk" communicated in. To understand this concept of different sounds meaning the same thing, " gravy " to a person in the American Midwest, means the same as "sauce" to some in Philadelphia. When you then translate "sauce" into a totally different language, such as Greek, you might get it translated into "olive oil", something you might not expect on your breakfast of "biscuits and gravy". Christ's teachings have been corrupted through the millennia, for otherwise there would be no opulent displays of wealth in the Church.
Sorry Gimme, but the Eastern Orthodox church is apostolic, too.
In fact, the Orthodox and "Catholic" churches were one and the same until they separated along political lines and spheres of influence, with the church in Rome taking authority in the "West", and the church in Constantinople taking authority in the "East."
The church in Rome has the "Bishop of Rome" aka the Pope, based on Jesus being supposed to have said "upon this Rock (Petras/Peter in Greek) I will build my church", whereas in the East the leadership of the Orthodox church is made of of a conference of bishops, with no Pope.
In both cases, much thought was given to what Jesus both said, and to what he "meant" by whatever he said. Some of the early Gospels were omited from the final "Official" version of the Bible because those gospels were at variance with the values of the men of the time. All that thought, and discussion and deletions of events has been consolidated into dogma, but that dogma is just the opinions of limited human mentality, and subject to amendment.
Some Bible scholars assert that the "rock" was not Peter himself, but the faith that Peter evinced, but for political purposes, Peter and his having established himself in Rome and his having been martyred there has been deemed sufficient rational for the Catholic church to be managed from Rome.
If one looks at religion from an historical perspective it is difficult if not impossible to separate the establishment of churches from the political forces at work at the time, and in fact the Catholic and Orthodox churches eventually became inseparable from the political structures of their time.
Sorta like the Imam's of certain Islamic countries, and just as dangerous.
Trust God the real boss!
We do! He will choose the new boss in a few days.
not the boss of me
The new boss of Fantasyland. The Pope is about as significant as a wart on my ass.
How did they come up with this ceremony and costume? This display is like something out of the Prussian court. Gold. Ermin. Velvet. Prada. Is G*D impressed by this? I hope not, cus I sure can't offer HIM anything like this.
Over a lot of time...almost 2000 years.
Sounds like you're describing the smut gods of Hollywood and all their billions.
At least Hollywood pays taxes
Agreed, Santhosha. It's like some sort of sick cult.
Weren't those red shoes the same ones used in the Wizard of Oz? Maybe it was the Pope behind the curtain and not the great Oz? And were the munchkins actually young boys? I guess he just clicked his heels and went back to Kansas in a helicopter!
Fla,
He would sure not go to Florida....
@ NC, I totally agree with you, let these people pop a vein or something. I'm moving on to something else, this newsvine is full of attacking trolls and even if they like the article, they will still make attacks and tell lies about it.
Tell me... how can you tell a lie about a lie ?
Actually, the Church is really run by Tom Hanks (a/k/a Professor Robert Langdon). All of that ceremony stuff is just cover.
Why can't you practice a religion without someone telling you how to do it? When did it turn from a relationship with God to a corporation-like setting? Cut out the middle-man already! Who cares if there isn't a pope...your relationship with God won't change.
I have the same issue with DC.
cupid,
It never changed. The Church is just doing what Jesus said to do...as are 1.3 billion Catholics.
So Jesus said people need to donate their money to the people running churches, and that you can't have a proper faith without a pope and thousands of cardinals and priests telling you what to think? I'm not a supporter of the religion, but more of his pure teachings. I doubt he would have wanted it escalated to such a massive spectacle that it is today. But, just my opinion. Never met the guy ;-)
Move away from organized religion. You do not need a church to love a higher being.
What have the popes done for this church thus far?...... alienate the Christ from its parishoners as it ellivates his mother.
Martin Luther, the founder of Protestantism, had a deep devotion to the Blessed Mother and wrote his doctorate on her. We Catholics do not worship her, we ask her to pray with us. We as Catholics believe that both Protestants and Catholics are part of the body of Christ. Protestants are also heirs to the kingdom. When I see comments like you made, I wonder if Prostestants are taught the same. Your right, Jesus is watching. His word says:
12For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
14For the body is not one member, but many. 15If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20But now there are many members, but one body. 21And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, 24whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.
God bless you, my brother. I pray the peace of Christ which surpasses all things will be with you.
watching,
Hmm. It is still the largest religion in the world. How can that be if what you say is true?
NC would you please post a list of all the catholics. I think your numbers are wrong.
Uh Duh uh NC.... The largest religion of the world is Islam. You really need to see other people!
And I'm not sure if you are counting ALL Christians or just you, a typical Catholic elitist.
You think way too much of yourself and your religion. That makes you a nothing in the eyes of God.