Orengo said he would inform Church authorities about the incident, adding that Maggi was going through a "fragile" time from a psychological point of view.

What? His alter boy cut him off?

Never Stop Asking Questions

Finally, the Catholic Curch is imploding.

This is long overdue.

Really and why? Does it affect you if someone believes in something you (and I for that matter) choose not to?

Maybe if the press concentrated for a change on some of the better aspects of what the Church has accomplished some people might be amazed.

E.G.:

I am willing to bet very few realize there have already been 3 non-white Popes at a minimum. Just do a simple search and you'll find the details dating back to centuries and centuries before the rest of civilization accepted non-whites when 3 from Northern Africa were installed as Popes.

Or do a little search on how much solar power the Vatican uses to generate power and how they're actually carbon-neutral. Quite a bit different from all the other "leaders" who talk a big game and do squat.

Heya, thisa pope-a no gooda, may he burna inna Hella.

Thanks, will likely be needing a new/dryer keyboard now..

He spoke the truth, and as with all religions, it wasn't received very well.

Good on you priest Maggi, no need to sugar coat the truth.

Guido Sarducci rides again!

What's the big deal? So the old guy wants to resign and go live a nice, quiet, peaceful life away from the spotlight! Why is everyone up in arms about it? He's old and, just like anyone else well past retirement age, no matter what their profession is, he has the right to do what he wants to do with how ever much time he has left! This priest is ridiculous! Would he dare tell one of his 'flock' that they can't retire when they want to? No, of course not... Silly fool!

This proves the church is progressive and not out of touch. They want to raise the retirement age to 90.

The priest burning the photo of the Pope has some serious issues. The ship captain was obligated, both morally and legally, to be sure of the safety of each and every passenger to the last one. The Pope had no such obligation and, in fact, the church has an orderly procedure in place to provide should the Pope choose to resign! There are also valid reasons that the Pope chose to resign. The church is undergoing some major attacks that he may have felt unable to deal with or chose not to deal with. I give him credit for recognizing that.

Here is the thing about it though: The pope is supposed to rule for life, and that means life, he is in the eyes of the church the mortal representative of God, and when you're in such a holy position you cant just "quit"

As the "mortal representative of God"...........(which I was taught ad nauseum in Catholic shool and therefore agree with your comment)

God's representative has now resigned.............so where is God now? Vacationing in the Caribbean??

Wait a sec, here! You're telling me the poor guy is suppose to serve for life!?? Oh, give me a break! Why doesn't the church just put a ball and chain on him and make sure he's locked in his 'cell' (cell, get it, cell, as in prison)!

I say GOOD for him for doing it 'his way' and telling the hierarchy to kiss his butt! The CC has been behind the times since it's inception, it had worked tirelessly to keep woman barefoot and pregnant and under their man's 'thumb', so it's great to see the 'big man' himself stand up and tell them HE'S breaking the rules! Too bad the rest of them don't get their a$$es out of the dark ages and step into the 21st century! "Mortal representative of God".. Yeah, right....... Sorry, but I consider my dog a better 'representative of God' then any human being on this planet!

Susie.....

I think popes generally srve for life because 1) it takes so many years of devotion and dedication to even be considered for poipe, and 2) it shows commitment to their faith, that they supposedly live by.

It just proves, like most cathlics, the religion is flexible, not really fro true believers.

cheetah, loved that guy. Those were the days! Have a great one.

mmediaaudio, same here, thinking about getting one of those custom plastic film keyboard cover thingy bobbers to defend against spit events caused by stonepipe2 and others, though I tend to just spray on my monitor, so I have one spray bottle of monitor screen cleaner, and TWO cloths on hand, Bestust Regardust Bill (yep fancy Latin sheet)

Unless you think the church is actively sinking, the analogy would be better to say it's like if the Capt of Concordia had abandoned the ship before it left port, which I think most of us agree would have been a good thing (assuming his replacement didn't also think going far to close to an island was a good idea).

With the caveat that I'm a believer, but not a Catholic, let me make sure I understand this: God can tell a bunch of Cardinals who to pick, even though they vote multiple times so at least the early rounds several Cardinals felt God was telling them to pick someone else. God can tell the chosen person that they should be pope. God can tell the Pope what should be done about the faith and the direction of the faith on newer issues (e.g. birth control and things that didn't exist when the Bible was written), but God CANNOT tell this person it's time for him to resign? The Catholic church and faith in general has a lot of issues right now. Being led by a person with Alzheimer's or some other mental capacity destroying illness would not go over over as well as it did historically and would probably lead to more people abandoning their faith. I believe Benedict found out he has something seriously wrong and realized he should get out while he still can to preserve the legitimacy of the position.

Never Stop Asking Questions

Finally, the Catholic Curch is imploding.

This is long overdue.

Really? Is that why 17,000 people a day visit the Vatican?

http://goitaly.about.com/b/2006/03/30/vatican-city-draws-record-number-of-travelers.htm

Really? Is that why 17,000 people a day visit the Vatican?

Oh, come on!

Do you honestly not realize how many non catholics visit the vatican? Do you think only lions and tigers and bears visit the zoo to see relatives?

The vatican is the most ostentacious glorification of organized religious power ever concentrated in one place. It's a museum, not a church. People PAY to visit it.

Justmy$0.02 - I agree it would be horrible for an orgnaization as large as the RC Church be led by some one with ALzheimers, just as it was frgihtening when the US had a President who probably had early Alzheiners symtons (and not long after leaving office admitted to having the condition) ROnald Regan. The main difference is that we as a nation had ways to remove him from office (luckily we didn't have to) but the RC Church does not have that mechanism.

All that being said - did the Pope resign due to alzheimers or is it something else. Personally I think it is something else and not a health issue. Sure would like to read the secret report.

Blessa youra hearts, I missa youa commenta yestadayo media anda thanks 196a. Cheetah, ifa I hada sona he would bea justa like youa. Now I willa bestowa mya blessings ona youalla. May a bigga breasta virgino (but worldlya) smasha youra facea into hera ample boozuma untilla youa feel the needa to calla 9a1a1a. Peacea.

I see the losers are out in full force.

Think it might have been time to step down before he got caught?

That's b/c he's Catholic

Sinead O'conner?

jOE..........A Catholic IS a Christian

Optomyst- a little trivia: The various mainstream-evangelical protestants do not believe that catholics are christians. Nor do they believe that the term christian applies to mormons, jehovah witnesses, christian scientists, seventh-day adventists and several others defined as christian from the 'textbook' point of view.

Well done joe-2226414. You just showed hundreds of people just how stupid you are. Catholics are Christians.

Did you maybe mean "excrement" instead of excitement?

From pedophilia to pyromania, never a dull moment.

Reminds me of some lyrics from Def Leppard.

"Rise up! Gather round
Rock this place to the ground
Burn it up, let's go for broke
Watch the night Pope go up in smoke
Rock on! Rock on!
Drive me crazier, no serenade
No fire brigade, just Pyromania (c'mon)"

I added Pope.

The Catholick Crutch has long outlived its usefulness. If you need religion these days, then you get what you deserve. Each religion hates the next. No 2 ways about it. The exist merely to piss each other off. They are all based on lies and fear mongering. None of the holy figures ever existed, except in someone's wild imagination. Jesus, Muhammad, etc never walked on this planet. IF so, where are the "sacred" artifacts? Like the cross of jesus? Like the nails? Crown of thorns?

I grew up in a religious household. Went to a private christian school until 6th grade. Its all bullshot. Nothing is real. They brainwash to bow to false man-made idols. They tell you who you should be friends with, date, marry etc. They tell you how to act, how to live how often to @!$%#, how many kids to pop out like a Pez dispenser. Time to think for yourselves.

Become a Humanist. Why? We are GOOD without god!

Before you crazies lambast me for Pope reference, remember you Catholicks burned people at the stake hundreds of years ago for not beLIEving in your lies! Anyone remember the Crusades? Catholicks? Bueller? Anyone? Bueller? Frye..

No.... the truth is that he has and has had a gay lover for a long time and is/was about to be "outted"...that's why he resigned. Search "pope rumored to be gay" and see.

Please tell me its not Dennis Rodman.

Pope must have spoken to Sarah Palin, to test the waters. Don't sha know that she was told by a higher power to leave office, for bigger and better things.

And its childish for the pope to ignore sexual abuse cases for decades no?

Guess thats ok

"...And American Catholics would have defended him."

I have never heard a single Catholic defend the actions of any of the sodomite priests.

Not this American Catholic!

We simply contradict one another. Your lack of experience doesn't mean it doesn't happen. It does.

I spend a lot of time on Catholic sites witnessing the grotesque and brain-washed defenses of their pedophiles. Anything from the gay kids consented to it's worse in the secular world than in the Church. And the list of other defenses they dream up are too sickening to mention.

Like I said, had this priest raped a child, he'd probably go unpunished like all the rest of them. But burn a picture, and you can bet the papal nuncio will be over to his palace with a whip, toot sweet.

"...I spend a lot of time on Catholic sites witnessing the grotesque and brain-washed defenses of their pedophiles..."

Seems to me that you have a serious OCD.

Since you admit that you are not Catholic, you have no business making any comments regarding this issue. You are a person with their nose in the wrong place!

@ spike. Why are there a lot of priests being moved about this nation with the Catholick Crutch knowing about. IF you alleged Catholicks are really sick of the actions your beloved priests under take, then leave the Crutch. How can you sit there and pray knowing sex acts have most likely taken place in the house of worship!

You Catholicks really enjoy your crutch. You are hypocrites. Leave the fn Catholick Crutch if what has and is happening to kids today truly disgusts you, otherwise STFU!

Sarah,

You are so wrong because the autonomous attitude of religions all need to go. If all people were required to know the true history of the Holy Roman Empire and the dark history of the Popes and the Catholic Church, I would suggest that all Catholics need to re-evaluate their faith.

Thanks to the holy Romans we cannot have an accurate picture of the life and works of Christ because the history was written to suit the Roman's needs. When they were murdering the Cathars, Pagans and Jews and Arabs where was the pious nature we are told that represents the Popes? Oh, that brings up another subject, the names the popes claim for themselves, Pope Pious, really since he made his deals with Hitler to gather the Jews in one place for easy collection.

Popes Gregory, Bonaface, and Innocence, covered themselves in the blood of tens of thousands of innocent people screaming in agony, begging for a quick death. Unfortunately, the church believed that only pain could purge the soul, to the delight of the witnesses. I believe this blood lust comes directly from the thousand years of the Coliseum and watching people tortured for entertainment. Sort of a class of sadist turned religion.

The Books of Divine commedy, and Dante's Inferno is not Imagination at work. It is a detailed chronology of the Roman church.

The one redeeming factor of Benedict, is that he apologised for the history of the church. The problem is that the sheep do not want to know the true history and the general population think it is unimportant, but it is. The only insurance we have in keeping the terrible things of the past from happening again is to know history.

Lazarus

SarahTonin, anyone can make comments on a news website. Go to a pay Catholic site if you want to exclude anyone from commenting. I'm not an athlete, but I can read and comment on sports stories. I'm not a scientist, but I can read and comment on stories regarding science and technology. I'm not a lawyer or a criminal, but I can comment on stories dealing with crime. So can you. So can anyone here.

420 with the mind freeze,

You demonstrate your complete inability to understand the written word, especially mine.

I am not a Catholic, have ever been, and did not even hint that I was. In fact, I am what most would call a free-thinker.

It is easy to spot zealots, both religious and anti-religious. You, are the latter. You are also adolescent---your spelling of Catholic. Clever? No. Laughable? Yes.

and yet for some reason you smack of being a fundy... (comment by a devout atheist)

Then it goes without stating that the true sceptic neither affirms or denies the existence of god/gods.

Whats the matter Atheist-6939529 affraid no kids will be left for you and you pedophile buddies?

And the Giant Flying Spaghetti Monster waved his magic noodling appendage.......

Isn't it funny when Christians scoff at Scientologists or ancient mythology? What exactly is the difference? Your religion makes more sense how?

Eric your such a loser.

That's stupid. Maybe he is upset that the Pope resigned, as it has always been a job to death. You can't step down as the direct messenger from God! I'm an Athiest, but ship - if someone is billed as 'infallible' and the 'direct messenger of God', do you think they can ride off into the sun?

Where did you see Jesus, a piece of toast or what?

Sarah..............I was a Catholic so my nose was where yours might still be.........up a bad place.......and people like you made me think anything else was better than what you stand for................I feel for you and what must be a simplistic lonely life believing what that church once stood for and now is into money, power and cover ups of their sexual transgressions

gee sarah - yet another worthless believer heard from...

Oooohhh.... SarahTonin...... Do you believe in images in toast? If not, you can't post that... (your rules)

If half the congregation walked out, I'm thinking this means about 5 people? Not including the organist.

Atheist,

"If half the congregation walked out, I'm thinking this means about 5 people?"

I've read that in Europe only about 2% of the population attends church services, so your estimate is probably correct if not an exaggeration. Anyway, flames are not an ordinary part of the Catholic Mass. They are more suited to the Zoroastrian religion. Fire worshippers.

Athiest and Mickey express a general misconception about european catholics attending mass. I have homes in three European countries, and the churches in each of them are full during sunday mass, and during all other holy days. american tourists who report on empty churches they visit while on vacation, visit these historical, architectural, cultural buildings during "non-business hours", and say that they are empty -- as they often are during masses in america. of course they are empty duting tourist hours. but the suggestion is often made that they are always so. this is simply, and factually, not the case. i have no interest in arguing with anyone here, but it is not easy to read arguments that are just made up to fit the agendas of people espousing them.

Singletermlimitsforeveryone,

Oh, ok. Church attendance in Europe is just fine then. Down really is Up in the minds of the faithful. The only agenda I have is to destroy bad ideas, because that is why they exist: to be destroyed.

Well, Athiest, I suppose your experience in european masses is much more recent, and more hands-on than mine, so, you know better than I about attendance. i am just imagining the complaints about the services being SRO from my many american guests who attend church in europe during their visits. we are all just imagining the packed rooms that we see every sunday. i have to defer to your contrary view, because, after all, you sincerely believe otherwise. why would you need to see it for yourself, when you have such faith in your belief about empty monuments to our collective stupidity in the middle ages across the ocean. right? oh, and we are all so grateful for your sharing of your superior wisdom with us -- without any of us even being required to ask you for it!. we would be so lost without your intervention. thanks!

BTW, A-- ----, as I said, I am not trying to argue religion with you, I am just correcting a factual misconception that you like to cling to as you promote your agenda -- about the ghost town circumstances of catholic churches in europe on normal sunday mornings. After all, it is you who claims to be so singularly interested in facts.

The Catholic Church is primarily a Third World Problem now (though the USA is a notable exception). They would do well politically to hire an Indian or Brazilian CEO. Membership would probably rise in those countries which are largely impoverished and, importantly, superstitious.

hey - they go christmas eve, ash wednesday, and easter... wadda yah want - dedication?

Dunning Kruger effect + quasi-Stockholm Syndrome explains why many people remain stuck. They are to be pitied.

The others who are otherwise well intentioned are staying to receive social perks. They are to be ridiculed.

The devout, of course, are either afraid of punishment or eager for rewards in the afterlife. They should have our sympathy.

Of course, those children labled with the faith of their parents are true victims. They are victims of parents usurping their enormous power of teaching authority for indoctrination. The children deserve our empathy.

Well said.

yes and no - understand the catholic church's insistence on indoctrination of the children. Something about "Send a child to church routinely before age 6 and I'll have them in my clutches forever..." Brainwash 'em young and they NEVER leave (until the smart ones get to college - THEN THEY LEAVE)

You respect a faith that teaches children that demons haunt the world? You respect a faith that says AIDS is bad but condoms are worse?

Respect? Bizarre.

Name me one thing that religions do that cannot be accomplished by secular organizations?

Well said "A".....Bravo!.....Bravo!

@Atheist-6939529

Well, iono schools failed to educate you and hospitals failed to help you overcome your emotional distress with your childhood abuse from religion.

Seriously, if you don't believe, why would you be here arguing with people about something you claim you don't believe nor care for?

People who claim to be atheists are always angry with believers, why? What's it to you what other people believe in?

you make rather stupid claims - I just try t spread the word that religion is the opium of the masses. Similar to leading a horse to water but unable to make the horse DRINK, describing religion as "The opium of masses - a placebo drug for those unable to afford the REAL THING" just gets poo-poo'd by the "believers" (in their brainwashing act, of course). So, "angry" - frankly I don't really GIVE A FLYING F UCK. I do my best to tell them the physical TRUTH - that they are so STUPID as to reject the message isn't MY problem.

(Of course, those fuc king idiots who try to preach to ME generally get an earful in return)

What world do you live in? It is a constant struggle to keep religious bias out of American Law. The rest of your post is too sophomoric to even respond to.

Catrax,

Faith is a wonderful thing to have and if your faith brings you peace, then it is truly a blessing because inner peace is the one thing most people seek, but never attain.

I am a student of history and have studied Christ, his life, his message, death and legacy. What I have found that is a common denominator for ALL religions is that the religions demands on Blind faith for the sheep to be able to follow the sheppard. This is fine if the sheppard is wise and caring, but when the leaders are themselves sinful, corrupt, cruel, literally rotten to the core, the blindness allows them to be the person they wish to be.

The teachings of Jesus cam be summed up with the "Sermon at the Mound", but if you know it, and if you know the history of the Holy Roman Church, you will also know that the Catholics did not follow the teachings of Jesus in any way.

Atheist,

please do inform me what an Athesis believes in? I have asked the question many times, but have not gotten an answer. If yo say you do not believbe in god, then where do you stand when you are faced with a religious fanatic whose belief is to kill everyone who does not beleive as they do?

As long as you can reside in America as we know it, you are free to be whatever you wish. But when the Zealot brings the question to you in a deadly way, what will you believe in as they force the life out of your souless body? do Athesist believe in a soul? How about the capacity to perform good works in an evil world? Would you defend the rights of others to the extent of placing yourself in danger?

Are you a coward, or a hero? Or are you just NOTHING? When you are in a place where your life and longevity is in question to a point that you may not survive the next 5 minutes, are you willing to just give up or do you decide to fight for your life? Do you have a soul? When you see people hurt, do you rejoice or does your heart ache for them?

These questions may not mean anything to you since you may not have ever had to face mortality up close and personal. But as we look around the world and see a definite "Good" and a definite "Evil" Force at work, I wonder how an athesist feels on the dirty end of the stick?

But these Values are the things the great philosophers write about as the divine gifts that we seek and strive for. The Eternal battles of Good defeating Evil are the things of heros. The problem is that I have seen the Evil doers rejoice in their power to inflict pain.

So what does an atheist believe in?

Lazarus

An atheist believes in a god too. That god is himself. Me Me Me Meeeeeeeeee in control of allll things...

To think other wise, even belief in hope or luck... or any other external force or influence... would render one not an atheist.

Everyone believes in something, nobody believes in nothing. The only question is how we define that something.