Pope Announces Retirement

**Gistok** · February-13-13, 03:13 AM

While you folks speculate on all types of impending theories and semi-apocalyptic theories... I view this as nothing more than an old man who ran out of steam and just wants to do what Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands is doing... going out in style.

Interestingly though it appears he plans to stay on in the Vatican as a retiree. I find that a bit odd in that having 2 popes in the Vatican may be a bit awkward for his successor.

When I heard that he was retiring, I thought that he would move back to his native Bavaria, possibly to live out his days in the shadow of the 1,300 year old cathedral city of Freising... the co-cathedral of the Archdiocese of Munich-Freising, where he was Archbishop/Cardinal, and earlier where he attended the Seminary after WWII.

Farther north in Bavaria lies the 1,000 year old city of Bamberg, who's Bishop became one of the 5 German popes in the 10th and 11th century... as Clement II [[died 1047), who's body was returned to Bamberg, and is the only Papal tomb north of the Alps.

I thought sure that John Paul II was going to follow suit and be buried in his homeland, as I thought Benedict XVI would... but it appears Benedict will follow John Paul II with eventual internment in the Vatican.

The real awkward moment may not be in having 2 popes [[one emeritus or whatever arrangement they have to make for him)... but in the eventual death of Benedict XVI or Cardinal Ratzinger or whatever he will be called... for he will receive a Papal burial... with a living Pope attending...

The question also is... when do they smash his Papal ring?

**Gannon** · February-13-13, 07:47 AM

I think I read this story already, doesn't Gollum steal it and start the whole trilogy now?!

**Gannon** · February-13-13, 07:49 AM

Curious to hear all this Western Schism stuff on NPR this morning...they're really getting into it.

Funny to hear anyone complain about anti-Catholicism, when within it there have been anti-Popes, even. I'd say those in glass houses shouldn't worry about any stones beyond the ones in their own hands!

**Gannon** · February-13-13, 08:23 AM

Ha! Peter 'the Roman' from Ghana is one of the leaders in the race, according to this US News and World Report article. I've been reading about this for nearly a decade now, it is SO weird to see it play out in real time. The Catholic Church may have a Pope from Africa for the fourth time in its history.

http://www.usnews.com/news/world/art...l-be-next-pope

**Danny** · February-13-13, 10:49 AM

Deo gloria esse, Pater Bendictus XV. In nomen Patris, Filiaque, Spiritus Sanctus.

**Whitehouse** · February-13-13, 10:59 AM

I guess he saw how our Queen handled this.

**Detroitrobert** · February-13-13, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by old guy

Just out of curiosity, I typed in your exact search words on Google. After going through 18 pages, or 180 sites I couldn't find one mention of this forum. My opinion of your statement, False story.

Since you're really proficient with Google, look up "sarcasm" and then share the results with John and Stanman.

**rb336** · February-13-13, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by Gannon

Ha! Peter 'the Roman' from Ghana is one of the leaders in the race, according to this US News and World Report article. I've been reading about this for nearly a decade now, it is SO weird to see it play out in real time. The Catholic Church may have a Pope from Africa for the fourth time in its history.

http://www.usnews.com/news/world/art...l-be-next-pope

Ain't Ghana happen

**Gistok** · February-13-13, 08:33 PM

My bet is on the Cardinal Archbishop of Vienna...

Having had 3 popes FROM Africa is different from what the implications are today....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Gelasius_I
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Miltiades
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Victor_I

**Gannon** · February-13-13, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

Ain't Ghana happen

Dunno, the Drudge Report thought enough of him to put his picture on their page...

...and one story had the odds-makers giving him 3-1 odds, tied with the other leading fellow from Africa and another I can't remember at the moment.

Everybody else has relatively steeper odds.

Found this page along the way.

http://www.oddschecker.com/politics-...xt-pope/winner

**Gannon** · February-13-13, 10:42 PM

Although, you can see some are having fun with this. Look at the bottom of that listing, where the odds go to 1000-1 and above.

I'm surprised nobody is betting on Sinead O'Connor, if they really want to get ridiculous!

**Honky Tonk** · February-13-13, 10:49 PM

Good Lord, they're betting on who's gonna be Pope......

**Gannon** · February-13-13, 10:57 PM

Gistok started it.

**Gannon** · February-14-13, 09:12 AM

Strange story out of the Vatican today about the Pope injuring himself almost a year ago in Mexico.

http://www.freep.com/article/2013021...xt|FRONTPAGE|s

**Gannon** · February-14-13, 09:15 AM

And for those not watching the odds board, Peter Turkson has now edged into first place in the running.

But conspiracy theorists from around the world have learned their inadequacies with languages beyond their own, discovering there are at least three other Cardinals with some form of Peter in their full names.

So, we've got four in the mix to fulfill the "Peter the Roman" Malachy prophecy/vision. It is never easy...LOL...

**Gannon** · February-14-13, 09:19 AM

My favorite of those others is one of the two Italians, simply because one of his names is an anagram of Iscariot. Tarcisio Bertone...I didn't find that, it is courtesy someone on godlikeproductions.com.

So, IF I were a betting person, I'd put half my money on Turkson and the other half on Bertone. Just to hedge it a bit.

But I'm still leaning toward the African gentleman, since one of the old visions...maybe Nostradomas'...included a version of the phrase "he will be called Son of a Turk"...although I've not confirmed that one.

You gotta admit, though, he's getting a TON of press...

**Gistok** · February-14-13, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by Gannon

Gistok started it.

Correction... I didn't mention a candidate until post #34... You will find that if you go back to your mystic post #15... that you will see that it was your first posting about some guy from Ghana... and all of your subsequent apocalyptic tangents afterwards....

**Danny** · February-14-13, 01:38 PM

This is familair Why there is no black pope!

**Gannon** · February-14-13, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

This is familair Why there is no black pope!

Because those who know the Black Pope won't talk about the Black Pope. You know how that works, Danny, it's like Fight Club. Some would rather self-flagellate than reveal what they know!

As for you, Gistok, I wasn't betting yet! I was merely talking possibilities and probabilities, until I found those odds-makers. NewsWeek might've made the notice first. But even they didn't make a bet.

Cheers!

**rb336** · February-14-13, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by Gannon

So, IF I were a betting person, I'd put half my money on Turkson and the other half on Bertone. Just to hedge it a bit.

I'm gonna have to go with Bertone. If he is made pope, maybe this will get built

Name: Bertone-Barchetta.jpg
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Anyone know if he's related?

**Gistok** · February-14-13, 07:17 PM

Like Gannon... I too can go off on Papal tangents [[I'm teasing John!

)

As I mentioned earlier... Christoph Cardinal Schoenborn the Archbishop of Vienna was one of the European leading contenders for Pope. Well that name looked very familiar. And it turns out that he comes from an aristocratic family that was VERY powerful in Holy Roman Empire and Austria-Hungary circles.

Several of his 18th century ancestors were princes of the church and empire, being Archbishop-Electors [[next highest office after Emperor) and Prince-Bishops of several of the German Ecclesiastic states of that time. Some were also Chancellors to the Holy Roman Emperor.

One of the features of this extended Schoenborn family in the 18th century was that they had what was known as the "builders bug"... or a propensity to build vast ecclesiastic structures.

The largest of these... a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg's Palace [[or Residenz as it was called in German)... the worlds largest and finest palace of any church leader... including the palace of the Pope...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C3%BCrzburg_Residence

And the reason for such a magnificent palace? When the Holy Roman Emperor went from Vienna [[seat of the empire at that time) to Frankfurt [[where the coronation ceremony took place)... he could spend a few nights here... and be impressed....

**Lowell** · February-14-13, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitrobert

Originally Posted by GUSHI

Got love the anti catholic presence in this forum.

Well this forum is a microcosm of how badly catholics are persecuted the world over. In fact, this forum is so well know for its anti-catholic sentiment that if you Google "anti-catholic forum", this is the first site returned. True story.

NOT TRUE. DetroitYES does NOT show up in such a search, on page one or two at least I didn't go further.

So i tried the site specific search

anti-catholic forum site:detroityes.com

Then it shows up... Why? Because you and Gushi are the ones repeating it!

Time to distinguish between Catholics and the Catholic Church. True Catholics good. Catholic Church? hmmm...

**Jimaz** · February-14-13, 11:56 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

NOT TRUE. DetroitYES does NOT show up in such a search, on page one or two at least I didn't go further....

I exhaustively scoured all five pages returned from searching for "anti-catholic forum." DetroitYES never appeared anywhere in that search.

**old guy** · February-15-13, 01:04 AM

Originally Posted by Detroitrobert

Well this forum is a microcosm of how badly catholics are persecuted the world over. In fact, this forum is so well know for its anti-catholic sentiment that if you Google "anti-catholic forum", this is the first site returned. True story.

Just out of curiosity, I typed in your exact search words on Google. After going through 18 pages, or 180 sites I couldn't find one mention of this forum. My opinion of your statement, False story.