Pope resigns

[scottycelt]

Are you saying that the sauna story is not true, scotty? If you have sound reason to believe that it is not then I suggest that you should contact a solicitor, Keith O'Brien may still have a number or two

What I suggest you really mean is that you don't care a jot whether the story is true or not, you simply want to believe it, amsey..

If it is true, then the 'laugh" is as much at the expense of the Roman Gay Community as the Catholic Church, which seems to have escaped both you and the desperate journalist who regurgitated the old tale.

Also, it proves beyond doubt that the Church cannot be quite as 'homophobic' as some of our more prominent contributing members, including your goodself, frequently/regularly maintain !

[Serial_Apologist]

the desperate journalist

Unfortunate description of the journalist, scotty - which a Freudian would I think describe in terms of slippage and projection.

[amateur51]

What I suggest you really mean is that you don't care a jot whether the story is true or not, you simply want to believe it, amsey..

If it is true, then the 'laugh" is as much at the expense of the Roman Gay Community as the Catholic Church, which seems to have escaped both you and the desperate journalist who regurgitated the old tale.

Also, it proves beyond doubt that the Church cannot be quite as 'homophobic' as some of our more prominent contributing members, including your goodself, frequently/regularly maintain !

Isn't that what faith means, scotty

You'll have to explain that bit, scotty, my back is bad at the moment & I've not been able to twist myself into the position rtequired to see that, obviously

The Vatican has shown itself to be quite homophobic enough, thank you scotty - let's hope that the new Pope has other priorities from the last two, like justice for its victims, social justice for all, tackling poverty, addressing the role of women, revisiting the need for celibacy, restructuring of the curia, etc

[Anna]

I wondeder if this, as reports have said, the next Pope would come outside of Europe? With this Cardinal from South America being outspoken about the Vatican bank and other Cardinals applauding his actions, would this sway to his favour?

At the moment PaddyPower are showing Angelo Scola (Italy) the favourite at 3-1 followed by Peter Turkson (Ghana) at 7/2. I had thought Turkson had blotted his copybook in being too eager to put himself forward plus remarks he made about child abuse in Africa and his stance on gays. The betting on the name of the new Pope shows the favourite to be Leo.
But I think the Catholic Church is in such turmoil no-one can predict how it'll turn out.

[scottycelt]

I'd like to see Scola ... he's a keen football fan so that immediately indicates an intelligent and balanced mind.

The last thing we need is another Mozart-loving 'intellectual' ...

[ahinton]

I'd like to see Scola ... he's a keen football fan so that immediately indicates an intelligent and balanced mind.

The last thing we need is another Mozart-loving 'intellectual' ...

Much as I'm prepared to accept the possibility that my ignorance in such matters may be not unconnected with the fact of my being neither a Catholic nor a Christian, I have to admit to an inability to figure out the alleged synonymity of love of soccer with an intelligent and balanced mind, let alone why all lovers of Mozart are necessarily "intellectual" and why there might be a problem with a Pope loving Mozart, being an intellectual or both.

[amateur51]

I'd like to see Scola ... he's a keen football fan so that immediately indicates an intelligent and balanced mind.

The last thing we need is another Mozart-loving 'intellectual' ...

I understood that Benny enjoys show tunes - say no more

[scottycelt]

I understood that Benny enjoys show tunes - say no more

Apparently 'Benny' is a bit of a Brucknerian as well but that didn't help my case regarding intellectuals so I left that part out ...

[scottycelt]

HABEMUS PAPAM! ....

[ahinton]

Apparently 'Benny' is a bit of a Brucknerian as well but that didn't help my case regarding intellectuals so I left that part out ...

But why should we be concerned about Benny's musical tastes in the present context now that he's no longer Pope? He might be an admirer of Benny Goodman or Benny Carter, or Benny Britten, Arthur Benny or George Benny, or maybe even all five of them, for all that I know, but of what particular significance is this to the succession process? Anyway, while he was Pope, he seems to have done nothing to further the cause of Bruckner's Ninth Symphony, notwithstanding the direct mobile number than one might assume him to have for its dedicatee...

[amateur51]

But why should we be concerned about Benny's musical tastes in the present context now that he's no longer Pope? He might be an admirer of Benny Goodman or Benny Carter, or Benny Britten, Arthur Benny or George Benny, or maybe even all five of them, for all that I know, but of what particular significance is this to the succession process? Anyway, while he was Pope, he seems to have done nothing to further the cause of Bruckner's Ninth Symphony, notwithstanding the direct mobile number than one might assume him to have for its dedicatee...

Not Benny Hawkins then ahinton?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gyXcWAoPf0

[Serial_Apologist]

Not Benny Hawkins then ahinton?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gyXcWAoPf0

Benny dicked us?

[amateur51]

Benny dicked us?

That's not how I heard it!

[Anna]

Benny dicked us?

Oi! S_A, that was my Blue Nun joke of which you have nicked the punchline!

[Nick Armstrong]

Oi! S_A, that was my Blue Nun joke of which you have nicked the punchline!

I can't retro-construct the joke - go on Anna, let us have it !!