peterbirks (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
peterbirks) wrote2005-04-21 08:14 am
peterbirks) wrote2005-04-21 08:14 am
Cardinals' enclave: The truth revealed
Many people were surprised at the speed with which Cardinal Ratzinger was elected Pope, but EHAL can reveal the truth.
Owing to a clerical error, the entire St Louis Cardinals contingent was invited to the enclave. Since they were in a rush to return to the US for the NFL Draft, they all voted for the favourite. It helped that they confused Cardinal John Ratzinger with John Ratzenburger, who played Cliff in Cheers. They thought it was an excellent idea to have an ex US-postman as head of the Roman Catholic church.
Seriously though, I think that Church missed a trick here. A group of people locked up, with no contact with the outside world, until they come to a decision?
Surely this cried out for a link with the producers of Big Brother. Nominations for elimination, mass votes on who gets thrown out on premium rate phone lines (how much money would THAT have made for the poor in Brazil, or the rich in the Vatican, or to pay those child abuse charges in the US?). And then you could have set the Cardinals various tasks (heal the sick, that kind of thing) to see who had the touch of papal infallibility. Pope Idol. What a missed opportunity.
Owing to a clerical error, the entire St Louis Cardinals contingent was invited to the enclave. Since they were in a rush to return to the US for the NFL Draft, they all voted for the favourite. It helped that they confused Cardinal John Ratzinger with John Ratzenburger, who played Cliff in Cheers. They thought it was an excellent idea to have an ex US-postman as head of the Roman Catholic church.
Seriously though, I think that Church missed a trick here. A group of people locked up, with no contact with the outside world, until they come to a decision?
Surely this cried out for a link with the producers of Big Brother. Nominations for elimination, mass votes on who gets thrown out on premium rate phone lines (how much money would THAT have made for the poor in Brazil, or the rich in the Vatican, or to pay those child abuse charges in the US?). And then you could have set the Cardinals various tasks (heal the sick, that kind of thing) to see who had the touch of papal infallibility. Pope Idol. What a missed opportunity.
Mission of conclavity
(Anonymous) 2005-04-21 08:48 am (UTC)(link)Jonathan, near Barcelona
Pope Idol
(Anonymous) 2005-04-21 09:18 am (UTC)(link)I despair of elections. In a 6 month period we'll have seen Bush and Blair winning their respective re-elections and Ratzenberger given full power in the Vatican. Not that he hasn't been running the show for the last 5 years or so and has been complicit for the last 15. I do think there was a strand to JP2 that was willing to see freedom fighting approved of. It was always a hypocrisy to support Solidarnosz and the democratising of Eastern Europe but then condemn some of the rebel theology priests in South America.
Ratzinger wasn't as conflicted by this. I think he was always an establishment, render-unto-Caesar kind of guy.
The only saving grace is his age. At 78 we won't have to put up with him for long. But then maybe a decade of him as Benny 16 will contribute to the implosion of the Catholic church as he puts up rigid boundaries against social changes which are too strong for him to cope with. That would be a result to be grateful for.
Geoff