Pope resigning

Lots of modernising Catholics were heartened by Vatican 2 and the joke went around that at the time of the next Vatican Council, cardinals would be allowed to bring their wives. At the one after the Pope would be allowed to bring her husband.

I was hoping he was getting out before he was charged over the child abuse scandal. Looks as if he gets away with that one.

The Onion version: Resigning pope no longer has strength to lead church backward

I think that is exactly right joan - you don't get made a cardinal because you have liberal and progressive views.

It's not a political process. Oh no!

Oh well, another will come along soon, and he will also have all his edicts ignored by most Catholics, if he continues the conservative line. Those who follow the official line will continue to suffer multiple pregnancies or enforced celibacy, and go to churches run by aging priests who can't get a young replacement, 'cos the young won't go into the priesthood.

BUT - if a modern-minded one is elected, and he manages to change a few things, like letting priests marry, and saying all contraception is OK, and letting women take a bigger part in the mass - well who knows, he might improve things for believers.

I left it all behind a long time ago, but it is interesting to watch from the sidelines.

I predict another conservative pope though. This pope and the last, both conservatives in their own ways, have had chance to stack the college of cardinals with their own kind.

Galen (quote) "that would be god?"

I know it was i-pad finger, but - !

Yes. Do away with the middle man. #probablycomecheaper

And of course if the papers are burned there is no record of who voted for who (whom?)

Yes,Barrow they are not allowed to speak to anyone except the other Cardinals. They are allowed to walk in the gardens etc, but if there are any Vatican staff around they are not allowed to speak to the Cardinals or vice versa.

Straw is added to the ballot papers to make the smoke black.

Barrow thank you muchly for your patience and explanation

j08 [groan] emoticon - but good one.

Goose there is only smoke after there has been a ballot and they are burning the ballot papers. If there has been no agreement something is added to the papers for the smoke to be black. Once there is an agreement that is indicated by the white smoke.

Don't know why it was started but probably something to do with the fact that they are locked in with no access to the outside world until they have made a choice - it was a way of letting people know what was happening (just my guess - I could be wrong - I often am!)

Girl power in the Vatican.

Pope Joan

Good not god!!!!!!!! No n

That would be god?

the black ones are mid sixties

But it looks as though the candidates are as old as he is.

What do you call a resigning Pope? Ex Benedict. #getit?

I hope they choose him.

One of the copntenders (if right word) is a Cardinal Scola. Pope Scola. #sayitquickly

Thank you - all wise ones. I knew it was heralding an old one out and a new one in, but got round to pondering.. why? After all, I think it's only Pope's comings and goings that it happens for, not monarchy or deaths of important pop stars, or any other significant folks. From the last time I seem to remember it took a lot longer than expected for the smoke to turn white to black, or t'other way round, and the fire must have kept going out because quite often there was no smoke at all, which was very perplexing

They add straw to the ballot papers to make the smoke black.

Black=bad, no papa.white=good habeat papa

Hello there goose - cant get the service these days can you?
I think it is one coloured smoke when they can't agree and then the other colour is a signal that they have decided. I seem to recall this can take some time.
Do you remember when they elected one and he only lasted a couple of weeks.
There was obviously some kind of interference on the line between the almighty and the cardinals on that occasion.
But as to why the black and white smoke - ??

Now, I haven't googled, but it might go back to that thing in Viterbo I mentioned. They took so long to decide (nearly 3 years) that the officials of the town locked them in with a diet of just bread and water, then actually took the roof off the building to make them get a move on. I think that may have been the start of the smoke thing.

But am often wrong!

Now off to google!