Originally Posted by CC1 (Post 1222954)

As most of you know I am NOT a conspiracy buff. I think the simplest explanation for most things is usually the correct one.

This Pope is in very poor health and I don't doubt that he is miserable enough trying to carry out his duties that he would take this extraordinary step. Modern sensibilities do make their way into traditions and I bet this is the case.

You have to wonder how many Popes were either totally senile or so incapacitated that others were really running things behind the scenes. Perhaps he does not want to be one of those.

Originally Posted by RandyWayne (Post 1222934)

"To the Pope Mobile!"

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-jYQWLr55...Popemobile.jpg

Originally Posted by CC1 (Post 1222954)

As most of you know I am NOT a conspiracy buff. I think the simplest explanation for most things is usually the correct one.

This Pope is in very poor health and I don't doubt that he is miserable enough trying to carry out his duties that he would take this extraordinary step. Modern sensibilities do make their way into traditions and I bet this is the case.

You have to wonder how many Popes were either totally senile or so incapacitated that others were really running things behind the scenes. Perhaps he does not want to be one of those.

Originally Posted by CC1 (Post 1222941)

I was a few blocks away from St. Peter's this past summer when he was making his weekly public appearance. We waited until later in the afternoon to visit St. Peter's because the crowd and security was crazy.

However I was blessed by Pope Paul VI back in 1976 at Castel Gandolfo, his summer residence outside of Rome.

Now we wait for the smoke to come up the chimmney!

Visiting St. Peter's and the Vatican museums again last summer (I had not been there since a teenager) was truly amazing. Particularly the special little known unadvertised archelogical tour we took that had us going under St. Peter's.

Originally Posted by CC1 (Post 1222954)

As most of you know I am NOT a conspiracy buff. I think the simplest explanation for most things is usually the correct one.

This Pope is in very poor health and I don't doubt that he is miserable enough trying to carry out his duties that he would take this extraordinary step. Modern sensibilities do make their way into traditions and I bet this is the case.

You have to wonder how many Popes were either totally senile or so incapacitated that others were really running things behind the scenes. Perhaps he does not want to be one of those.

Originally Posted by crakjak (Post 1222980)

Most likely true, most of the dire predictions of the RCC have come to nothing, in modern times at least.