RIP Pope Francis
Pope Francis died early this morning, reportedly of a stroke and related heart problems. At 88 and in recent poor health, it nevertheless was a relatively sudden death. He was the first Jesuit pope, and was from Argentina and had held the position for twelve years. An excerpt:
Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, shared with Fox News Digital, “Catholics around the globe are mourning the death of Pope Francis. He touched millions of the faithful, including non-Catholics and non-believers. When Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio assumed the role of Pope Francis, his down-to-earth style captured the plaudits of Catholics and non-Catholics alike. It was his unscripted, and often spontaneous, manner of speaking that made him so authentic and appealing.”
I suppose that’s one way to look at it. As a non-Catholic and non-Christian, I can’t say I followed his papacy with great care except to note that it was my distinct impression that he was a leftist. I’ll quote John Hinderaker of Powerline on the subject:
Francis seemed to me to be a slave to left-wing fashion. His views on gender were trendy but in no way Biblical. His hostility to free enterprise was retrograde, and damaging to the extent it had any influence. And his constant advocacy for unrestrained illegal immigration did harm, by shoring up regimes and policies that were horrifically destructive.
So, now what? Your guess is as good as mine. Actually, your guess may be better than mine. For what it’s worth, though, here’s mine: his successor will also lean left although not as heavily. If number of Catholics in the population is any guide (and it’s probably not), the next pope may be from Latin America as well. Africa and Europe are second in terms of numbers, although in Africa the group is growing and in Europe it’s shrinking.
Speaking as a traditional Catholic, allow me to point out that the College of Cardinals is dominated by lecherous, libertine, left-wing clerics whose personal lives would make Richelieu blush. Thus, I suspect they will again nominate one of their own, who will take the “reforms” of Bergoglio to new levels. Anticipate the admission of women and homosexuals to the priesthood, acceptance of homosexual “marriage” as a legitimate sacrament and all the rest. In other words, the Church will become Universalist Unitarian with fancier clothing and a better real estate portfolio. Its end can’t come too soon.
I read that it is God who selects the Pope. Perhaps He will have mercy on us.
https://x.com/visegrad24/status/1914312758922792998
-this is a link to a video clip, do not need login to view.
“Many conservative Catholics across the world hope that Cardinal Robert Sarah will become the next Pope.
The Cardinal from Guinea is a hardliner against mass-immigration, which he believes could result in the downfall of Western Civilization.”
More info: A vocal critic of gender ideology, Cardinal Sarah has condemned same-sex marriage, divorce, and abortion, advocating for the defense of the natural family. He has also been outspoken in denouncing Islamic radicalism, calling it one of the greatest threats to global peace and security.
He would make history as the first Black African pope.
RIP. Also a sinner, I pray for his soul.
We have two weeks of speculation and then the conclave itself, which might be either long or short.
He wasn’t appealing. He was not any more authentic than any other bishop.
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I have little expectation of much improvement, as he and his minions appointed 80% of the current College of Cardinals. Then again, his conscientious predecessors had 34 years to add to the College, and the result was a man who trashed their work. So, if we are fortunate, we receive a faithful shepherd who cleans up the mess Francis made.
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A. He issues a sufficient number of encyclicals, motu proprios, and other documents to clarify teaching and policy on a number of matters, but issues no more.
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B. He elects to remain within his diocese and limits his public statements therein to homilies delivered during the liturgy. These, in turn, would be reflections on the readings.
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C. He pays meticulous attention to episcopal appointments, to the staffing of the Congregation of Bishops, and to the nuncios and apostolic delegates who participate in the selection of bishops.
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D. He reduces the staff of the Holy See, closes dispensable dicasteries and offices, and has a bias in favor of filling posts with laymen.
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E. He divests the Holy See of real estate outside the Province of Rome. Sacred architecture and appended buildings would be deeded over to local ordinaries or to religious orders. Secular architecture would be sold and sold at auction if necessary. The nuncios and apostolic delegates and their staffs can rent office space and digs. Within the Province of Rome, sacred architecture and appendages outside the Vatican would as much as feasible be turned over to the subsidiary sees. Secular property would be sold unless it provided administrative support functions for the Holy See (as storage properties might).
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F. He divests the Holy See of all stakes in limited corporations. The Holy See should hold publicly traded equities, bonds, commercial and municipal paper, bank deposits, and precious metals. Its assets should be distributed over a number of hard currency countries and supervised by boards of lay professionals.
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G. He publishes annually the Holy See’s balance sheet and statement of income, properly audited.
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H. He re-issues Summorum Pontificum and perform public Masses according to the 1962 missal and ends the Holy See’s war on traditionalist orders.
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I. He issues an instructions to all bishops and superiors that they should direct that artwork by Marko Rupnik be removed from their properties and destroyed. (Rupnik himself should be stripped of his faculties and information in the possession of the Holy See turned over to prosecutors).
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J. He reiterates in appropriate documents that known homosexuals should be excluded from formation programs.
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K. He dissolves the Legion of Christ and Society of Jesus, and directs those so enrolled to report to the ordinary in whose diocese they had spent the largest share of their time since their vows for incardination in said dioceses. The property of the dissolved orders would be assumed by the dioceses in which it nestled.
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L. He spends hours each day in meditation and prayer.
@Steve in recovery:clerics whose personal lives would make Richelieu blush
Surely a traditional Catholic is aware that libertine clerics are also a Catholic tradition. Certainly we should expect better, but this is not a new thing.
There is precedent for bad behavior by clergy and religious. It is not ‘a Catholic tradition’.
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I haven’t a clue about the mundane life of anyone in the current College of Cardinals. I just know they were elevated by Francis and his minions. That’s not a character reference.
@Art Deco:It is not ‘a Catholic tradition’.
Not exclusively, if that’s what you object to, but that wasn’t what I said at any rate. So yes we live in a fallen world and all religious and clergy of all faiths have been known to behave badly at some time or other. But we’re talking about one faith and its leaders here today in this thread, so forgive me for thinking that it might be understood that I’m not singling out Catholic clergy as uniquely iniquitous…
but that wasn’t what I said at any rate.
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What you said is two steps north of your latest post and is in cold print.
@Art Deco:What you said is two steps north of your latest post and is in cold print.
It sure is! I’ll put it here too in case anyone is missing it:
If you or anyone else still think I’m saying that this is an exclusively or particularly Catholic problem, maybe draw the Venn diagram and that will help sort things out. Saying “a Catholic tradition” does not exclude other people from having the same or a similar one. And when I say there is a Catholic tradition for beautiful religious art and and architecture I am also not excluding others from having the same or a similar one.
It really is not necessary to look so hard for reasons to disagree. But use your time as you see fit. I only responded to clear up the mischaracterization; having done that I’ll scroll past any repeats of it.
Art–great list. Requires a number of miracles.
I was at a seaside bar/restaurant in western Costa Rica when the white smoke for Francis appeared. Had a fun chat with the bartender then, hope to be having as much fun when the next one is selected.
It really is not necessary to look so hard for reasons to disagree.
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You said one stupid thing and have offered two gratuitous defenses of it.
Currently, 135 cardinals are aged under 80 and thus eligible under Church law to enter a conclave to elect a pope after Francis dies or retires. They are known as cardinal electors and Francis appointed 108 of them. The other electors were appointed by his predecessors.
https://www.reuters.com/world/pope-francis-his-pontificate-numbers-2025-04-21/
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So Francis appointed 108 of the 135 cardinals who will be electing the next pope.
I may need to update my forecast for a centrist pope.
Perhaps if I were Catholic, I’d have felt differently, but as a non-practicing Protestant, my impression of that guy was that if I had been Catholic, I’d have left the church rather than recognize any authority that person might have claimed.