There is a new Pope: Joseph Ratzinger
Apparently there is now a new Pope. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has been elected as Benedict XVI. According to himself, he is a “a simple, humble worker.” However, news sources paint a bleak picture of Ratzinger’s politcal and moral beliefs. Often called “the enforcer of doctrine”, Ratzinger seems to oppose everything that defines modernity–women’s rights, peaceful negotiation, and liberalism.
I find it odd that the Cardinals would choose a man 78 years old to lead the Catholic church, the oldest Pope elected in 275 years. With a public tortured by the decaying body of John Paul II for the last year, why choose a man who will fall into the same hole shortly? I find it unlikely that Ratzinger will live long enough to accomplish much–and perhaps that’s what the Cardinals want. By giving him the Papacy, they remove a conservative gadfly who would deadlock new policy decisions. Instead, they wait for his reign to end, and when they appoint a modern successor, he’ll be able to institute sweeping changes to Catholic Theology unopposed.
In the meantime, however, watch for another crusade.
Update:
I found this hilarious joke on J-walk:
Karl Rahner, Hans Kung and Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger all die on the same day, and go to meet St. Peter to know their fate.
St. Peter approaches the three of them, and tells them that he will interview each of them to discuss their views on various issues.
He then points at Rahner and says “Karl! In my office…” After 4 hours, the door opens, and Rahner comes stumbling out of St. Peter’s office. He is highly distraught, and is mumbling things like “Oh God, that was the hardest thing I’ve ever done! How could I have been so wrong! So sorry…never knew…” He stumbles off into Heaven, a testament to the mercy of Our God.
St. Peter follows him out, and sticks his finger in Kung’s direction and “Hans! You’re next…” After 8 hours, the door opens, and Kung comes out, barely able to stand. He is near collapse with weakness and a crushed spirit. He , too, is mumbling things like “Oh God, that was the hardest thing I’ve ever done! How could I have been so wrong! So sorry…never knew…” He stumbles off into Heaven, a testament to the mercy of Our God.
Lastly, St. Peter, emerging from his office, says to Cardinal Ratzinger, “Joseph, your turn.” TWELVE HOURS LATER, St. Peter stumbles out the door, apparently exhausted, saying “Oh God, that’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done…”
| This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 19th, 2005 at 2:19 pm and is tagged with cardinal joseph ratzinger, karl rahner, hilarious joke, catholic theology, cardinal ratzinger, new pope, oldest pope, policy decisions, moral beliefs, john paul ii, joseph ratzinger, gadfly, oh god, hardest thing, papacy, sweeping changes, enforcer, unopposed, benedict xvi, deadlock. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback. |
I have been saddened by the election of Joseph Ratzinger as Pope. Whatever those with the power to vote had in mind, the reality is that long awaited changes will not come about for some time except for those who want to go backwards into their mothers’ wombs! However the challenges given us by Jesus of Nazereth are out there beyond Latin Masses, ridiculously clad old men,and Doctrines which Christ would have denounced. Come to think of it Christ’s humility was such that He wrote nothing down for us but entrusted His word and His works to the men and women whose lives were profoundly changed by encounters with Him. The same is still happening today inside and outside of that sad old Institution.
I like your jokes.
If it can be, I would like to invite Hans Kung, LeonardoBoff AND the New Pope for dinner.
Good joke!
Maybe they chose him because they couldn’t decide what they wanted, so they picked a guy they knew wouldn’t last too long, giving them a few years to wrangle and debate on what they really wanted. He doesn’t seem to be in too bad health anyway, but clearly at 78 he won’t last 20 years.