Opposition Mounting to Ratzinger as Pope

[Kellanved]

According to Italian media, American and German cardinals have lined up against a possible papacy of Joseph Ratzinger. The conservative cardinal, in charge of defending church doctrine, is considered a frontrunner.



La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera, both respected Italian dailies with close contacts with the Vatican, say two powerful German cardinals, Karl Lehmann of Mainz and Walter Kasper, who is based in Rome, have lined up against their fellow German who has been the Catholic Church's controversial doctrinal watchdog.



...
German cardinals also have taken issue with Ratzinger's opposition to allowing lay theologians to take a leading roll in parishes that lack priests, a serious problem in Germany. The paper also said the Ratzinger, the one-time archbishop of Munich, had failed to address the issue of not allowing Catholics who had divorced and remarried to receive communion.

...
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1552530,00.html

[Sal316]

1. My money's been on Ratzinger for a long time now.

Considering how 'prolific' he was in issuing papers, etc., as the defacto Vatican author, I think JPII was lining him up to be the successor.

[Kellanved]

6. He has totally p***** *** the German church.

On all levels: Bishops, priests and laymen. His position on abortion counseling is not forgotten; nor his habit of running to the pope whining, every time he was overruled.

[Warpy]

10. Right, he's an arch conservative with a track record at

the Vatican. I've always suspected he's JPII's anointed heir.

However, the conclave can do just about anything and they rarely listen to people on the outside for advice, so it may be some cardinal we've never heard of.

He will be an arch conservative and especially hard on women, though, that much we can be sure of. My guess is that he'll also be a homebody, someone not given to gallivanting around the world, and a bureaucrat who will take care of the inner workings I've heard complaints about JPII neglecting.

I just hope they don't pick that Nigerian character who wanted to excommunicate all Democratic politicians in the US.

However, I'd get a kick out of it if they picked Cardinal Sin, just for the name...

[joeybee12]

2. When I went to Catholic schools as a child, the nuns always told us that

in the conclave the cardinals pray and pray and pray and somehow God enlightens them as to who to pick.

Yeha, right.

[Fenris]

4. Yes, and politics has nothing to do with it.

:sarcasm:

[joeybee12]

5. The scary thing is that there are a lot of people who are now adults who

still believe what those nuns said!

[slackmaster]

3. I think he'd be great

Damn, I can't find a good linkable John Ratzenberger photo to save my life. He must have one hell of an agent.

Never mind.

[elperromagico]

7. Pope Cliff I. I like it.

[gratuitous]

8. I think the Cardinals are ready for something different

Someone in Ratzinger's position will always garner a certain amount of early support. It's sort of like the "bold" sports prognosticators who always pick the defending champion to repeat. But after 26 years of JPII, I think the Cardinals might be interested in exploring new directions, and someone not quite so heavily identified with the just-ended regime has a better chance of finally winning the election.

Ratzinger looks like the early favorite because all the machinery is in place to put him in the shoes of the fisherman. I think it will be someone else.

[KamaAina]

9. The Inquisition, let's begin! The Inquisition, look out sin!

The Inquisition, what a show! The Inquisition, here we go!
We know you're wishin' that we'd go away,
but the Inquisition's here and it's here to stay!

</mel-brooks>

At least it will be if Ratzinger gets in; the "Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith", which he presdies over, began life as... the Inquisition!

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_pro_14071997_en.html

Founded in 1542 by Pope Paul III with the Constitution "Licet ab initio," the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was originally called the Sacred Congregation of the Universal Inquisition as its duty was to defend the Church from heresy. It is the oldest of the Curia's nine congregations.

"No one expects the Spanish Inquisition." -Monty Python

:scared:

[damntexdem]

11. If Ratfucker becomes Pope, there will much unrest, ...

maybe a RC schism. The scumbag is already in charge of the remnants of the Inquisition. Think of the damage he could do as pope. The idiot is apparently also a Creationist, likely to bring a strong anti-science stance.

[iverglas]

12. maybe this time ...

Why did the pope (the first one by the name) call himself Pope John Paul?

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Because they wouldn't let him call himself Pope George Ringo.

pa-dum-bum tsssshh

I've just been wanting to offer up that blast from my youth and figured it would go here as well as anywhere.

RatzINGo ...

Ewwwwww: www.ratzingerfanclub.com

Frankly, I don't see how Ratzinger could be any more disgusting than Wojtyla on any issues over which a pope can actually exercise influence.

Maybe he wouldn't blow the same hot air about peace and love and social justice that Wojtyla did, but a couple of decades of that empty noise just got tiresome anyhow.

[muriel_volestrangler]

13. Odds from Bookmakers Paddy Power

Joseph Ratzinger (Germany) 7/2
Jean-Marie Lustiger (France) 4 - 1
Carlo Maria Martini (Italy) 9 - 2
Claudio Hummes (Brazil) 7 - 1
Francis Arinze (Nigeria) 8 - 1

http://www.paddypower.com/bet?action=show_type_by_main_market&category=SPECIALS&ev_class_id=45&id=520

[JackRiddler]

14. also under discussion here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3480580#3481581

I think Ratzinger's a great bet - if anything the internal opposition from Germany may get more hardliners to line up for him and discipline the German church.