NEWS: Pope "prayed not to get elected"

Holding his first papal audiences, Pope Benedict XVI told a group of German pilgrims that he prayed to God to spare him the destiny of becoming Pope. He recalled praying: "You have younger, better, more enthusiastic and energetic candidates." He concluded by saying "Evidently, this time He didn't listen to me."



I think Catholics will use this as an example of how humble the new pope is. Protestants and others sceptical to the Vatican will say that it's all political play, or that the Pope cares more about himself than the well being of the church.

I don't know, but this makes me wonder (from yahoo):

"As the trend in the ballots slowly made me realize that — in a manner of speaking the guillotine would fall on me — I started to feel quite dizzy,""

If he didn't realise he was a favourite for the papacy before the ballots, he sure doesn't read many papers.

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Excuse my frankness.......what a crock!

What a lame thing for this new figurehead to say....granted, I see the benefits of presenting a modest face to the population, but it offends my sense of logic. The desire for power is age old and in today's world, you are selected and prepared for it.....

Originally posted by gekko
If he didn't realise he was a favourite for the papacy
before the ballots, he sure doesn't read many papers.

In the past, if someone were 'ahead' in the papers, that was a sure
sign that they WOULDN'T get the job. So for him to have seen in the
papers that he, Arinzi, and a few others were favored probably ment
that it was a sure thing that he wouldn't get the job.

I have no doubt that he hoped the job would pass him by. He had
tried three times to retire and go home to Germany. All three times
PJPII wouldn't let him go.

He won't be pope long. I give him five years. Heck .. if the bad guys
try to 'off' him like they did PJPI ... his time in the papacy will be even
less.

Nonsense. He was very happy, you could see it in his face- He's just trying to be humble.

He's alleged to have covered up more molestations than I care to mention, he reminds me of that wicked old rich guy on the simpsons with his wicked grin and now the 'im humble' trick? PUHleeze.

The entire Vatican is a crock, imo.

I believe in God, don't misunderstand, but jeeepers there is more political BS within the Vatican than God loving christians. JMO.

I wouldn't know about what Benedict XVI was truely thinking. But it seems something was on his mind for the fact of him giving that big campaign speech before the voting.

The only way this could be true is if he was scared of getting assassinated by the Illuminati or something if he became Pope.

Edit:

Or he believes and knows even more about the Gloria olivae prophecy and doesn't want to be Pope when all hell breaks loose, literally. Also

[edit on 4/25/2005 by djohnsto77]

Or he was worried that he is gonna die in next couple years of old age and they will need to get a new pope, again. And he probably didn't want Fox doing to him what they did to PJPII, having the 24/7 Pope Cam just incase he rose from the dead or something. I swear, who is next? A 90 year old with terminal cancer? Just so he can say "Cool, I'm the po...." and drops dead of old age. Then a 120 year old guy already dead for past 30 years.

Has there ever been a black pope? I know one guy was up for it, not that he really was, he was more like the Green Party, there, but not gonna win.

Originally posted by dgtempe
Nonsense. He was very happy, you could see it in his face- He's just trying to be humble.

Excuse me? He's not trying to be humble. Get outta town! His statements showed no humility whatsoever. ...just pompacity and selfishness.

Here's humility - "Let this cup pass from me...I am not worthy". No - his was - "You know, I've done about all you ought to expect from me" (of course, none of it caused callouses), "leave me alone!"

Here's humility - "There are men much more worthy and capable than myself." No - his was - "you know, there's a lot of people out there more enthused about this than me...couldn't you pick one them?...seriously?"

Here's humility - "I'm not sure I can bear the burden of over 1 billion souls' spiritual guidance." No - his was - "For Pete's Sake - why don't you just shoot me! This is the equivalent of a guillotine!"

I haven't decided whether to refer to this as unwilling infallibility or infallible unwillingness...

I'll decide later.

No, there has never been a black pope.

Before JPII, it was a rarity to see Popes that weren't ITALIAN, let alone non-caucasian.

=/

-wD

Originally posted by WeBDeviL
No, there has never been a black pope.

Before JPII, it was a rarity to see Popes that weren't ITALIAN, let alone non-caucasian.

=/

-wD

Incorrect. There have been at least three black popes, just not in recent history.

Black Popes

Pope Saint Victor 1

Saint Victor was born in Africa and bore a Latin name as most African did at that time. Saint Victor was the fifteenth pope and a native of black Africa. He served from 186 A.D. until 197 A.D. He served during the reign of Emperor Septimus Severus, also African, who had led Roman legions in Britain. Some of the known contributions of Victor were his reaffirming the holy feast of Easter to be held on Sunday as Pius has done. As a matter of fact, he called Theophilous, Bishop of Alexandria, on the carpet for not doing this. He also condemned and excommunicated Theodore of Byzantium because of the denial of the divinity of Jesus Christ. He added acolytes to the attendance of the clergy. He was crowned with martyrdom. He was pope for ten years, two months and ten days. He was buried near the body of the apostle Peter, the first pope in Vatican. Some reports relate that St. Victor died in 198 A.D. of natural causes. Other accounts stated he suffered martyrdom under Servus. He is buried in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City near the "Convessio."

Pope Saint Victor 1 feast day is July 28th.

Pope Saint Gelasius 1

Saint Gelasius was born in Rome of African parents and was a member of the Roman clergy from youth. Of the three African popes, Gelasius seems to have been the busiest. He occupied the holy papacy four years, eight months and eighteen days from 492 A.D. until 496 A.D. Gelasius followed up Militades' work with the Manicheans. He exiled them from Rome and burned their books before the doors of the basilica of the holy Mary. He delivered the city of Rome from the peril of famine. He was a writer of strong letters to people of all rank and classes. He denounced Lupercailia, a fertility rite celebration. He asked them sternly why the gods they worshipped had not provided calm seas so the grain ships could have reached Rome in time for the winter. He wrote to Femina, a wealthy woman of rank, and asked her to have the lands of St. Peter, taken by the barbarians and the Romans, be returned to the church. The lands were needed for the poor who were flocking to Rome. His theory on the relations between the Church and the state are explained in the Gelasian Letter to the Byzantine Emperor Anastasius. He was known for his austerity of life and liberality to the poor.

There is today in the library of the church at Rome a 28 chapter document on church administration and discipline. Pope Saint Gelasius 1 feast day is November 21st.

Pope Saint Miliades 1

Saint Miltiades was one of the Church's Black Popes. Militades occupied the papacy from 311 to 314 A.D. serving four years, seven months and eight days. Militiades decreed that none of the faithful should fast on Sunday or on the fifth day of the week ...because this was the custom of the pagans. He also found residing in Rome a Persian based religion call Manichaenism. He furthered decreed that consecrated offerings should be sent throughout the churches from the pope's consecration. This was call leaven. It was Militiades who led the church to final victory over the Roman Empire. Militiades was buried on the famous Appain Way.

Pope Saint Militiades feast day is December 10th.

Of course, there hasn't been one for a millenia and a half, so we're due anyways. But the idea that there has never been a black pope is simply untrue.

As for Ratzinger claiming to not be embracing the papacy, it isn't unfounded in history. Many people believe that the stress of being Pope is what contributed to John Paul I's intimely death.

Actually this in unknown as there are no images of these Popes that exist today. There were Popes from Africa but it's far from certain that were black. I think it's much more likely they were more mediterranean/middle-eastern looking since they were from the north of Africa.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
Actually this in unknown as there are no images of these Popes that exist today. There were Popes from Africa but it's far from certain that were black. I think it's much more likely they were more mediterranean/middle-eastern looking since they were from the north of Africa.

North Africa is currently inhabited vastly by Berbers and Arabs, but I wouldn't know what it was like millenia ago. But both groups can have very dark skin. I did a few searches of images of Berbers, and the results ranged anywhere from light-skinned to 'black.' So it isn't entirely out of the question.

Not that what tone the guy's skin was is of any concern, it's the culture that is important.

Yahoo! News
He asked for their support, no matter what.

"I ask you for your trust when I make errors or when I say things that aren't easily understood, because the pope has to say these things. If we stick together, then we will find the way."

This pope said many obscure things during this speech. Maybe that's why they picked him. He has a way with words.

This doesn't sound like he wants to take any responsibility for things that he says or does. "the pope has to say these things." Ummm.... okay, so you don't agree with what you have to say, but you are going to say it anyway. Maybe he is afraid of something. I don't think it's God, though.

.
He is caught at the place that all positions of power intail,

A huge amount of divergent desires from many directions, which are almost impossible to satisfy all of, and the glow of egotism that a group of thinking people [or God, if you believe] feel he is [the most] capable candidate for the position.

It is being given the impossible task and credited with being the one most likely to do well with that impossible task.

Plus a complete loss of privacy, everything you do will be watched and read like tea leaves for every iota of meaning, most of which is in the imagination of the tea leave reader.

Honestly isn't it easier to be knowingly inconsequential. You know you can't effect the world so you don't burn up a lot of time, energy and life trying to. And no one will condem you for any 'mistakes' [as they see them] you make. Look at poor Jane Fonda, what she did as a very young woman will be haunting her till death and perhaps beyond. I don't want everone to curl up and hide though. Do what seems to make sense. Stand up when you think it matters. Maybe sometimes you have to stand up even when you know you won't succeed, just because it is the right thing to do.

Do Popes have the option of abdication?
.

ValHall, I was speaking tongue in cheek. You guys should know better

I think our "racoon" eyed pope could probably have gotten out of it, however. Can they be FORCED to be Pope? I dont know if they have an option to stay out of the running or not.

I believe that when the cardinals go into the conclave, along with the vow a secrecy they take a vow to accept the papacy if elected. Popes can step down but it's very rare.

This is so funny, isn't this supposed to be ultimate in serving there God, and he didn't want to? somethings not right. Well he has Gods ear now so to speak he can at lest ask why he was voted into the position. And if that doesn't work he can always ask George to find out why.

Originally posted by Sauron
This is so funny, isn't this supposed to be ultimate in serving there God, and he didn't want to? somethings not right. Well he has Gods ear now so to speak he can at lest ask why he was voted into the position. And if that doesn't work he can always ask George to find out why.

From the FIRST Peter...

"Now as an elder myself and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory to be revealed, I exhort the elders among you to tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion - but willingly, as God would have you do it - not for sordid gain but eagerly." - I Peter 5:1-2