Pope Francis Passes Away

[marinello59]

Sad news, Pope Francis has passed away. He didn't look well yesterday, I was surprised he had appeared at all.
RIP

[Pretty Boy]

He was a flawed man, like all of us, but at his heart I think he was a good man.

I found him something of a frustrating figure, he often threatened to do things that were genuinely revolutionary and then seemed to pull back at the last minute. I suppose in an institution as inherently conservative and archaic as the Catholic Church that isn't unexpected. Indeed his clumsy attempts at dealing with the lingering hangover of Vatican II and the liturgical issue and the schism it always threatens to cause were one of his poorer actions.

He seemed genuinely conciliatory towards those of other denominations and faiths and his calls for peace, compassion and dialogue always seemed heartfelt, his last message being a call for peace in the Holy Land was fitting. When it came to social issues such as divorce, homosexuality, contraception and so on (basically all the things everyone says the Church should keep their nose out of but conversely the only thing they ever seem to want to talk about to Catholics:greengrin) he upset all the right people within the faith. I wish he had gone further but he started a conversation that may yet see him leave a lasting legacy. His compassion for the poor also seemed genuine and predated his elevation to the Papacy. Whilst bound by the structures of the Church he made small changes that attempted to tone down the more extravagant displays of wealth.

What comes next is what concerns me. He tried to shape the College of Cardinals in his image and he made some appointments from outwith the traditional heartlands that give the liberals a chance. There is a hardcore of conservatives in there though and they will undoubtedly rally round a preferred candidate. The 'Traditionis Custodes' which restricted the Tridentine Mass and the rhetoric from Pope Francis that accompanied it denouncing various facets of the conservative and traditionalist movement galvanised them. Whilst liberals wished he went further, some on the other side saw him as a wolf in sheep's clothing and worse. I don't see a middle ground, it will be a Pius XIII or Francis II next. Hopefully the liberals put their differences aside, unite around a common candidate and continue his work. It's the best tribute there could be.

RIP.

[DaveF]

Bit of an awkward moment on BBC news this morning where the segment just before 9am was at a circus in Blackpool and after much 'hilarity' one of the circus entertainers grabbed the microphone and said 'and now back to the clowns on the studio' where the 2 presenters sat stoney faced as they then had to break the news that the pope has passed away.

Not the best handover in history.

[s.a.m]

Bit of an awkward moment on BBC news this morning where the segment just before 9am was at a circus in Blackpool and after much 'hilarity' one of the circus entertainers grabbed the microphone and said 'and now back to the clowns on the studio' where the 2 presenters sat stoney faced as they then had to break the news that the pope has passed away.

Not the best handover in history.

:greengrin

[NORTHERNHIBBY]

Maybe off topic, but I'm sure that the SFA will be squirming at the thought of having to have a minute's silence and how the Nazis in Royal Blue and Maroon will behave.

[Keith_M]

Maybe off topic, but I'm sure that the SFA will be squirming at the thought of having to have a minute's silence and how the Nazis in Royal Blue and Maroon will behave.


Twenty years ago this month.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/heart_of_midlothian/4414691.stm

[Pretty Boy]

Maybe off topic, but I'm sure that the SFA will be squirming at the thought of having to have a minute's silence and how the Nazis in Royal Blue and Maroon will behave.

I think it will be avoided and I hope it is. It's a bit sad we live in one of only 2 or 3 countries in Europe in which it would even be a debate but it's where we are so probably best just to leave it up to individual clubs to decide what they wish to do rather than having a blanket directive that leads to issues.

[speedy_gonzales]

Twenty years ago this month.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/heart_of_midlothian/4414691.stm

My good mate (regardless of being a hearts fan) was on the front page of the Daily Record when they ran this story.
There he was, veins bulging out his neck, eyes wide open, a look of rage on his face and hint of spittle coming out his mouth as he shouted the abuse towards the pitch.
A terrible close up image of him and a couple of his mates with the triggered hordes blurred in the background.
The thing is, my mate was late in to the ground, he wasn't there for the minutes silence. This photo was taken during the game and was used to make it look like it was when the Hearts fans were disrupting the tribute.
He made a complaint and even got a lawyer to draft a letter to Mirror Group but it was dismissed as nowhere in the text did it say the persons pictured were involved in the disruption.

[hibsbollah]

By any objective standards, he was the most high profile and powerful promoter of good socialist principles left in world affairs.

[He's here!]

I think it will be avoided and I hope it is. It's a bit sad we live in one of only 2 or 3 countries in Europe in which it would even be a debate but it's where we are so probably best just to leave it up to individual clubs to decide what they wish to do rather than having a blanket directive that leads to issues.

No chance an attempted silence will be held at either of the games involving Hearts or Rangers. It would be as pointless as the attempt to hold a silence for the Queen at a match involving Celtic.

[BILLYHIBS]

Funeral to be held Saturday 9.00 am Vatican says

BBC News


RIP

[Donegal Hibby]

Maybe off topic, but I'm sure that the SFA will be squirming at the thought of having to have a minute's silence and how the Nazis in Royal Blue and Maroon will behave.

Union bears already at it with their awful graffiti , just can’t show any human decency or compassion at all 😞

[marinello59]

By any objective standards, he was the most high profile and powerful promoter of good socialist principles left in world affairs.

He was practicing basic Christian principals. At their best the two often overlap.

[Sylar]

No minute’s silence at any games in England since he passed, and rightly so. No need for a minute’s silence whatsoever. There’s no denying the importance of the Pope to many millions, but keep it (and the minutes’ silence for any Royal figure, even if I get that more as a UK head of State) out of football please.

My thoughts with any of the Catholic Hibs community, who are genuinely grieving however.

[Keith_M]

This is an unfortunate message to send to any of the victims, or to those (including many in the Catholic church) who have criticised the way such events were handled.


"Pope Francis' coffin to be closed by disgraced cardinal who covered up child sex abuse scandal"

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/pope-francis-coffin-closed-disgraced-35110866

[hibsbollah]

This is an unfortunate message to send to any of the victims, or to those (including many in the Catholic church) who have criticised the way such events were handled.


"Pope Francis' coffin to be closed by disgraced cardinal who covered up child sex abuse scandal"

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/pope-francis-coffin-closed-disgraced-35110866

That is the most Daily Record headline ever. Abuse shouldn’t be used as sectarian west of Scotland ****hole town petty prejudicial point scoring. But thats their dwindling readership isnt it?

[Pretty Boy]

With an acknowledgement that such events always attract tourists and curious onlookers as much as genuine mourners I find the outpouring of grief quite heartening. The Vatican estimated the crowds to be about 200K today, the Italian police initially said 75K then revised it upwards firstly to 100K then again to 150K and called them 'unprecedented'. Add to that thread tens of thousands who have waited patiently during the lying in state.

The social media noise has started with the predictable usual suspects staying how we need someone next with 'traditional values' or 'conservative views' and that creates a lot of noise. The evidence of the eyes and ears is that people on the street were very fond of a kindly man who preached tolerance, equality and neighbourliness. Hopefully the Cardinals were paying attention.

[Keith_M]

That is the most Daily Record headline ever. Abuse shouldn’t be used as sectarian west of Scotland ****hole town petty prejudicial point scoring. But thats their dwindling readership isnt it?


In fairness, a large number of news outlets have reported on it and used very similar wording, e.g. CNN (https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/24/europe/pope-francis-roger-mahony-sexual-abuse-scandal-intl/index.html)

Surely any complaints about this would be better directed at whoever decided to choose him for this role, rather than the wording of newspaper headlines.