by Anura Guruge
on September 1, 2022
Yikes! I did NOT like this video at all, at all.
Former Pope Benedict XVI does NOT look well. He also looks totally ‘disoriented’ & at a loss. Yes, I know he is old, BUT I, for one, would rather NOT remember him as such. He, as was very plain (& even by his admissions in his youth), was very vain & put such emphasis on his appearance. Oh, Dear! I feel bad for him.
[Just a few days ago I watched the excellent movie ‘Parkland‘ which deals with President JFK’s assignation & what happened over the next 3 days. In is is a very powerful scene of ‘Abraham Zapruder‘ reluctantly selling the FAMOUS ‘Zapruder film‘ to ‘Life’ magazine. Zapruder insists that the ‘kill shot’ (as it is referred) not be published. He begs that JFK was such a DIGNIFIED man & publishing ‘the shot’ would ROB him of that dignity. SEE VIDEO clip below.] I feel the same way about this video (stunt). It robs the former pope of what was his former dignity.]
I do NOT think this was a good publicity move. Images from this meeting should NOT have been made public. I wonder IF Ex-Pope Benedict XVI full appreciates that they were. He truly & utterly looks lost.
Let me make a few pithy points:
1) It is good that he resigned when he did (though it was a tad premature). It is unlikely he could have been pope in this frail state. [It is interesting that My Queen is 96 but appears to be in better shape.]
2) Francis appears to be trying hard to emulate GOOD POPE John XXIII when it comes to size. WOW. He has put on weight. Wonder if anyone has told him that he could helps his knees if he lost 100 pounds!
3) I did NOT think that this was in anyway inspirational. Kind of explains why Catholicism is in dire straights in Europe. What kind of image is this for YOUNG folks. A Church led by old men.
4) I will REFRAIN from making any comments about Georg Gänswein (the ‘person’ standing behind the former pope).
OK. That is enough. I wish this had NOT come up as a SUGGESTION for viewing by YouTube. That is the only reason I saw it. I was NOT looking for it.
Oh. One BIG ‘P.S.’
Who is ‘Benedict XVI’ that ‘EWTN’ refers to? Is ‘EWTN’ that STUPID? There is NO Benedict XVI. There is a FORMER Benedict XVI. He sure is NOT Benedict XVI now. If he was, then Francis would be an ANTI-POPE. Is that what EWTN is trying to suggest? Maybe they are. In that case that is very CUTE & clever.
Though a tad painful to watch, I suppose it was a nice gesture for the new kids to meet the old (ex-) pope. Yeh, he’s very old and seems out of it….poor guy.
No further comment from me about what name is appropriate for Benedict now that he’s out of office.
Yes. Kind of like EWTN was following OUR thread. Yes, it is best to leave it at that.
*****
But, WILL Francis give him a PAPAL FUNERAL with the triple coffins, stamps/coins & Novendiales? That would be telling. What do YOU think (& I know YOU want more coins)? Interesting. Thanks.
Until his death in 1983,the former “King of the Belgians” was still “His Majesty King Leopold III”,he just wasn’t “The King of the Belgians” after he abdicated.
I presume Vatican City has a similar notion.
(Now when will Francis fill that gaping “Pope Emeritus” vacancy?)
U.S. is the WORST. Everybody gets called by long gone titles. Trump is NOT President. Hillary is NOT Secretary. Benedict WAS NOT entitled to use his regnal title. I have covered. All a travesty.