Was Benny XVI A "Social Promotion?"

[Edgewater_Joe]

This article makes me wonder ...

http://beta.news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050421/ap_on_re_eu/pope_s_health&printer=1

Pope Benedict XVI predicted a "short reign" in comments to cardinals just after his election, and his brother said Wednesday he was worried about the stress the job would put on the 78-year-old pontiff.

Joseph Ratzinger has had ailments in the past, including a 1991 hemorrhagic stroke, that raise questions about how long his papacy will last — and whether the world will watch another pope slowly succumb to age and ailments on a very public stage. Benedict was the oldest pontiff elected in 275 years.

German prelates have expressed concern about Ratzinger's health. One young priest from Cologne, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press in Rome that Benedict has trouble sleeping and has a "delicate constitution." The pope's brother expressed a similar concern in a television interview.

The Vatican refused to comment Wednesday on Benedict's health, citing his privacy. The Vatican never officially confirmed Pope John Paul II suffered from Parkinson's disease until after he died at age 84.

Several cardinals, however, acknowledged that Benedict's term will be marked in years, not decades, and that he likely will not be the globe-trotting pope that John Paul became after taking the helm of the Roman Catholic Church at age 58.

Now I fully understand that there have been papacies that were supposed to be short and weren't, but knowing that Vatican politics can even make the Rove Repubicans and Neocons look like a sewing circle, I wonder if a few of the Cardinals decided to give the old man his due for doing all of JPII's dirty work -- and have already started lobbying for the REAL new papal reign in the next 1-5 years.

Frankly, I hope so. Even one year can cause a lot of damage.

As we all know being in Year Five of Operation MaulAmerica.

[DemoTex]

1. So who are the Braves playing tomorrow?

And at what time? Know whut I mean, Vern?

[El Supremo]

2. He is a very dangerous man. n/t

[MADem]

3. He is a transitional pope

All save three of the Cards are JP2 appointees, but ironically, unless they go to Rome alot, which most do not, they have not had much opportunity to 'jawbone' (to use a chimpspeak phrase) with their fellows in the College. Truth is, JP2 gave the Cards a load of individual rope, which some, like Law, used to hang themselves.

Now that they've met and hung out for a bit, perhaps they'll pick up the phone and chat with one another, keep in touch, do a little networking. Then you'll have a bunch of young bloods that are all on the same page, who will be able to stand up against the conservative oldtimers, and shove someone a bit more progressive in the mix during the next conclave.

A lot of the Cards were bitching slightly, because they didn't KNOW a soul, couldn't relate to the politics of the drill, and weren't insiders. I swear, the "hold the line" crew lined up a simple majority for Ratzinger, and said "We'll wait if we have to." The progressives figured out that they couldn't overcome that, because they didn't have the networking skills. So, if you are a Card, you just vote for the guy, rather than spend 12 days in St Martha's without TV or newspapers or phones. Hey, in Rome, you wanna hit the restaurants, absolutely!

From everything Papa Ratzi is signalling, he intends to just stay the JP2 course. Who he appoints to be "the enforcer" might be interesting, though.