Pope Francis Takes The Bus To Spiritual Retreat

Time ^ | March 10, 2014 | Alexandra Sifferlin

[NYer]

Pontiff dumps the Popemobile in favor of a more humble mode of transport

Pope Francis left the Popemobile at home on Sunday to travel by bus to a week-long spiritual retreat with cardinals and bishops.

The Pope is about to celebrate his one year anniversary, and will ring in the occasion on a Lenten retreat with the Roman Curia–the administrative branch of the Catholic Church. This year’s retreat is being held in the town of Ariccia, which is located in the hills of southern Rome. This is the first time in decades that the Pope’s Lenten retreat is held outside of Rome.

When asked about the Pope’s decision to take a bus, Vatican official Monsignor Mario Toso told the Associated Press that the choice of transportation “is something nice. It is the proof of the family, the caravan of God, serving humanity.”

[NYer]

A good example of the absurdity of media understanding of the pope, ping!

[SevenofNine]

That look like city bus NYER like Italy version of MTA bus here in SO CAL

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“Pontiff dumps the Popemobile in favor of a more humble mode of transport “

Great and good for him. It also tells you how much his actions stand in contrast to much of the Roman leadership.

[hinckley buzzard]

He recently convened the cardinals and ordered them to get out of their finery and adopt the simple blacks of a parish priest. This guy has a certain spirit that I like even though he needs to polish his message for a heterogeneous world.

[Alex Murphy]

Was it a big bus?

[ebb tide]

Another publicity stunt. Do a google search for “francis washing feet” and see how many close up shots you get of Francis doing his “humility” bit. Who parted the crowd for the many photographers, the Holy Ghost?

[gemoftheocean]

he’s too stupid to remember what happened 2 jp2

[gemoftheocean]

completely agree - wake me when the last hippy priest dies - these felt banner types wreckovated the churches and wittingly or not ended up aiding disbelief in the real presence. He’ll soon be using dixie Acups rather than a chalice

[NYer]

You posted the image on the wrong thread. It should have been posted to the megachurch thread.

[RichInOC]

That’s just ignorant. The Popemobile is for public appearances. This is a retreat. Unless he had scheduling or other good reasons not to, why wouldn’t he ride with his fellow retreatants?

[Cvengr]

Maybe Obama could take a hint and take the Greyhound on his next vacation.

[RichInOC]

If you mean the shooting, that happened when he was riding the Popemobile through St. Peter’s Square, not a bus.

[RichInOC]

Now that’s just crazy talk.

[Revolting cat!]

Before you know it the Catholic bashers are here foaming at their mouths!

In other news, encouraged by the example, president Obama has vowed to take a Trailways bus to Camp David.

[Jeff Chandler]

Maybe Obama could take a hint and take the Greyhound on his next vacation.

I'm expecting this any day from obama:

.

[SevenofNine]

OH that ugly bus LOL!

[Alex Murphy]

OH that ugly bus LOL!

It could have been uglier. It could have been a different bus.

Bill Moyers asks 'Is the Pope Getting on Board with “Nuns on the Bus”?'

[SevenofNine]

BILL Moyer is idiot LOL!

Only good thing about PBS is Downtown Abbey back in da day I used watch a lot of PBS especially Frontline and Masterpiece theatre with Alstair Cooke yeah I am that old school LOL!