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PAPAL 'TERM LIMITS'
New York Post ^ | 3 February, 2005 | MARK BULLIET and ANDY SOLTIS

Posted on 02/03/2005 7:10:07 AM PST by Servant of the 9

Future popes will be required to retire at a fixed age, according to secret plans being discussed because of the recurring health woes of John Paul II, it was reported today.

Senior Roman Catholic Church sources said cardinals who will select the next pontiff have discussed the need to choose a successor who is open to a retirement age, most likely 80.

They said the cardinals want to avoid a repeat of recent years in which John Paul's ailments forced him to turn decision-making over to a small group of senior aides, The Times of London reported.

The creation of a retirement age would end a tradition that has lasted 2,000 years — that a pope serves until death.

Disclosure of the secret plan comes as officials said John Paul II's health had stabilized following his emergency hospitalization.

The 84-year-old pontiff will remain at a Rome hospital for "a few more days," mainly as a precaution against complications, such as pneumonia, the Vatican said.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Extended News; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: catholic; johnpaulii; pope; retire; termlimits
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To: visualops

Thats what Ive been saying about the Mass!


41 posted on 02/03/2005 8:35:38 AM PST by CouncilofTrent (Quo Primum...)
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To: murphE

I hope this never happens. I know of "retired" Popes and what happened to them, e.g. St. Celestine V (ironically, his feast day is my birthday.)


42 posted on 02/03/2005 8:38:05 AM PST by CouncilofTrent (Quo Primum...)
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To: Servant of the 9
revoking Papal supremacy?

The Times of London reported...

Well -it must be possible... BARF...

43 posted on 02/03/2005 8:38:30 AM PST by DBeers
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To: VisualizeSmallerGovernment
Kind of like Supreme Court justices that way, hunh?

-good times, G.J.P.(Jr.)

44 posted on 02/03/2005 8:54:23 AM PST by Do not dub me shapka broham (Black box bullet-heads.)
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To: Servant of the 9

That's right. Even the Vatican acknowledges that the ban on married priests is only discipline, not theology and it can theoretically be changed in the future. There were married priests in the early Church. Pius XII, who is generally considered to be the last great pope by traditionalists, allowed married Lutheran pastors who converted to be ordained Catholic priests.


45 posted on 02/03/2005 9:05:56 AM PST by Revenge of Sith
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Comment #46 Removed by Moderator

To: Servant of the 9

I don't think so. The Catholic Church changes slower than the government.


47 posted on 02/03/2005 9:24:05 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: kstewskis

Thanks for the ping.


48 posted on 02/03/2005 9:24:56 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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Comment #49 Removed by Moderator

To: Servant of the 9
I'm not Catholic, but I agree with you. If you believe there is a divine hand in the selection of a Pope, how can he just quit and go golfing in Florida at age 80?
50 posted on 02/03/2005 10:00:26 AM PST by colorado tanker (The People Have Spoken)
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Comment #51 Removed by Moderator

To: Servant of the 9
Time to bring up my proposal for Supreme Court term "limits":

18 year terms.

Each president selects 2 per term (one during each Congress).

Most senior is CJ, a largely figurehead position.

If a justice dies, resigns, or is impeached during his term, the president gets a bonus pick to complete that justice's term.

President may reappoint a retiring or retired justice. (Thus, it is not true term limits, but a vehicle to merely reduce the random luck of which Pres appoints more, and the resignation delay strategery.)
52 posted on 02/03/2005 10:11:59 AM PST by Atlas Sneezed (Your Friendly Freeper Patent Attorney)
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To: Rutles4Ever
Wow - is that all it takes? How about not admitting them in the first place?

Wishful thinking. Considering the poofs probably run some of the seminaries and are members of the hierarchy, it ain't gonna happen.

And, as much as I despise adultery, it is nowhere near as grave a sin as homosexuality.

53 posted on 02/03/2005 10:35:40 AM PST by buccaneer81 (Rick Nash will score 50 goals this season ( if there is a season)
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To: buccaneer81
Marriage would work no wonders among the priests. Only a thoroughgoing purge of fags at all ranks of clergy will do that. Excommunicate the miscreants on their way out the door. If you want REAL beneficial change in the US RCC or worldwide, use the following model for purging AmChurch:

1. Close every seminary in the US and replace them with four regional seminaries: NE, SE, NW, SW, to facilitate firing each and every seminary instructor, professor, queen mother, etc.

2. Place each of the four seminaries under its own John Wayne-style priest of unquestioned hardline orthodox views and discipline. The priest who ran the Arlington, VA, vocations office under the late Bishop Keating would be a good example. No liberal leaders in seminary. No liberal seminarians, either. No lavenders in any capacity. Orthodox Catholics only in every capacity including janitors. Anyone who is "searching" for his own sexuality needs to find a different and more fitting profession: from flower-arranging, to hair-dressing to strip club bouncer.

3. Retire each and every priest who does not meet the new standards. Bring in Third World actually Catholic priests tohandle resulting shortages. The Third World is overflowing with orthodox vocations.

4. No nuns in ANY capacity. The seminary must be a male preserve since the priesthood is to continue as a strictly male profession and because nuns have not performed well in seminary settings.

5. Psychiatrists and psychologists have no place in the world of the Catholic seminary. The RCC here must get a clue from William Coulson, now returned to Catholicism, who worked with the now-deceased Maslow and the now-deceased Rogers to consciously destroy the Catholic religious orders. Coulson lives in California and is attempting to undo the damage that he, Maslow, Rogers and others like them did four decades ago. Invite him as a speaker to your parish or to your K of C Council to explain the role of the generally Godless professions of psychology and psychiatry in the destruction of much that was Catholic in the US and elsewhere.

6. Purge non-cooperative or dissenting bishops.

7. Require that each member of clergy and hierarchy annually take the anti-Modernist oath of Pope St. Pius X or be suspended or renmoved from the clergy on non-rendition of that oath.

8. Create a new archdiocese for seminaries analogous to the Arcdiocese for the US Military. Name as archbishop the toughest and most orthodox hombre available and give him thorough authority.

None of this will likely occur under the admirably extraordinary John Paul II because he has grown frail and elderly. Look to the conclave that will elect JP II's successor to produce a thoroughly orthodox and vigorous young pope who can carry out such a program not only in the US but worldwide.

The dioceses which take care to enforce orthodox views are the dioceses with the vocations and good vocations they usually are at this point. Little Rockford usually has more than 45 seminarians and graduates as many as a dozen in good years. Those numbers far exceed those of most archdioceses like NY, Boston, etc.

Normal men do not invite the newspaper boy to stop by for a few drinks, some porno and whatever else may arise when the man's wife is out of town for a month. Normal men become priests and those who seek the priesthood in the Western rite should be quite as capable and disciplined (absolutely in each case) to avoid all forms of sexuality as they would be able to resist pursuing the newspaper boy (or altar boy).

The character of the priest and not his marital status is what will enable him to keep his vows.

54 posted on 02/03/2005 11:02:25 AM PST by BlackElk (Dean of Discipline of the Tomas de Torquemada Gentlemen's Club)
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To: Revenge of Sith

As one who is not Catholic, even if you mean well, you are biting off a lot more than you can chew trying to define what qualities may define a "traditionalist" Catholic much less trying to decide how RCC trads rate popes. Our internal strife on these questions is quite gory. You don't want to try to get in the line of fire on questions not your own.


55 posted on 02/03/2005 11:06:27 AM PST by BlackElk (Dean of Discipline of the Tomas de Torquemada Gentlemen's Club)
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To: Servant of the 9
Hey, it's just like Jesus did things with Peter, right?

"Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."

19 He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, "Follow me."

Oops. Maybe not.

56 posted on 02/03/2005 11:10:25 AM PST by siunevada
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To: BlackElk

I am Catholic and the term traditionalist in Catholicism is generally used to describe Catholics who oppose Vatican II. Pius XII is considered to be the last orthodox pope by traditionalists. Some traditionalists who are called "sedevacantists" even argue that there has never been a validly elected pope since Pius XII's death in 1958. I know that traditionalists aren't unanimous about Pius XII. The followers of Leonard Feeney hate Pius XII because he excommunicated their founder, who claimed that all non-Catholics are going to Hell. However, the Society of St. Pius X, the Society of St. Pius V and the sedevacantists all condemn "Feeneyism."


57 posted on 02/03/2005 11:45:00 AM PST by Revenge of Sith
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To: buccaneer81
And, as much as I despise adultery, it is nowhere near as grave a sin as homosexuality.

I didn't realize there were degrees of mortal sin. I think the outcome is the same.

58 posted on 02/03/2005 11:46:55 AM PST by Rutles4Ever (This is my tagline.)
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To: lupie

Catholic teaching is that the 3 hours Christ spent on the Cross are held outside of time and in Eternity. One Sacrifice for ALL Time and Space. The Catholic Mass opens up that Eternal moment for us. Also, Catholic teaching is that Christ in his Incarnate form sits at the right hand of the Father, but he is always at the right of the Father, he never left. He was always in Heaven even when he was on earth.


59 posted on 02/03/2005 11:54:08 AM PST by Gerard.P (If you've lost your faith, you don't know you've lost it. ---Fr. Malachi Martin R.I.P.)
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To: Servant of the 9
Yet the Church has married priests, in fact, married bishops that have come in from the Orthodox and Episcopal Churches. Who are they married to? Have Popes been wrong to accept them? Are they less capable of serving than purportedly chaste priests?

They're not wrong to accept them because this was their condition upon receiving the call to priesthood - like the Apostles. St. Paul was explicit in pointing out that single disciples should stay single since they're time and energy dedicated to their wife was time and energy cheated out of the Church.

60 posted on 02/03/2005 11:55:32 AM PST by Rutles4Ever (This is my tagline.)
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