[curiosity]

But last year, Benedict fired his chief astronomer, Father George Coyne, after the American Jesuit priest made similar comments in The Tablet.

Wow! Talk about getting your facts wrong. Father Coyne retired because he was diagnosed with colon cancer (he's also 73 years old, so he would have good reason to retire even if he weren't sick). Either this journalist is incompetent or a liar.

[wideawake]

The Pope, of course, never fires anyone.

The Curia may accept a resignation on the Pope's behalf, of course.

But the Supreme Pontiff is hardly Donald Trump.