Posted on 11/19/2014 5:02:53 AM PST by Gamecock
VATICAN CITY Weve all received gifts we cant use or frankly just dont like. They get stuffed away in a back closet or sold. Some are eventually re-gifted to unsuspecting relatives or friends. But if you are the pope, getting rid of unwanted gifts is not as easy as that, what with the Spartan living conditions and protocol and all. So Pope Francis has found a way to turn the generosity of others into good luck for a few.
Starting this week, the Vatican is raffling off tickets for a chance to win unwanted papal gifts that Francis doesnt need. Raffle tickets cost 10 and can be purchased at a select few spots including the Vatican post office and at the Vaticans tourist and pilgrimage bureau in St. Peters Square. The winners will be drawn on January 8, which makes the raffle tickets the perfect Christmas gift.
The prizes are impressive and give a window into just what sort of presents people give the pope. The grand prize is a pristine white Fiat Panda 4X4 with full options. The second, third, and four prizes are bicyclesbaby blue, orange and gray respectively; and the fifth prize is a tandem bicycle built for two which begs the question of just who the giver of that gift thought the pontiff might be cycling around St. Peters Square with.
According to Romes Messaggero newspaper, which broke the story on Tuesday, the potential pontifical consolation prizes include an Illy brand capsule coffee maker, a HD digital camera, a silver picture frame, a Homero Ortega Panama hat, and a vast array of belts and comfortable shoes in the style the pope likes to wear. There are wallets, briefcases, and document holders, too. A Vatican spokesperson told The Daily Beast that the monogrammed items would not be included in the raffle at this time, though he didnt rule out that further raffles would be held if this one proves financially lucrative. There are even electronics like iPhone and iPod docking stations and an assortment of pricey pens intended for the pontiff.
The money raised in the holy raffle will go to the Popes main charity for the poor. The project is being overseen by Father Corrado Krajewski, a Polish priest who has been Franciss papal almoner since his election. Don Corrado, as he is known on the streets of Rome where he frequently distributes gifts of money, food, and clothing to the poor for Francis. Last week, Krajewski initaited a project to install showers for the homeless in the restrooms in St. Peters Square after meeting a man in Rome he had hoped to buy dinner for, who said he really wanted a hot shower instead. Rome charities estimate that there are around 8,000 homeless people in Rome.
Father Corrado also travels to poor areas around Rome to visit people in need to distribute money to pay utility bills, and past-due rents along with distributing rosaries and sacred pictures of saints, according to Messaggero, which says when Francis assigned him he told Krajewski.
You will not be a desk bishop desk. You'll have to be an extension of my me to bring a caress to the dispossessed and the last of the city, Francis reportedly told his good will angel. I can not get out of the Vatican but you will.
The papal raffle is expected to raise hundreds of thousands of euro and should easily clean the papal closets of hundreds of unneeded and unwanted gifts.
Oh i knew someone would show up to throw a bucket of excrement on what is a very nice, charitable gesture. Thanks for not disappointing me!
I must disagree. I think it is disgraceful. Those were gifts given to the Pope by heads of countries.
I think it is an insult to those countries.
Hey! He’s your Pope! Don’t blame me.
The Queen doesn’t keep all the gifts she receives from heads of state - she sends many of the gifts on to charities. And the President of the USA is not supposed to keep any personal items, either. I don’t know what they do with half the junk they are given. Well, of course, Bill Clinton regifted cheapie items to Monica.
I don’t see this as a particularly negative story about the Pope.
“similar to what a local pastor would do.”
Exactly. I think part of what this Pope is here to accomplish is to encourage vocations and inspire priests. He keeps making being a priest look like an interesting adventure. Something a young man with imagination and heart would aspire to. Not a lifetime of “making nice” with tepid parishioners.
Religion aside, I agree...
That's because the rest of the world knows that most of the wealth of the Vatican is thru ill gotten gains...
Oh i knew someone would show up to throw a bucket of excrement on what is a very nice, charitable gesture
But recall that this is the same man who publicly names Marxists as some of his good friends. (Birds of a feather flock together. Aesop?) And isnt it Marxism that time and again has destroyed beauty and esteem for the noble from society while destroying all mention and devotion to God?
I heard that Pope Francis has invited a Marxism icon who has a history of vulgar lyrics and all the worldly lustful antics found in rock music. She sings Power to the people a Marxist rant. See the article:
WHY PATTI SMITH?
Pope Francis Invites Legendary Punk Rocker to Play Christmas Concert at the Vatican
November 15, 2014 by Kathy Schiffer
Yesterday it was announced that Pope Francis invited - Snip - American punk rocker Patti Smith to play at the Vaticans Christmas Concert on December 13.
The concert, which will be held December 13 at Romes Auditorium Conciliazione, will be televised live.
- Snip - Patti Smith? I confess, Im not much of a follower of punk rock. Actually, punk rock and I have never been in the same room together.
So I did what I could to learn about Smith, to understand the gifts she brings to the Church which would qualify her for this great honor. I went to YouTube and clicked on the first Patti Smith song that came up. This is what I heardthe first line of the first song:
Jesus died for somebodys sins, but not mine.
- Snip - Immediately, my blasphemy antennae popped up .
In the same vein it is Judas Iscariot who disparaged the beautiful gesture of the woman who lavished upon Jesus a massive amount of expensive perfume. In Jesus defense of the woman, He says something very interesting: That wherever the gospel is preached that this womans deed would be remembered.
And yet it was reported somewhere that it is Pope Francis who said that one of the best ways to be really happy is to not proselytize. So maybe along the same vein he is trying to erase the thought of expressing extravagance for God.
Or at least he has no fear of causing others to act like Judas (who was a thief and betrayed Jesus) as well as disliked extravagance for the things of (and Son of) God.
I don’t even understand your post.
Oh, go away, you bore me.
Now wait a minute.
Haven't we been told time and again that priests take a vow of poverty and that the pope doesn't own anything, which is supposed to somehow justify his living in opulence?
So how can he raffle off what is not his?
Does he have permission from the owners to do that?
Now they’re become *relics* and people will line up to prayer before them and kiss them.
Really?
Who told you it was sinful?
Or that Protestants thought it was sinful?
Many of the people who post here do not believe in representation of the Christ figure - they’ve told me it is an abomination. One fellow suggested the entire Vatican be burned to the ground.
Not exactly art lovers.
How about providing links to said comments for purpose of substantiation?
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