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Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Religion From the Nazi Pope to the Godfather Pope?

Posted by Paul Constant on Tue, Mar 12, 2013 at 11:06 AM

After Pope Ratzi, I suppose nothing about the next Pope could be too shocking. But this comes close!

If the papal conclave were set up like college basketball's March Madness, Cardinal Angelo Scola would have been the overall No. 1 seed — perhaps until today. He is the archbishop of Milan and has long been seen as a safe pick for the next pope, having won favor among American cardinals and a handful of influential European ones. So what stands in his way? Well, there's that pesky anti-mafia investigation he has to deal with.

Go read the whole thing at the Atlantic. On the bright side, maybe a Pope with mafia ties would seem downright quaint when compared to the church's systematic coverups of sexual abuse and the hypocrisy of throwing gay orgies and then making life hell for gay people around the world. What's a little embezzlement next to that?

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I have the feeling they are panicked by the success of equal marriage in the last election and will pick an American. That would change the dynamic considerably, but wouldn't, in the end, help. There's just too much to be scandalized over these days.

Posted by Pope Peabrain on March 12, 2013 at 11:20 AM

Italy had a PM with Mafia ties for nearly ten years on and off, and nobody thought it was a problem. You need to shed this bias you have.

Posted by eclexia on March 12, 2013 at 11:22 AM

Also, remember when the mafia bombed the Uffizi galleria because Pope JP said priests should not officiate at mafia weddings? That sure turned PJP's hat around fast.

Posted by Pope Peabrain on March 12, 2013 at 11:31 AM

The Pope is the Original Don. The RC church a metaphysical protection racket.

Posted by Sir Vic on March 12, 2013 at 11:36 AM

The Mafia has a long history of running gay bars, including Stonewall Inn.

Posted by gttrgst on March 12, 2013 at 3:02 PM

Yes, let's continue to ignore the fact that the "Nazi Pope" grew up in Germany at a time when his enrollment in the Hitler Youth was conscripted. I don't have anything nice to say about this pope or Catholicism in general, but c'mon with this stupid bullshit.

Posted by More, I Say! on March 12, 2013 at 3:24 PM

I'm concerned that the Vatican might be a corrupting influence on the Mafia.

Posted by Proteus on March 12, 2013 at 4:01 PM