www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Boost for superstitious: Sun to darken on day of pope's funeral

If any of this is true then the next Pope will come from this list:
Benedictines Consecrated Bishops [osb.org]

I don't think we can count on ArchBishop Rembert George Weakland OSB being elected Pope so that narrows the list a little.

Nyuk nyuk!

Oh, and this morning I heard an interview with L.A.'s Cardinal Roger Mahony -- he doesn't think it's likely that ANY American Cardinal will be elected, including himself. (which I think we already knew, but it was nice of him to say it himself! )

Braddah Myles and Sisstah Alice , aloha.

e' I dont lost my faith. Thanks for information regarding that website. But I continue posting and trying to make peace as much as possible. Satan always hateful... so I try to preach peace , love and forgiveness. Eventually , Mr,Hateful heart would change his heart like Paul on his way to Damascus to persecute the Christians. Thanks and mahalo...

Myles,

Once again I would recommend you do not call yourself a theologian. Studying as an undergraduate in theology does not a theologian make. This is the second time I have seen you make this claim. As someone studying theology, you know that the role of theologian is an ecclesial vocation, one which is specifically conferred -- not one which one claims for oneself.

Just introduce yourself to a new bishop sometime and tell him you are a theologian. I know what happens, I had a friend who did that (foolishly). The first question was: where did you go to become one?

As for the so-called "prophecies" of St Malachy. A study of their history and purpose indicates that they were originally satire for the time they were written, as a means of criticizing the current papacy. They were not predictions of the future. All one has to do is to see how vague, how Nostradamus like they are, to see they are openly interpretable to reflect anyone.

So many want to believe them, esp. in today's age, because they want to believe they are at the end. They want to believe they are special. I know many non-Catholic "we are living in the end times" types who proclaim them as a means of preparing people for the "Anti-Christ." The problem is Catholics, hearing it, believe it as well, esp if they want to believe they are in that special age (an egoism!), and so I fear many will not know what to do when they are shown to be wrong. I expect many will abandon the Church, also, because they will believe the soon to be current Pope to be the AntiChrist.

"We shall briefly mention a foruth type: fabricacted prophecies. We mean not simply those crude illusions and frauds which constantly recur in all the forms of superstitious investigation of the future already classified as the first type of prophecy. Rather, we have im mind examples such as the prophecies concerning future popes which are ascribed to St Malachy, or the 'prophecies of Lehnin'' (A Cistercian monastery in Brandenburg), or those of St Otillia. There is always a tendentious political or religious composition (often profoundly clever), which in the garb of prophecy propagates ideas of civil or ecclesiastical government and in some cases pronounces judgment on the past (which is presented as still in the future). We need say nothing more of fabricated prophecies, often as they have been believed and have swayed the thoughts and aspirations of men." Karl Rahner, Visions and Prophecies

I would like to see te day when Pope John Paul ll and Soloviev are declared saints, at least for the Russian Catholic community.
Much Love,
Jonn

Okie dokie Henry no more theologian, just student

Moreover, I'm sure nobody really takes this stuff as any more than an interesting aside. Fact of the matter is the gospel says nobody knows the time or the hour, and since I'm assuming everybody at this board knows this I reckon its unlikely they'll get their knick knacks in a twist over it.

If it helps any, the end times began when Christ died on the Cross and was Resurrected. So we have been living in the 'end times' for over 2,000 years.

I still find some of this stuff interesting. But, I don't get caught up in it.

I hang my hat on the words 'be prepared', if we are prepared then we have no need to be concerned. So we must be vigilent as the maids waiting with the oil in their lamps for the bridegroom to come, our house must be in order. We can't do it on our own since this only comes by God's grace. But if we are living in HIM and he lives in us then these times will come, the last days comes for all of us, just as they have for John Paul II.

May his memory be eternal+

God bless
Pani Rose

Myles, you got that one right! You would think the fate of the world hinged on the chatter occurring on this Forum - at least on some days. Other days, we are a little more realistic and don't take ourselves so seriously. Unfortunately, we do have a few - thankfully, very few - posters who have only two attitudes, ultra serious, and tedious. I'm glad you are neither.

With the number of unknown readers of the board, you do not know who takes what serious. I do know many people take the so-called prophecies of Malachy very seriously, and I fear to their own fall. They are ready for the end, and ready to denounce a pope when they think it is time...

(shrug) Well, there are more than a few people - not so much on this but on lots of other Catholic sites - denouncing THIS pope (for example: Bill O'Reilly), so what else is new?

The lack of concern for the spiritual well being of others, which is the concern to not be a stumbling stone for others, is noted.

Of course I'm concerned for the spiritual well-being of others. However, I refuse to be overly concerned about the fact that there always have been and always will be plenty of people around to denounce the Pope. My expression of concern or lack thereof on this board is not going to change that.

Prediction: The next Pope will be from Panama, Columbia, or Venezuela--the last three countries affected by today's solar eclipse.

Don't laugh--you heard it here first!

(Any Olivetans from those countries?)

Or from Italy, Germany, Ukraine, Switzerland, Poland, Belgium, Syria, France, New Zealand, Lithuania, Canada, etc., etc., etc.
Smile!