this post was submitted on 21 Apr 2025
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[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

Breaking news: Pope Francis is still dead.

[–] [email protected] 415 points 1 week ago (40 children)

I am surpringly annoyed about Americans somehow finding a way to make this about themselves.

In reality I'm much more worried about the likely counterreformist pushback that is likely about to happen. We're about to find out if a remarkably powerful organization's leader was able to seed enough support to secure a politically aligned successor, and if the answer is "no" a bunch of organizations are about to get even more ruthlessly conservative at a time when a new strain of fascism is seeking moral support. The Catholic Church has been here before. It didn't go well.

[–] [email protected] 232 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

"Francis appointed nearly 80% of the cardinal electors who will choose the next pope, increasing the possibility that his successor will continue his progressive policies, despite the strong pushback from traditionalists."

https://www.reuters.com/world/pope-francis-has-died-vatican-says-video-statement-2025-04-21/

[–] [email protected] 84 points 1 week ago (2 children)

The catch is that he did not appoint by ideology. His appointments were mainly based on the guys doing work for poor people, for migrants, and on them doing their jobs in the global south.

Quite a few of these he made cardinals are somewhat conservative in their views, especially regarding sexuality

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[–] [email protected] 109 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (9 children)

Yeah. It's more than annoying, especially as it's the same old Vance joke again and again and again. Which isn't even clever.

I am not a Christian by any means but I worked with them quite often. Francis did change a lot of things and while he wasn't in no way perfect - he did have his drawbacks, for a fucking pope he was much better than anyone before him within the last few hundred years. People (especially on the internet)nowadays expect other people, especially political leaders to "check all their boxes" and if one thing is not going as far as they want, they are alienated.

Often I have the impression that as long as someone is not going "all the way" in the right direction they are seen as bad as someone who does not do anything at all or goes in the wrong direction. (Which is ironic because the church itself has evolved past the "saint or sinner" directive)

Francis has been going in the right direction probably 60% of the way and 10% in the wrong direction. Is the Catholic church there yet? No. Is there a big chance it might turn back? Yes. Would he been elected if he was so reformist it was sure he would topple everything and go 100%? Surely not.

But he did much more than any of his predecessors did.

Any much more most commenters do.

Besides: It's okay to feel sorry for an old man dying. That's called fucking compassion. I work in healthcare and have seen a lot of people die. I feel sorry for almost all of them.

In the end a human has died. Period.

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[–] [email protected] 42 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I don't expect a conservative backlash, on the contrary Francis's Pontificate has weakened the conservative wing considerably. Given that 80% of the voting cardinals were appointed by Pope Francis, I would expect them to elect a successor that continues in the same direction, perhaps even a more radical one.

During his pontificate Francis also made a lot of efforts to bring in new groups into the corridors of power. Not only by his appointment of cardinals, but also e.g. by reforming the Curia with Praedicate evangelium.

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[–] [email protected] 265 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Yeah, meeting JD Vance can be too much for anyone.

[–] [email protected] 85 points 1 week ago (1 children)

We should spread the news that Vance killed him!

[–] [email protected] 43 points 1 week ago

vance liz truss'd the pope

[–] [email protected] 45 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Honestly, it's not even hat far fetched. He probably denied visits because he was in bad health, yet Americans probably pushed to meet anyway

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[–] [email protected] 159 points 1 week ago (45 children)

I'm actually sad about this one. He was by far the best pope of my lifetime.

[–] [email protected] 112 points 1 week ago (3 children)
[–] [email protected] 89 points 1 week ago

True but he exceeded the existing bar by a lot.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 week ago (9 children)

Yes, but if the next one is a little better, and the next one, and the next one...

The church evolves very slowly.

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[–] [email protected] 137 points 1 week ago (3 children)
[–] [email protected] 70 points 1 week ago (2 children)

JD Vance: "How long have you worked here?"

[–] [email protected] 56 points 1 week ago

"Have you said Thanks, even once?"

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[–] [email protected] 126 points 1 week ago (5 children)

It's a true shame. Francis was the most "eco-socialist" pope we are going to get. Managing to offend entrenched conservatives deserves respect.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 week ago

As others have said, Francis also stacked the electors who will be deciding the next pope, so it is possible that his successor will also be just as progressive (well, progressive for the leader of a conservative religious institution, at least).

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[–] [email protected] 120 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I fucking hate you Vance, this is your fault!

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[–] [email protected] 115 points 1 week ago (2 children)

This is huge, pinning it for now.

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[–] [email protected] 114 points 1 week ago (17 children)

Guys. Joe Biden is Catholic. The Vatican has an opportunity to do the funniest thing ever.

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[–] [email protected] 109 points 1 week ago (1 children)

JD Vance visits the Vatican, the pope literally dies

I guess he didn't say "thank you"

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[–] Darkassassin07 78 points 1 week ago (13 children)

Pope is recovering;

  • meets JD Vance

  • dies a couple days later....

Hmm

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[–] [email protected] 76 points 1 week ago (3 children)

let's wait a couple days and see if he comes back

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[–] [email protected] 67 points 1 week ago (8 children)

He was an alright Pope in the end. Not a soulless bastard like Benedict.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 week ago (3 children)

He even opted out of the traditional, expensive papal funeral and requested to just be laid in state and then buried in a wooden coffin lined with zinc.

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[–] [email protected] 67 points 1 week ago (8 children)

The child in me kind of wishes he had passed on 4/20 Easter, but alas.

That being said, while I'm not religious I appreciate a lot (not all) of what this Pope has done. His Apostolic Exhortation on the Idolatry of Money, and the gross inequality wrought by capitalism is worth a read.

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[–] [email protected] 58 points 1 week ago (16 children)

Looks like it's time for another pope race. I would like to throw my hat in the ring. As a lapsed Catholic trans woman who's never so much as visited a seminary, I know I'm an unorthodox choice. But maybe it's time to mix things up. My central campaign planks? We're going to bring back indulgences and try to make the Papal States a thing again. Also, expect skits and improv sessions to have a big place in Catholic mass in the future!

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[–] [email protected] 56 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

"That was because he refused to welcome god-king JD vance in person!!!! God punished the pope for his impertinence!!!!"

- Some MAGA-Nut somewhere, probably

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[–] [email protected] 56 points 1 week ago (12 children)

Gfdi. I'm not religious, but knowing that Catholics are going to choose a new Pope, I can only look forward to more bad news of comformity to godawful world news in the form of a shitty New Pope who inspires and empowers all the shitty people.

Great, one more thing to make the world even worse.

[–] [email protected] 33 points 1 week ago (1 children)

There's some hope.... part of Francis' papacy involved him promoting more open-minded cardinals (who are the ones who choose popes) but we'll see

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[–] [email protected] 47 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Yeah, “guess I’ll die” is a normal reaction to meeting JD.

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[–] [email protected] 45 points 1 week ago (20 children)

This is sad. He was indeed a great pope. But, WTF did JD do?

[–] [email protected] 43 points 1 week ago (7 children)

Probably, he finished him...

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[–] [email protected] 41 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Pope: dies

Corpo God : "We are happy to announce the relocation of Pope Francis to his next steps within the company. We are thankful for their contribution for the last 12 years and we look forward to their future achievements. BR, management.

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[–] [email protected] 39 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Boy asks Pope if his atheist father is in heaven.

Humility, patience, kindness, grace, and rationality. Would that we should have more leaders like him in the future.

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[–] [email protected] 30 points 1 week ago (3 children)
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[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 week ago

May he rest in peace.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 week ago

Bring him back, take Trump instead

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