http://www.bibleprobe.com/last10popes.htm
We may walk away from this link.
Name it superstition, nonsense, but we can say that about the faith too.
I was aware of the predictions.
Never took much notice ,until now.
A page could have been posted, remember this link is to words spoken over a thousand years ago, the predicted this Popes early departure.

Dear Belly,

I very much doubt if this will be our last Pope.
I would be more cautious about Catholicism's future.
As Paul Collins in his book, "Believers..." tells us:

"Certainly all of the evidence shows that in many places,
especially Africa and parts of Asia, the Church is
growing and will prosper, and there is no doubt in my
mind that it will continue to be a major force in the
next century. However, this does not mean that
Catholicism in specific places, like Europe or Australia,
might not be in trouble."

As Collins explains:

"Australians are not crass materialists, nor are they
secular, lazy beach-loving slobs. And the local branch
of Catholicism, while it may be seriously ill, is
not yet in its terminal stages. Benedict XVI's perceptions
about Australian "Godlessness" may be explained by the
fact that our religiosity is non-dogmatic, egalitarian
and simply doesn't take institutional authority seriously.
Australians are independent, sceptical and laid back.
What we don't agree with, we ignore."

This doesn't mean that Australians are not spiritual in
understated ways. As Collins stresses "Australians can be
surprisingly reverent in unexpected places, like the
bush...all the evidence suggests that there is a
strong belief in the transcendent; this is especially
true of those who are in touch with our country's
extraordinary landscape."

But, I've gone off track a bit here. Anyway, as I stated
earlier - don't write things off just yet.

It is a matter of public record *Belly* and I am quite sure that if you have an interest that you will be able to find it, notwithstanding that it was another one of those stories that received little air time and was likely pulled by way of the ugly australian guvment's largely unfettered power and influence when it comes to censorship, a fact which in and of itself is also given minimal if any public air time.

Still, I may assist as I am fond to provide citation, preferring evidenced based commentary.

The unfortunate political reality is that there are so many largely stupid and ignorant catholics and those of similar ilk that the guvment has not the moral fortitude to put the church down once and for all.

Which brings me to the so called royal commission. Given that the guvment continues to abuse people including children on the one hand and has refused to strip the church of its absurdly offensive "non-legal entity" status, and given that as any skilled librarian would know, most of these kinds of reports do little but end up collecting dust on the shelves of the off limits and uncategorised section of decrepit old libraries, I suspect that it will amount to very little in real terms.

As for the Greens, their continuing support for the ALP is unconscionable, as it is unacceptable to me for them not to act by binning the agreement they have with the ALP. Whilst the ALP may be the lesser of 2 evils, an evil they remain and they need to be stamped on.

Here *Belly* is an interesting start point for you:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/apr/13/pope-prosecution-dawkins

But there is a huge amount of information on the matter, so as you please.

Do consider noting the date on this particular article, and note also that Ratzinger did turn up and was personally greeted on the red carpet by *Lizzy* Of course if you understand the legal implications of such an act then, well, I rest my case.

..

As for Lexi, well, it is not that I suggest that the church is entirely devoid of merit, or that there is not some good in it and some good people. However, the head of the snake must be severed in order that that goodness may "spiritually" flourish.

If the time comes and you go beyond what may be a state of desensitisation brought about by the prevailing protocols of group social engineering, I should think that you have the innate potential for what we refer to as the "Free Priest/essHood," believed to not be ordained by people, but by Spirit, and indicated by, amongst other things, an inner desire to harmonise the opposing forces and to bring unity round about.

..

Another driver for his resignation of course may be an economic one, as now in Europe the church will be forced to pay taxes on all of its non churchy worldly property interests, resulting in a prediction of a serious debt crisis risk.

I often wonder if perhaps some commentators who
aren't well informed about Catholicism specifically,
and religion generally and are obviously influenced
by ecclesiastical stereotypes and caricatures should
simply refrain from making generalisations and sweeping
statements. As Barney Zwartz (The Age religion reporter)
points out:

"There are hardly any religion specialists in the media in
Asutralia, there is not instructor, and it's a subject
that often inspires strong passions."

Of course the sexual abuse crisis has done immeasurable
damage to the Church and trust is going to have to be
built up from the top down.

However the Royal Commission is a step in the right direction.
It will be looking across religious organisations as well as
state-based care. There's a need to get things on the table.
As Mr Abbott has stated, "We support it!"
and George Brandeis has added:

"There are no politics in this and the Opposition gladly
joins with the government in supporting the Royal Commission."

Hear! Hear!

Well, it may take some time to overcome the mentality produced by socialisation and childhood programming.

..

As a non legal entity, the churches wealth cannot be targeted in compensation claims.

So, who will pay for the shattered minds in need of specialist brain doping and psychological support? One assumes that any anal fissures have long since healed, but then, depending on how badly they were buggered, and of course, in absence of the complete medical facts.

The reality of the public system is that it is already well past being able to cope with the sharp edge of psychiatric emergency, let alone this. As my friend Mrs X is fond to quote, many are the times when as an outpatient she has waited for half a day or more, sometimes being forgotten and temporarily locked in, only to be confronted with some young intern who has be dealing with people "crawling up the walls," who is visibly shaken, distressed and stressed:

Brain Doper " ... Da Da Da ... "

Mrs X: " ... Just a script thanks Doc. ... "

Trainee Brain Doper " ... Da Da Da ... "

And as the private practising members of the A.M.A. (aka the A.ustralian $M.oneyGrubbers$ A.ssociation) insist on upwards of $AU300 per hour, it is only the privileged few that can afford both the time and the cost, thus, the victims will largely go without.

Of course, no doubt some wig parasites will have a feeding frenzy at the tax payers expense in this pitiful mockery of justice.

..

Lexi
" ... Of course the sexual abuse crisis has done immeasurable
damage to the Church and trust is going to have to be
built up from the top down. ... "

After they've hopefully cut off its head, arrested the bent priests and hopefully hung, drawn and quartered the lot of them.

..

Tsk, tsk, as you know what they have done don't you *Lexi?* The rock spiders in the liberal party care for little other than them and their own.

The veil that shrouds you begins to grow thin.