Tag: Pope Francis
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LEO – IRON FIST – VELVET GLOVES
When writing on an unfolding story one runs the risk of being overtaken by developments if its publication is delayed. Despite that we journos must be like the fools that enter where angels fear to tread. Five years ago I had made a prediction about Pope Francis’ successor in my book “The Jerusalem Code”. I…
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WHITE SMOKE, DARK CLOUDS, SILVER LINING
At 21:47 IST on 8th May I received a message from a priest friend in Rome that white smoke could be seen emanating from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. So we had a new Pope. Frankly, I was surprised at such a short conclave. Secondly, I was shocked that an American had been elected….
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PEDESTALIZING POPE FRANCIS
No buses or biryani for poor Pope Francis! Does this shock you? It should. From whatever I saw or heard around me it seemed like business as usual – jubilees being celebrated, board results being celebrated, even during the official 9 day mourning period. Familiar excuses, as at the wedding feast; “Come to the wedding,…
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AFTER FRANCIS, WHO?
(Extracts from the book “The Jerusalem Code” published in January 2021) Focus now shifted to the Camerlengo (the papal custodian till the election of the new pope). It was now his duty to follow the guidelines for the election of a new pope as specified in Universi Dominici Gregis (UDG), promulgated by Pope John Paul…
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THE HUG, UNPLUGGED
Has Pope Francis sold his soul to the devil? Oops sorry, I meant Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Christians in India awoke on Sunday (31st October) morning to see screaming headlines accompanied by a large photograph of Pope Francis and Narendra Modi hugging each other. It evoked mixed reactions. Going by those in the Catholic media…
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WILL POPE FRANCIS BE ASSASSINATED?
(A sequel to “Is Pope Francis a Heretic?”) Perish the man, or perish the thought? The first part is not entirely improbable, and the second is most desirable. What is the probability of Pope Francis being assassinated? Going by some trends in the church, and the history of the papacy, I would rate it as…
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POPE FRANCIS – ASTHMATIC, CHARISMATIC OR SCHISMATIC?
(Concluding part of the trilogy “Is Pope Francis a heretic?” And “Will Pope Francis be Assassinated?”) Pope Francis reportedly has only one functional lung. So is he asthmatic? With his energy levels at 82, that puts younger people to shame, I daresay that he is not. His loss of a lung has not diminished his…
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PEDESTALIZING POOR FRANCIS
Pope Francis completes 3 years of his papacy this 13th March. He is the darling of most Catholics (at least those who read)! And quite popular with the western media; though he does not seem to evoke the same level of interest in the mainstream Indian media. Cardinal Karol Wojtla of Poland, when he was…