But no, there's nothing to those rumors about the Pope and his sudden resignation

The Pope resigns, suddenly, rather shockingly--the first time one has done so in what? 600 years and there are rumors of accusations and scandals but no, no, there's nothing wrong or going on behind the scenes, no, certainly not.

Except again, very suddenly and abruptly, there's this shocker this morning:

Cardinal Keith O'Brien Resigns Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations

So, the 85 year old Pope resigns, suddenly, shockingly, all of a sudden, going against deep set, very long term, centuries old Catholic rules and law and tradition, even though he looks pretty darned healthy and after all, it's got to be one of the cushiest jobs on the planet and now, as the entire Catholic Church is gearing up for one of their most important jobs, internally, that of electing a new Pope when, again, all of a sudden, a Cardinal--one of the few people on the planet who are supposed to do this oh-so-important task YET HE HAS TO RESIGN, ABRUPTLY, JUST BEFORE THIS CONCLAVE? 

And nothing's wrong inside the Church?

Nothing's going on?

We're supposed to believe that?

And he's not the only Cardinal of the Church, either, who's beset with or by some scandal--sexual, at that, oh, no.

The BBC says that:

"The resignation of Britain's most senior Roman Catholic cleric in the wake of allegations of improper behavior creates a crisis for the Church in Scotland, and represents a heavy blow to the wider Church as it battles to shore up its reputation ahead of the papal election or 'conclave.' The conclave is already expected to be difficult in the circumstances created by Pope Benedict's unprecedented resignation. The Vatican is also struggling to deal with reports of internal corruption and mismanagement."

Then there's Cardinal Roger Mahoney and his sexual abuse cover up. This article from a Catholic media outlet:

Cardinal Mahony hit hard by document release

And these, also from Catholic media sources, not "outside attackers":

Catholics urge Cardinal Mahony to "Stay home" during Papal Conclave next month

 

Italian prelate hopes Cardinal Mahony will stay home from conclave

 

And then there's also this Cardinal and his problems: 

N.Y. cardinal questioned in Milwaukee sex-abuse cases  

 

Finally, at least here, today, lest anyone think this is rather "small potatoes" within the Church, this is how bid a deal this is:

Pope changes Church law

 

To react to this seeming scandal, The Pope is having to change internal, centuries-old Catholic law, just to get done what he and his no doubt closest advisors feel needs to be done so they can get beyond the scandals as quickly as possible and sweep everything under a figurative rug.

It very much reminds me of the line from "The Wizard of Oz":

 

"PAY NO ATTENTION TO THAT MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN!!"

Anyone who knows me, at least anyone who knows me closely (or follows me on Facebook, heaven forbid--no pun intended) knows I think we should Sell the Vatican, Feed The World!

That Feb. 15 announcement from the Vatican and Pope

I had written here, earlier, that there was expected to be an announcement this past Friday, February 15 from the Vatican, regarding the Pope, after his resignation. The ITCCS, the International Tribunal into Crimes of Church and State, made the following announcement, after the Vatican's:

Exclusive Breaking News: Friday February 15, 2013
12 midnight GMT

An Urgent Update from the International Tribunal into Crimes of Church and State (ITCCS) – Brussels

Rome:

In a statement to Reuters today, Vatican officials announced that Joseph Ratzinger will remain a permanent resident of Vatican City after his resignation. Doing so will offer him legal protection from any attempt to prosecute him in connection with sexual abuse cases around the world, Church sources said today "His continued presence in the Vatican is necessary, otherwise he might be defenseless".

This startling admission of guilt by the church is also a direct obstruction of justice, and lends more weight to the charge by the ITCCS and others that the Vatican has arranged with the Italian government to shield Ratzinger from criminal prosecution, in violation of international laws ratified by Italy.

Commentary:

The Vatican decided today to give permanent sanctuary to a proven war criminal by allowing Joseph Ratzinger to obstruct justice and evade prosecution for crimes against humanity. And the government of Italy is colluding in this abrogation of international law.
This decision validates our claims about the criminal conspiracy surrounding Ratzinger and his Vatican co-conspirators. It also makes it clear that the Vatican is a rogue power that is flaunting every law to conceal its own criminality.

In response, the ITCCS calls upon its affiliates and all people of conscience to use our upcoming Easter Reclamation Campaign to converge on Rome and the Vatican to force the extradition of Ratzinger from Vatican City, and place him and his accessories on trial for crimes against humanity.

Commencing Sunday, March 24, 2013, our activists and others will begin an escalating series of Catholic church occupations and seizures of church property to bring about Ratzinger's extradition and reclaim stolen wealth from the criminal corporation known as Vatican Inc. – in the name of the legion of their victims, both living and dead.

.. and from Kevin Annett – The Rat Scurries Back to Vat!

Those whom the gods destroy, they first drive insane. Especially, it seems, in Rome.

Why would the oldest and wealthiest institution on our planet deliberately prove what its critics say about it, by first tossing their leader, a proven crook, out of his office after he's threatened with arrest, and then giving him shelter to avoid prosecution? That's the kind of panic and illogic displayed by a junior document-shredder, not a credible or wise body of men.

And that gives all of us hope.

Rome's incredible admission that they can't have the Pope stand trial has strengthened our cause and legitimacy enormously,  proving that no matter how big is your guilty opponent, provoking him for long enough will cause him to destroy himself by his own fear and stupidity.

Protecting Ratzinger within the walls of the Vatican may halt justice for a moment, but it violates a basic rule of warfare, which is to never give your enemy a permanent focus for their attack.

Ratzinger, the evil Emperor, now a permanent fixture in the Vatican? The absurdity of offering such an ongoing focus to the civilized world's hatred of catholic criminality is also a sign that the church is adrift and improvising. But it also shows how genuinely worried is the Vtaican about the legal offensive mounted by our affiliates, lawyers for torture survivors, and the International Criminal Court.

The Vatican is pulling out all stops to keep Ratzinger out of court. Their loyal, one-man owned Italian media is assaulting the crap out of yours truly and our ITCCS these days, playing the "Deny, Distract and Discredit" strategy of any damage-controlling corporation.

Tottering Liz Windsor, aka Queen of England, is making a special and unprecedented trip to Rome on March 6 to kiss the ring, or other parts, of the new CEO of Vatican Inc. And Italian President Napolitano is meeting with President Obama today in Washington to undoubtedly line up more American backing for the Pontiff – not that Obama needs much encouraging, having stood loyally behind Ratzinger's claim of "diplomatic immunity".

But all to no avail, ultimately. When the Bloody Emperor stands naked, only our illusions keeps him protected and immune from the final accounting that is coming.

The tornado that followed my first exorcism outside the Vatican in 2009, and the lightning that struck it on the day of Benedict's resignation, were not accidental. Joe Ratzinger should know from the history of his own former SS buddies that criminal institutions can run, but they can't hide – even behind all the wealth and pomp in the world.

Link:  http://itccs.org/

More rumblings of scandal with the Pope

Links to some of the stories:

Did child sex abuse scandals end a papacy?

On Monday, February 11th, Pope Benedict XVI informed the world he would be resigning his papacy effective February 28th, 2013 citing declining health as his reason for stepping down. This highly unusual act of abdication has only happened five times in history and only once has failing health been cited as the reason as all Pope’s generally die in office. (Pope Benedict’s resignation brings end to paradoxical papacy)

But another possible reason has surfaced; the unprecedented number of cases of child sexual abuse by priests that have hit the Vatican since Pope Benedict XVI became pontiff in 2005. Speculation abounds on this possibility after the February 2nd airing of a documentary on HBO by filmmaker Alex Gibney; Mea Maxima Culpa.

from-conspiracy-theory-to-fact-pope-seeks-immunity

In Did Child Sex Scandals End a Papacy?, I outlined a long list of evidential information regarding child sex abuse scandals within the Catholic Church specifically related to being under the jurisdiction of then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger/soon-to-be-ex-Pope Bendedict XVI.

The information painted a twisted, sordid trail and seeming cover-up all the way to his desk.

Some claimed it was an interesting ‘conspiracy’ theory, however, as of February 14th, a new report has emerged out of the Vatican that Pope Benedict is seeking immunity from the Italian government from prosecution for complicity in those child sex abuse cases and more.

AllVoices.com reports that the International Tribunal Into Crimes of Church and State cites a letter directed to the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano referencing the Pope’s scheduled meeting with him set for February 23, 2013 where he will formally request protection from prosecution and immunity for what the ITCCS calls “his proven complicity in concealing child trafficking in his church and other crimes against humanity”.

Why did the pope really resign? Child sex crimes, lies and pleas for immunity (video

When I heard that the pope was resigning because of failing health, I almost laughed out loud but this laughter was not one with mirth -- rather, it was loaded with heavy sarcasm.

You see Pope Benedict, the Catholic Church and I go way back, for I have long been in awe of their power and high hypocrisy — so much in awe, that I’ve written several articles on their massive, wide-reaching cover-up on child sex abuse, their stance on birth control, abortions, HIV-AIDS and capitalism.

As the general media blanketed televisions, newspapers and the Internet with wall to wall coverage -- almost canonizing the Pontiff and showing faithful followers weeping at their infallible leader leaving — I started digging.

The Catholic Church has over a billion in its fold, with the Vatican wielding incredible power and wealth. For centuries Vatican City has been above the law and child molesting priests, untouchable. Until recently, when the angry roar of victims started to rumble across the globe, which some law makers couldn’t ignore anymore. A few child molesting priests started facing prosecution instead of the usual solution of "reshuffling" the church had previously used — moving those criminal monsters from parish to parish, where they continued to hurt children.

So when a pope suddenly resigns with a 600 year gap between the last, we know health doesn’t have anything to do with it. If the Catholic Church upholds nothing else, they cling to tradition religiously. (Pun unintended).

For additional links from this article, just above:

Pope Secrets Come To Light After Resignation Bombshell

Pope accused of crimes against humanity - Telegraph

This one from NBC News:

'Woefully inadequate' or a 'great reformer': Child sex abuse

Then, on top of all that, another, different scandal broke today:

German appointed to head scandal-hit Vatican bank

(Reuters) - The Vatican appointed a German lawyer to head its bank on Friday, but the bid to turn the fortunes of the scandal-hit institution was clouded by his business links to a military shipbuilder.

We shall see what we shall see, in all cases.

The Pope's last mass? Already?

The Pope quits on---what?--the 12th of February, suddenly, announcing he'd be out a the end of the month, February, 2013--two weeks later, roughly. The first pope to do so in 600 years. 

Wow.

Then, he gives his last Catholic service, his last mass, on the 13th.

He still has two weeks to go to the end of his service.

Another wow.

I have to think he's either terminally ill with a very short time fuse on it or something fishy--terribly fishy--at the Vatican.

This is what bears watching:

Pope Benedict Resigned to Avoid Arrest, Seizure of Church Wealth by Easter

Supposedly, there may be an announcement tomorrow, Friday, February 15.

We shall see.

In the meantime, in the development of this whole story, there's this:

 

Pope's Resignation May Make International Prosecution Easier

 

As Alice said, it keeps getting curioser and curioser.

Link: Pope Celebrates Last Public Mass as Pontiff

ERMAGERD!! Pope blasphemes Capitalism!

Finally, finally, he takes an intelligent stand on a current day issue:

BBC News - Pope's new year address deplores rampant capitalism

While I applaud this stance of his, certainly, it kills me he doesn't see his own, gaping hypocrisy.

 

And then there's the whole problem with this it creates for most Americans but that's another issue.

 

 

Yet another Catholic Church shocker

According to an online news magazine, Worldcrunch, the Catholic Church is not just another business but they also own a pornography distibuting company, too:

Catholic Church Makes A Fortune In The German Porn Business

"'Weltbild,' Germany’s largest media company, sells books, DVDs, music and more -- and also happens to belong 100% to the Catholic Church. Few people knew about this connection until this month when Buchreport, a German industry newsletter, reported that the Catholic company also sells porn."

But wait!

There's more!

There's much, much more!

The article goes on to point out: "The Church also owns a 50% share in publishing company Droemer Knaur which produces pornographic books, and so indirectly is also a publisher of pornographic material, titles including 'Nimm mich hier und nimm mich jetzt!' (Take Me Here, Take Me Now!), and 'Sag Luder zu mir!' (Call Me Slut!)."

So if you weren't disgusted before now by the Catholic Church's ability to sexually and/or physically abuse students, children and other members of their very own church--and then defend themselves against it, for centuries, all over the world, repeatedly--this might do it.

Link: http://www.worldcrunch.com/catholic-church-makes-fortune-german-porn-business/3995

Our institutions are failing us

When it comes to Americans and our government, it seems we share a great deal with Catholics and their hierarchy and leadership. That is, it seems the people are good and well-meaning and well-intentioned and hard-working but the leadership and so, the respective institution is failing the people, the followers, if you will, they are supposed to be leading and working for. In far too many states and in Washington, D.C. with our national Congress, there is divisiveness, demagoguery and stalemate instead of progress. In the Catholic Church, unfortunately, far too much time and energy and assets--money--have gone to first, sadly and shockingly, physically and/or sexually abusing children in their schools and then, to make matters worse, covering up those activities and defending the abusers. It's so tragic and unnecessary, unproductive and even ugly. What has happened? Why are both of these two institutions failing us, failing the people they are supposed to be serving? It seems one possibility is that both are victims of their own success. Maybe another is that we, the people, have become lazy and don't expect and demand enough of our leaders though I am always loathe to "blame the victim", as that 2nd possibility seems to bring. We need to take our institutions back, in each case. We need to be in charge. We need to speak up and make clear what should happen--and what must not. Links: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/13/us/catholic-church-pressures-victims-network-with-subpoenas.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all; http://kileyrae.tumblr.com/post/7961222388/ny-times-op-ed-a-deadlocked-congress-has-become

Americans for gay rights

From The New York Times Sunday:

Last month, the Public Religion Research Institute, a nonprofit group, reported that 74 percent of American Catholics surveyed supported the rights of same-sex couples to marry or form civil unions (43 percent and 31 percent, respectively). The telephone survey asked more than 3,000 adults to choose among three options: whether gay couples should be allowed to marry, should be allowed to form civil unions or should receive no legal recognition. By comparison, 16 percent of white evangelical Christians approved of same-sex marriages; 24 percent approved of civil unions. Among the general public, those rates climb to 37 and 27 percent, respectively — still lower than among Catholics.

And okay, that's the good news.

But my question is, who really, ultimately cares what Catholics think about gays, gay rights and equality for same-sex couples when they aren't even for equality for women?

I mean, come on.

Does this make sense?

Do we really need to care what these people think?

Link:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/24/fashion/24Noticed.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=For+Catholics%2C+Open+attitudes+on+Gay+Issues&st=nyt

More Vatican scandals--this time apparently without sex

Just off the internets: Italian police seize $30 mln from Vatican in probe By NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press Writer VATICAN CITY – Italian authorities seized euro23 million ($30 million) from a Vatican bank account Tuesday and said they have begun investigating top officials of the Vatican bank in connection with a money-laundering probe. Money laundering?? At the Vatican?? But wait! There's more! For real rich hypocrisy, get a load of the name of the bank: The Institute for Works of Religion! Isn't that a howl? Lastly, today anyway, check this out: In the 1980s, it was involved in a major scandal that resulted in a banker, dubbed "God's Banker" because of his close ties to the Vatican, being found hanging from Blackfriars Bridge in London. It sounds like a ready-made movie for Tom Hanks and/or Leonardo DiCaprio. Not to be left out, there seems to be a US connection, too: In Tuesday's case, police seized the money from a Vatican bank account at the Rome branch of Credito Artigiano Spa, according to news agencies ANSA and Apcom. The bulk of the money, euro20 million ($26 million), was destined for JP Morgan in Frankfurt, with the remainder going to Banca del Fucino. Check out the details of the 1980's scandal, too: The Vatican bank was famously implicated in a scandal over the collapse of the Banco Ambrosiano in the 1980s in one of Italy's largest fraud cases. Roberto Calvi, the head of Banco Ambrosiano, was found hanging from Blackfriars Bridge in London in 1982 in circumstances that still remain mysterious. London investigators first ruled that Calvi committed suicide, but his family pressed for further investigation. Eventually murder charges were filed against five defendants, including a major Mafia figure, and they were tried in Rome and acquitted in 2007. Banco Ambrosiano collapsed following the disappearance of $1.3 billion in loans the bank had made to several dummy companies in Latin America. The Vatican had provided letters of credit for the loans. While denying any wrongdoing, the Vatican bank agreed to pay $250 million to Ambrosiano's creditors. The late Archbishop Paul Marcinkus, an American prelate who headed the Vatican bank at the time, was charged as an accessory to fraudulent bankruptcy in the scandal. Let's see, the Vatican wasn't guilty but did pay a quarter of a billion dollars at the end of this scandal. Sounds pretty guilty to me--how about you? Then there's this sticky little problem for the Vatican: Last year, a U.S. appeals court dismissed a lawsuit against the Vatican bank filed by Holocaust survivors from Croatia, Ukraine and Yugoslavia who alleged it had accepted millions of dollars of their valuables stolen by Nazi sympathizers. My first thought was, the Vatican would say they were totally clean and no way guilty of this, right? Oh, no. Instead, they took this path, to "clear" themselves: The court said the bank was immune from such a lawsuit under the 1976 Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which generally protects foreign countries from being sued in U.S. courts. How pathetic is that? They did not--apparently could not--undeniably say they did such a disgusting thing as take Jewish valuables during the Holocaust so they just said they had diplomatic immunity, instead. So much for doing right by one another, eh, Pope? Finally, there's this: News of the investigation came just after Benedict wrapped up a difficult trip to Britain and as the Vatican still reels from the fallout of the clergy sex abuse scandal. Ain't dat a dang shame? Pass the popcorn! This just gets better and better. Link to original post: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100921/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_vatican_bank