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Pope Francis I

Vatican scotches Frisky whisky joke by Francis.

Footage of the Pope holding up a bottle of Scotch and proclaiming it “the real water of life” was censored by the Vatican for a documentary about Scottish seminarians in Rome.

The broadcast featured him accepting a bottle of Oban 14 malt from a group of Scottish student priests at a reception at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace last year. Vatican officials insisted that quip by the Pope, 83, be cut from the film, which will be broadcast on BBC Scotland on Sunday.

Tony Kearney, the director, whose company Solus Productions made the one-hour observational documentary, Priest School, followed the seminarians over 18 months from 2018.

He said: “We filmed the students meeting the Pope in the Apostolic Palace. One of them was tasked with giving the Pope a bottle of malt, because they know he likes whisky.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/...water-pope-joked-to-trainee-priests-6dlrxftr0
 
ramonmercado said:
Vatican scotches Frisky whisky joke by Francis. Footage of the Pope holding up a bottle of Scotch and proclaiming it “the real water of life” was censored by the Vatican for a documentary about Scottish seminarians in Rome.
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The original gaelic word "Uisge" meant water, and the drink we call whiskey was along with all other distilled alcohols known as Aqua Vitae in Latin (water of life). It is interesting that people whose heritage can be traced to Skara Brae have a genetic mutation that allows them to drink whiskey without destroying their livers with amyl alcohols.
 
I hope Francis doesn't die laughing.

Irish comedians Ardal O’Hanlon, Patrick Kielty, and Tommy Tiernan are among 100 entertainers who are set to meet with Pope Francis at The Vatican this Friday, June 14.

O'Hanlon, from Co Monaghan, is perhaps most famous for his role as Father Dougal McGuire on the beloved comedy "Father Ted," while Kielty, from Co Down, took over as host of RTÉ's "The Late Late Show" last year.

Meanwhile, Tiernan, who was born in Co Donegal and later lived in Co Meath, has featured in the smash hit "Derry Girls" and also has his own talk show on RTÉ.

The trio of Irish comedians will be joined by several Irish American comedians as well - Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, and Jim Gaffigan are also set to attend the event on Friday, according to Vatican News.

https://www.irishcentral.com/news/irish-comedians-pope-francis
 
ramonmercado said:
I hope Francis doesn't die laughing.

Irish comedians Ardal O’Hanlon, Patrick Kielty, and Tommy Tiernan are among 100 entertainers who are set to meet with Pope Francis at The Vatican this Friday, June 14.

O'Hanlon, from Co Monaghan, is perhaps most famous for his role as Father Dougal McGuire on the beloved comedy "Father Ted," while Kielty, from Co Down, took over as host of RTÉ's "The Late Late Show" last year.

Meanwhile, Tiernan, who was born in Co Donegal and later lived in Co Meath, has featured in the smash hit "Derry Girls" and also has his own talk show on RTÉ.

The trio of Irish comedians will be joined by several Irish American comedians as well - Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, and Jim Gaffigan are also set to attend the event on Friday, according to Vatican News.

https://www.irishcentral.com/news/irish-comedians-pope-francis
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If they are collectively on form the pope could die laughing.
Black smoke before next week?
 
I hope the comedians contributed to his speech.

Pope Francis has become the first pontiff to address the G7, raising the promise and perils of artificial intelligence (AI) before the leaders of the world’s leading industrialised nations.

Francis addressed the group and other invited countries at their annual summit in southern Italy.

When he arrived, the room, which had been boisterous with delegations, went quiet as he greeted each of the G7 members and the expanded guest list.

Francis used the occasion to join the chorus of countries and global bodies pushing for stronger safeguards on AI following the boom in generative artificial intelligence kickstarted by OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

He challenged leaders of the world’s wealthy democracies to keep human dignity foremost in developing and using AI, warning that such powerful technology risks turning human relations themselves into mere algorithms.

https://www.breakingnews.ie/world/francis-becomes-first-pope-to-address-g7-1638370.html
 
Francis will not be happy when he hears about this..

Families' homes are being demolished near Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste, in the area where Pope Francis will celebrate mass next month.

Nearly 90 people have been told by the government that they must find somewhere new to live before he arrives, according to evicted residents who spoke to the BBC.

The Timor-Leste government denies the evictions are connected to the Pope's visit, insisting that the residents are living there illegally.

Authorities have spent around $18m (£13.6m) on the pontiff's three-day visit, which begins on 9 September.

“We are very sad," Zerita Correia, a local resident, told BBC News. "They even demolished our belongings inside the house. Now we have to rent nearby because my children are still in school in this area,” she added.

A spokesman for the residents said that 11 families will have been moved before Pope Francis arrives in Timor-Leste. The government has paid them between $7,000 and $10,000 for their homes
.
"The amount is not enough for each household to meet its needs," said Venancio Ximenes, speaking to the BBC

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgr31dzky2o
 
ramonmercado said:
Francis will not be happy when he hears about this..

Families' homes are being demolished near Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste, in the area where Pope Francis will celebrate mass next month.

Nearly 90 people have been told by the government that they must find somewhere new to live before he arrives, according to evicted residents who spoke to the BBC.

The Timor-Leste government denies the evictions are connected to the Pope's visit, insisting that the residents are living there illegally.

Authorities have spent around $18m (£13.6m) on the pontiff's three-day visit, which begins on 9 September.

“We are very sad," Zerita Correia, a local resident, told BBC News. "They even demolished our belongings inside the house. Now we have to rent nearby because my children are still in school in this area,” she added.

A spokesman for the residents said that 11 families will have been moved before Pope Francis arrives in Timor-Leste. The government has paid them between $7,000 and $10,000 for their homes
.
"The amount is not enough for each household to meet its needs," said Venancio Ximenes, speaking to the BBC

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgr31dzky2o
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Better if they'd forked out £13.6million on re-housing them!
 
Sid said:
That's Religion ~ versus Government for you, and vice-versa I guess!
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I think they wanted to move these people on anyway - and being able to blame the Father Francis makes them unable to be held to account. They hope.
 
Frideswide said:
I think they wanted to move these people on anyway - and being able to blame the Father Francis makes them unable to be held to account. They hope.
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I think in all probability that it'll backfire then?
 
Sid said:
I think in all probability that it'll backfire then?
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Why? The people are still moved and the backlash will be less for the autthoroties.. They can always say it was a misunderstanding but that time has moved on and there's nice shiny luxury villas there now...
 
Frideswide said:
Why? The people are still moved and the backlash will be less for the autthoroties.. They can always say it was a misunderstanding but that time has moved on and there's nice shiny luxury villas there now...
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The people are still moved, yes, but without some of the possessions that they had. And those nice shiny luxury villas are something they will not have the means for moving into, I would imagine!
 
Vid at link.

Watch: Pope seen without usual papal attire​

Pope Francis has been seen without his traditional papal attire as he visited St Peter's Basilica on Thursday.

The pontiff briefly stopped to greet visitors while sat in a wheelchair, wearing black trousers, a white long-sleeved shirt and a striped blanket draped around his shoulders. He also had an oxygen tube under his nose.

On Wednesday, he held a private meeting at the Vatican with King Charles III and Queen Camilla, where he wished them a happy 20th wedding anniversary. In images released by the Vatican, the Pope can be seen wearing his usual white papal attire - also called house dress.

The Pope, 88, was discharged from hospital in late March after five weeks of treatment and is recovering at the Vatican.

https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/cz01100gz1jo
 
The Vatican has to get a group together to destroy his ring due to it's special powers.

/ I feel like I may have seen this in a movie...

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/22/style/pope-francis-fishermans-ring-destroyed/index.html
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Now, as tradition dictates, the late pontiff’s signet ring will be destroyed — or defaced, at least — within the walls of the Vatican following his death, aged 88, on Easter Monday.

It is a ritual with practical roots. The Fisherman’s Ring and a pendant called the bulla traditionally served as official seals for official letters and documents known as papal briefs. New ones were issued to each incoming pope, and to prevent letters or decrees being forged posthumously, both would be smashed with a hammer upon his death. From 1521 until 2013, this is precisely what happened.
 
It comes up from time to time about the Church’s knowledge of UFOs.

There was talk since Pope Francis was unconventional and did things his way, ufologists were hoping that the Pope would talk about UFOs before he died.

But, alas not to be.
 
I'm astonished that, apparently, no previous pope has chosen the name 'Francis', considering the saint's importance in the history of Christianity and the overall 'message' embodied in his life. I would moan, even more and at length, about their perceived arrogance and worldliness* but I have to go out soon.


* I've read in a number of books that many cardinals are quite superior as regards their attitudes: some fancy themselves as philosophers or academics rather than clergy, and think that belief in God (and so on) is merely nonsense for the credulous and stupid masses. I am absolutely appalled at all this unmerited arrogance. It's not just a historical attitude ie. the attitude of, say, 16th-century cardinals either, it seems.
 
kamalktk said:
The Vatican has to get a group together to destroy his ring due to it's special powers.

/ I feel like I may have seen this in a movie...

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/22/style/pope-francis-fishermans-ring-destroyed/index.html
--------------------------------------
Now, as tradition dictates, the late pontiff’s signet ring will be destroyed — or defaced, at least — within the walls of the Vatican following his death, aged 88, on Easter Monday.

It is a ritual with practical roots. The Fisherman’s Ring and a pendant called the bulla traditionally served as official seals for official letters and documents known as papal briefs. New ones were issued to each incoming pope, and to prevent letters or decrees being forged posthumously, both would be smashed with a hammer upon his death. From 1521 until 2013, this is precisely what happened.
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This reminds me of that time Frankie Boyle roasted some poor young lad in his audience, calling him Frodo because of his hair cut:

" .... Frodo .. why did I call you Frodo? ... I don't know, maybe because you look like you've had your ring destroyed?."
 
I am just reading the latest FT about the late Pope and The Passover Effect. Surely this is terminal lucidity.

I personally witnessed this with my mum. She went from passing away, not conscious to fully aware and fully conversant. As predicted by a nurse in the home her health dropped suddenly and she passed away.
 
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