Everybody’s talking bout the Pope. Other than comments about the Popemobile and him riding in a Fiat, the gist of the conversation goes “I like how he’s shaking things up.” However, I did hear a radio commentator yesterday warn about getting too excited about all this as he summed up Francis’ tenure so far as “The music may have changed, but the words remain the same.”
In Buzzy’s Country Store, I’ve mentioned to a couple of folks how Popes need to be careful “shaking things up too much” as in the case of Pope John Paul I. Other than my Mom, no one I’ve mentioned this to seems to recall John Paul I. (And I’m talking to old farts like myself, so it’s not a matter that they were too young to recall this.)
Pope John Paul I died under mysterious circumstances just 33 days after he took over in 1978. This led to several conspiracy theories surrounding his death that he was poisoned (click here.)
Like John Paul I, Pope Francis is not only talking change on doctrinal issues, but he has also launched investigations into the Vatican’s finances (click here.) I am not suggesting that Frank is in any danger or anything, but he may be wise to have a food taster hanging around just in case. 