signalled his wish to get closer to his 1.2 billion followers by swapping the bullet-proof Popemobile for an open-top jeep" (Evening Standard).
"abandoning the bullet-proof popemobile often used by Benedict". ( The Independent)
In another sign of the informality that is already a mark of his papacy, Francis abandoned the bullet-proof popemobile frequently used by his more formal predecessor Benedict, to tour the square. (Sky News)Do these reports sound strangely similar to you? 'bullet-proof Popemobile'. I find the level of 'reporting' to be risible. Another example; the article on the Independent's website claims to have been written by Phillip Pullella & Catherine Hornby (although the credit 'Reuters' appears at the bottom of the piece) & includes the line:
For the mass he wore plain white vestments, trimmed with gold and brown, and black shoes, in contrast to the luxurious red loafers that attracted attention under Benedict.Whereas Sky News Website, under the byline 'By Sally Arthy in Rome', contained this sentence:
Francis wore a plain white papal cassock and black shoes in contrast to the luxurious red loafers that attracted attention under Benedict.
Is it shoddy journalism or plagiarism? I won't bore you by listing the factual errors in the various reports, but by the 'surprise' expressed that the new Pope should stop to kiss babies I doubt that any of these 'reporters' had done any 'research' at all. But to judge by the hatchet job they are doing on him you would be forgiven for thinking that Pope Benedict actually ate babies!
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| The Holy Father stops to kiss a baby |
His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
His Holiness Blessed John Paul II
His Holiness Pope Paul VI
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And that other refreshing "novelty" - the open car without bullet-proof glass:
Spot the difference!
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| Pope Benedict ready to receive incoming fire! |
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| Blessed John Paul II - now he should know better!!!! |
No sign of that pesky bullet-proof glass here either!
Here is the Servant of God Pope Pius XII even managing to bless a baby without being shot at!
Though not all open top cars are the same!
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I had already noticed a subtle attack, diminution, of Pope Benedict XVI in the press reports about Pope Francis. Just wait a short while until they turn on Francis as well!
ReplyDeleteThe crowds love it - but the babies all seemed a bit uptight?
ReplyDeleteSpot on Father. God bless Pope Francis - who is walking in the footsteps of the great and humble Popes who have gone before him.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post!
ReplyDeleteThank you.
Marvellous post! At least the Telegraph has done some Popemobile research: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/9940514/Is-the-Popemobile-a-second-hand-car.html.
ReplyDeletePretty much all coverage over the last few weeks , has been hair-rippingly bad to say the least !
ReplyDeleteHysterical, and spot on. Thanks for posting this.
ReplyDeleteIt's not just the press, though, Father. A certain English Archbishop twice yesterday in the mainstream media referred to the absence of "pomposity" that has already been witnessed under the reign of Pope Francis. So what was he getting at?
ReplyDelete"Luxurious red loafers"? Are these "journalists" by any chance aware that by custom and tradition the pope's shoes are always red, always custom made by the same family . . . and that custom made shoes are a little difficult to make in less than a week? Francis has been a little busy for a visit to the papal cobbler in any event. He should celebrate mass barefoot?
ReplyDeleteWe were informed by a reporter on Radio 4 yesterday that Catholics believe the "sacramental bread symbolizes the Body of Christ". This is a mistake of an entirely different order.
ReplyDeleteThe answer to your article dear Father is …. Veritas mortuus est!
ReplyDeleteReading one of the Sunday papers I found this excitable quote from some ditzy ‘Rome Correspondent’:
“…..Yet there is a genuine air of hopefulness around St Peter’s Square. One Vaticanista, as the Vatican watchers and correspondents are called, said: ‘Francis is a breath of fresh air. He’s said more in 15 minutes than Benedict did in eight years. Everything about this guy is different – it’s like a whole new world. He’s the real deal.’……”
I beg your pardon Mr/Mrs/Ms/Rvd. Vaticanista? What utter tripe!
They obviously haven’t read our beloved Pope Emeritus’ books on Jesus of Nazareth or his three beautiful encyclicals. Why, because they were probably too busy worrying about his red shoes and his designer sunglasses!
I would be interested to know if the said quoted person/people (either real or very possibly imaginary) owns a pair of good ‘decent’ shoes or a pair of decent sunglasses?.
The wheels have well and truly fallen of the media bandwagon!
You begin with Pilate's question to Jesus. We always have comfort in the answer: its anagram. Vir est qui adest.
ReplyDeleteI have the advantage to have European access to Tv2000 which is a CTv channel and was vastly entertained and informed by the insight into the Argentine Cardinal and how he performed his duties as Archbishop of Buenos Aires.I was truly shocked turning to Channel 4 especially John Snows' ridiculous parody that there were 6 sets of Papal cassock available to the new candidate. Even the Economist was able to display the 3 sets pre prepared in a photograph! News nights BBC2 main news programme was equally lacking in background information or historical precedent.Very disapointing
ReplyDeleteI notice that what Francis has resurrected is star appeal, directly through his humility and his interface.What was obvious in the Saturday Castel Gandolfo meeting between Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict was how the health of Benedict has dramatically worsened.He walked with the aide of a stick almost shuffling and looked extremely frail. Many people including a village priest in the diocese of Genoa have taken umbrage of HH's retirement in fact the moron burnt a photograph of Benedict during his sermon. The reality is that we should be grateful to a man who recognised his personal frailities and for the good of the Church stood aside.Surely an act of supreme love and sacrifice!