Francis Resigns!

[Ben Kenobi]

http://www.news.va/en/source-1/osservatore-romano

Pope Francis warned Christians of the risk of falling into “inner blindness” which closes the heart to the grace and light of God. He said this at the Angelus on April 1st in St Peter's Square, speaking about the Gospel passage of the healing of the man born blind. There he underlined that the life of believers “similar to that of the doctors of the lay: from the height of our pride we judge others, and even the Lord”. He then invited us to examine our conscience beginning with chapter 9 in the Gospel of John: “read this story of the blind man who gained his sight and of the presumptuous believers who drown in their blindness”.

After the sermon and mass had concluded, Francis returned to the balcony at St. Peter's square to hold an impromptu conference. He then spoke that he felt unworthy to carry the mantle and the burden of the Papacy and was restoring it to the rightful holder of Pope emeritus Joseph Ratzinger.

"It is time. Papa Ratzinger is feeling well and there is no need for me to stand in his place. I am returning that which he has given up and restoring Benedict effective immediately."

Joseph Ratzinger was unavailable for comment, but it is rumored he has already left for Rome.

[AAAAAAAAH!]

Hilarious.

[ZEE]

APril Fools.

[regexcellent]

Hilarious.

[rah]

Yes, ben is the expert on judging others.
And of course he's a fool.

[Lancer]

Which...is a judgement.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I think its funny that Ben's April Fools joke is basically his own wish fulfillment wet dream.

[molly bloom]

is basically his own wish fulfillment wet dream.

Thanks very much for that lovely image. Do you have a good supplier of mental floss yourself ?

In funnier news, Pope takes bishop, checkmate :

Pope Francis has permanently removed a German bishop who has been called the 'bishop of bling' from his diocese amid criticism of his €31m (£26m) residential complex.

Francis had temporarily expelled Monsignor Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst from Limburg in October pending a church inquiry.

At the centre of the controversy was the huge price tag for the construction of a new bishop's residence complex and related renovations.

Tebartz-van Elst defended the expenditures, saying the bill was actually for 10 projects, and there were additional costs because the buildings were under historical protection.

But in the country where Martin Luther launched the Reformation five centuries ago, the outcry was enormous. The perceived lack of financial transparency also struck a chord, since a church tax in Germany brings in billions of euros a year to the German church.

The Vatican said that the inquiry into the renovation had found that Tebartz-van Elst could no longer exercise his ministry, and that Francis had accepted his resignation, which was originally offered on 20 October.

A replacement, Monsignor Manfred Grothe, currently an auxiliary bishop in Paderborn, would take over, the Vatican said, citing a statement from the diocese.

It said Tebartz-van Elst would get a new job "at the opportune time".

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/26/pope-francis-replaces-german-bishop-of-bling

[MrFun]

(golf clap)

[DaShi]

Blasphemous!

[Kidlicious]

Yes, ben is the expert on judging others.
And of course he's a fool.

Wow

[Sava]

you guys are mean

if ben had feelings, you would have hurt them

[Ben Kenobi]

if ben had feelings, you would have hurt them

Feelings lead to the dark side of the force.

[DaShi]

you guys are mean

if ben had feelings, you would have hurt them

I hope so.

[Sava]