What are people praying for? (Pope content)
 

What are all of those people gathered actually praying for?

I'm sure different people are praying for different things...

• that his final days aren't spent in pain
• wisdom for the Cardinals in picking the next Pope
• miracle cure
• that the Gospel would be clearly communicated throughout the world due to his funeral
• smooth transition for the church (no power struggles, etc.)
• favor in the eyes of the world for the new Pope
• for his soul
• wisdom for the doctors taking care of him

...to name a few things that I'm sure are being prayed.

Nobody really wants to see a good person die, regardless of religion. I'm sure, for the most part, everyone considers John Paul a good Pope. But like Skydog says, everyone has their reasons. Prayer is one thing, but the all out wailing for someone people havent met is rather fascinating

I'm pretty sure people wailed when Reagan, Kennedy, MLK Jr. etc. died without meeting them.

Actually, I know a lot of people, particularly gays, who very much dislike JP2 for his conservative (they would say reactionary) views.

Any chance some of them were praying that cbs doesn't interrupt it's coverage of college basketball?

I never got past the "wear condoms and go to hell" bit.

Give it a rest, you're religion isn't any better.

easy now, i wasnt talking smack.

Nothing really suprising about that. If the cardinals select the one person from Africa as the next Pope, as I've read he is very conservative in his views, they prolly won't like him any better.

Without getting into the politics of right and wrong, is it really possible for a man who adhers to the 2000-year-old guiding principles of the religion he represents to be considered "reactionary"?

I've always been curious, how did he get his named, "John Paul II". His real name was something else. I'm not Catholic, so I do not know much about the Pope-hood, and that.

Uh... the Beatles.

Who are the Beatles?

No I'm sorry that is not correct.

No I'm asking you...who are the Beatles? I've never heard of them!

For the television cameras.

Is the guy from Africa white? I am assuming he is, for some reason I just can't see a black man being elected Pope by the Cardinals.

He is black. Why would you assume that?

Are you serious? Why wouldn't he assume the guy was white?

Maybe because in 2000+ years there has never been a black pope. Just a thought. Same reason we can pretty safely assume they aren't going to pick a woman either.

No. They aren't going to pick a woman because it's against the Church Canons.

*any* Roman Catholic male is theoretically eligible to be elected Pope by the College of Cardinals.

So would that mean the Church would be acting in a "reactionary" way then or have all the world's religions gone through at least *some* maturation in the last 2000 years.