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Pope Francis Has Died (sky.com) 127

Posted by msmash from the RIP dept.
Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, the Vatican said Monday. The pontiff, who was Bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church, became pope in 2013 after his predecessor Benedict XVI resigned. On February 14, the Pope was admitted to hospital for bronchitis treatment. From a report: Born in 1936, Francis was the first pope from South America. His papacy was marked by his championing of those escaping war and hunger, as well as those in poverty, earning him the moniker the "People's Pope." In 2016, he washed the feet of refugees from different religions at an asylum centre outside Rome in a "gesture of humility and service."

He also made his views known on a wide range of issues, from climate change to wealth inequality and the role of women in the Catholic Church.

Pope Francis Has Died More | Reply

Pope Francis Has Died

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  • RIP (Score:3, Interesting)

    by BettyJJ ( 2689927 ) on Monday April 21, 2025 @04:11AM (#65320011)

    And to think that he met Vance yesterday...

    • Vances fault. (Score:3, Insightful)

      by bussdriver ( 620565 )

      Vance is so toxically infuriating it certainly did kill the Pope; who didn't meet with him and sent his 2nd to educate Vance then somehow Vance still got a short private meeting anyway... to likely lecture the Pope in circular argumentative bullshit... accelerating his demise.

    • Re: (Score:3, Funny)

      by quenda ( 644621 )

      And to think that he met Vance yesterday...

      Let's hope he meets Vance's boss tomorrow.

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by twms2h ( 473383 )

        Why should Pope Francis go to Moscow? Putin won't go to heaven (if there is such a thing), that's for sure.

      • And to think that he met Vance yesterday...

        Let's hope he meets Vance's boss tomorrow.

        I think Francis is going in the wrong direction.

    • Now, in the spirit of the scientific method, we'll have to wait until the Church elects a new Pope and then send JD Vance to meet with him, so we can determine experimentally whether Vance's presence is or is not toxic to popes.

    • Well he'll have a fresh impression when he meets up the boss, in order to confirm what the boss already knows - he's a craven self-serving shitpiece who pretends to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ in name only while doing absolutely nothing to treat his neighbors as he would like to be treated.

      • What if he wants someone to deport him for his crimes but is too cowardly to do it himself so he deports others in the hope that the backlash will finally treat him as he knows he deserves?

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by BKX ( 5066 )

        Hey, totally off-topic but I'm going to respond to your sig. It's even worse than you make it out to be. The Slashdot source actually has Unicode support. It has for more than 20 years. The problem is that it wasn't very good, so when they turned it on, assholes got to work breaking things. Rather than actually fix it, they just turned it off and left it that way. What broke, you ask? Direction markers. If you put a right-to-left direction marker in your comment, then entire rest of the page would be interp

    • And to think that he met Vance yesterday...

      That'll be in Alanis Morissette's followup to "Ironic" -- "Coincidental?"

      Met JD, died the next day.

    • I think he met JD, thought "Shit... if these are the people I'm attracting the organization I've dedicated my entire life to, what am I hanging on for?" and sloughed off to the garage to find a good place to die like an old cat.

  • Suddenly, coincidences exist?

  • The best pope yet. (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Misagon ( 1135 ) on Monday April 21, 2025 @04:28AM (#65320037)

    I'm not Catholic, not even Christian, but I have only respect and reverence for this man.

    He made his last public appearance only yesterday, wishing a large audience a Happy Easter.
    "There can not be peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thoughts, freedom of speech and respect for other people's opinions". He urged for peace in Gaza and warned against increased antisemitism.

    It is rare these days to see a world leader stand up for freedom, equality and basic human rights, not just paying lip-service while having another motive. And that saddens me.

    • Re:The best pope yet. (Score:5, Informative)

      by MacMann ( 7518492 ) on Monday April 21, 2025 @04:56AM (#65320071)

      I'm not Catholic, not even Christian, but I have only respect and reverence for this man.

      I came to the comments here expecting the first posts to be people asking why anyone would care if the Pope died. I'm pleased to see otherwise.

      Maybe people don't need to have respect for the man but his death is still newsworthy. The Pope is a head of state, so his death should be as newsworthy as the death of any president, prime minister, "grand poobah", or whatever of any nation. The Vatican might be a nation about as big as your local city park, and have as many citizens as your local middle school has students, but what happens there has an influence on over a billion Catholics all over the world.

      It is rare these days to see a world leader stand up for freedom, equality and basic human rights, not just paying lip-service while having another motive. And that saddens me.

      I can't say I agreed with the man on every topic but he was clearly someone that spoke for human rights. We need people like him. While he didn't command a large military the office of the Pope carries weight in the world.

      • Former Catholic school student here. I'll keep my spirituality to myself and say only that I don't believe in organized religion, but some people seem to need an authority, and it's better if that is benign relative to current authoritarian leadership in various countries. Hope the next pope is as good or better, but to grow, that church really needs Vatican III, IMHO. It seems that some people don't have morality of their own, so the decline of religion has been detrimental to humanity in some ways. That c

        • Re: (Score:1, Informative)

          by MacMann ( 7518492 )

          Former Catholic school student here. I'll keep my spirituality to myself and say only that I don't believe in organized religion, but some people seem to need an authority, and it's better if that is benign relative to current authoritarian leadership in various countries.

          I believe all people, especially young men, will seek some authority figure to set the boundaries on their behavior. There's no doubt that any organized religion will have flaws on where those boundaries are drawn, especially if there's someone in that organized religion using their position to enrich themselves or feed some other vice than set the next generation on a path for maximal enlightenment and joy. If there's no organized religion to guide people, again especially young men, then people will gra

          • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

            by commodore73 ( 967172 )
            I do not disagree, and I believe they will largely seek male role models. For me, one of the main problems with modern US culture is a lack of proper male role models, in the schools (mostly female teachers), in the home (working, overworked, absent, not worthwhile, etc. father), in the media and online (don't get me started), and possibly elsewhere. I also believe that every human power structure becomes corrupt, including organized religion. Before attending Catholic high school, I grew up in a hippie cul

            • Re: (Score:2)

              by cusco ( 717999 )

              At least this shepherd didn't set out to prey on his flock like so many do. He'll be missed, and not only by Catholics but by all people who want peace and freedom.

            • Re: The best pope yet. (Score:5, Interesting)

              by Vegan Cyclist ( 1650427 ) on Monday April 21, 2025 @10:59AM (#65320577) Homepage

              > modern US culture is a lack of proper male role models

              I don't know why this dog whistle is such a popular trope right now, but it's utter nonsense.

              What's lacking these days is the tolerance for being unaccountable for your actions. (At least in moral society.)

              There are plenty of male role models who are accountable for their actions, but it's just not 'popular' with a certain portion of the population.

              And so we're told there aren't any "proper" male role models.

              Just fuck right the hell off with this garbage. Stop behaving like assholes, and the expectation to be able to. The people impacted by these "proper" (aka unaccountable) male role models aren't putting up with it any more, nor should they.

              • You and I must live in parallel universes or you have seriously misconstrued my words. The US and Internet cultural influences on my two teenage boys are certainly negative. It takes a lot of work to counter much of it. I didn't realize that this thinking was dog whistle; I came to these conclusion on my own (Andrew Taint, anyone?). I am certain that I had better models in the 70s, even though my dad was basically a douche. Harrison Ford and Bill Bixby spring to mind. It starts with the fathers, but in ROW,
              • And what the hell do you mean here:

                > What's lacking these days is the tolerance for being unaccountable for your actions.

                Lacking the tolerance for being unaccountable for your actions? Dude, talk about FTFO...

              • > modern US culture is a lack of proper male role models

                I don't know why this dog whistle is such a popular trope right now, but it's utter nonsense.

                What's lacking these days is the tolerance for being unaccountable for your actions. (At least in moral society.)

                There are plenty of male role models who are accountable for their actions, but it's just not 'popular' with a certain portion of the population.

                And so we're told there aren't any "proper" male role models.

                Just fuck right the hell off with this garbage. Stop behaving like assholes, and the expectation to be able to. The people impacted by these "proper" (aka unaccountable) male role models aren't putting up with it any more, nor should they.

                You're a pretty good example of what is important to avoid. You prove the thesis

            • I do not disagree, and I believe they will largely seek male role models. For me, one of the main problems with modern US culture is a lack of proper male role models, in the schools (mostly female teachers), in the home (working, overworked, absent, not worthwhile, etc. father), in the media and online (don't get me started), and possibly elsewhere. I also believe that every human power structure becomes corrupt, including organized religion. Before attending Catholic high school, I grew up in a hippie cult originally run by a man that was ejected after various abuses and replaced by his former wife who had her own special issues. People are sheep, and there is no perfect shepherd.

              Young males desperately need adult males to help them set boundaries in order to become functioning adults, and all your examples are correct. I will note, that Catholic priests don't set them all that well,

              Boys need a mother to nurture, and a father to teach what they should or should not be doing in order to be adults in a functioning society.

          • I believe all people, especially young men, will seek some authority figure to set the boundaries on their behavior.

            Fortunately that is not true - otherwise, the world would be a big Cardassian-style dictatorship.

        • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

          by drinkypoo ( 153816 )

          That church is not nearly as bad as it was even a few decades ago though. There is no justification for the abuses.

          Francis was just another protector of child molestation, because he's just another pope under which the Vatican refused to release its information on which molesters they relocated, and what molestation they know they engaged in. And you're right, there is no justification for the abuses.

          The Vatican sits on massive stolen wealth while preaching about caring for the poor, so even if it wasn't a conspiracy to molest children and protect the molesters, going so far as to relocate them to other places where the

          • I'm not certain that the pope controls policy for the entire church. I fear there may be enough evidence to bankrupt the church. Everyone defends their own interests. I don't know whether they're doing everything that they can to prevent or at least reduce abuses, but if they are not, that would be more important than the legacy abuses. I am not certain that/what financial compensation would be appropriate for the legacy abuses, but it would not punish the perpetrators anyway.

            • I'm not certain that the pope controls policy for the entire church. I fear there may be enough evidence to bankrupt the church. [...] I am not certain that/what financial compensation would be appropriate for the legacy abuses, but it would not punish the perpetrators anyway.

              So let it continue?

              Financial compensation wouldn't un-molest anyone, but destroying The Vatican and forcing them to return all their stolen cultural memorabilia would improve The World considerably. They are still molesting children, and still protecting molesters, and IDGAF what their PR department has to say about it.

              • I never thought to destroy the Vatican. Interesting idea but I think it is unrealistic and I'm not sure it would add value. Returning anything stolen seems like an obvious partial remedy for some errors of the past. I honestly think that humanity requires more spirituality today (without denying science), specifically things like meditation, of which I see prayer as a variant. Church and ritual encourage that and also provides community. I never understand rituals, but I do Buddhist rituals, I listen to cha

                • I never thought to destroy the Vatican. ... I'm not sure it would add value.

                  Subtracting a negative from the world always yields a positive outcome.

            • I'm not certain that the pope controls policy for the entire church.

              Catholics believe that the Pope is "God's Instrument on Earth" - so why would he not control policy for the entire church if God is speaking and acting through the Pope?

          • Just this week, a nearby catholic school "apologized" for sexually abusing children in past decades. The leadership had clearly hoped this would never become public. Now that it has, *now* they are sorry.

            An organization that abused countless children, in countless countries, over decades? Any other organization would have been disbanded as a criminal enterprise, and the leadership put on trial. If the church believed their own doctrines, they would have taken dramatic public action on their own.

            Pope Fra

        • Somewhat tangential, but I can recommend the book âoeReligion for Atheistsâ by Alain de Botton Itâ(TM)s a light read from a now-popular author.
          The tldr is that one of the roles religion also plays in a persons life is a sort of grounding, centering role. The various holidays , rituals, and gatherings provide guardrails, direction, foundation and some level of meaning. De Bottons thesis (imo) is that modern world has excised religion from core society, but not replaced it with anything that

        • Former Catholic school student here. I'll keep my spirituality to myself and say only that I don't believe in organized religion, but some people seem to need an authority, and it's better if that is benign relative to current authoritarian leadership in various countries. Hope the next pope is as good or better, but to grow, that church really needs Vatican III, IMHO. It seems that some people don't have morality of their own, so the decline of religion has been detrimental to humanity in some ways. That church is not nearly as bad as it was even a few decades ago though. There is no justification for the abuses.

          Especially since priests are having a harder time finding little boys to have fun with.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by tanek ( 876501 )

        I also was a bit pessimistic coming into the comments, fearing snarky remarks, but was also positively surprised. He abandoned much of the opulence other popes would make use of, like a penthouse apartment and a new Mercedes, instead living in guest accommodation, and driving an old Fiat. I'm not Catholic, barely even a Christian, but I have a lot of respect for the man, and what he wanted to do, in face of resistance from many of his cardinals.

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by buanzo ( 542591 )

        I can't say I agreed with the man on every topic but he was clearly someone that spoke for human rights. We need people like him. While he didn't command a large military the office of the Pope carries weight in the world.

        +1

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by eegeerg ( 673636 )

          I can't say I agreed with the man on every topic but he was clearly someone that spoke for human rights. We need people like him. While he didn't command a large military the office of the Pope carries weight in the world.

          +1

          Amen

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by buanzo ( 542591 )
      He was Argentine, and was always at the center of political situations. He never visited his home again because he wanted to avoid his presence being used politically. His documentary on netflix is quite good.

    • Indeed, Pope Francis was an amazing human being and truly the "People's Pope" as the article mentions. Also, much respect for someone of his situation who would say "Who am I to judge?"
      https://www.ncronline.org/fran... [ncronline.org]
      "Asked whether there is an opposition between truth and mercy, or doctrine and mercy, the pontiff responds: "I will say this: mercy is real; it is the first attribute of God." "Theological reflections on doctrine or mercy may then follow, but let us not forget that mercy is doctrine," says th

      • Indeed, Pope Francis was an amazing human being and truly the "People's Pope" as the article mentions.

        If by "amazing" you actually mean a thoroughly vile person, and if you define "People" in "People's Pope" as "child-molesting priests", then yes: he was an amazing person. Those of us who saw the human carnage caused by the Defender of the Pedophile Priests might have a slightly different opinion.

        • Related to your point, from: https://www.independent.co.uk/... [independent.co.uk]
          "Perhaps the most persistent controversy of his papacy was his handling of the Church's long-standing sexual abuse crisis. While Francis took steps to hold bishops accountable and created new commissions to investigate abuse, many survivors and advocates said the response remained inadequate. In 2018, his initial defence of a Chilean bishop accused of covering up abuse caused international uproar; he later apologised and admitted he had made seri

    • Totally agree. It was truly amazing he made his last appearance on Easter and passed the next day. Quite the symbolism. I too am non-religious but I respected this guy. He at least was more like Jesus than most of his predecessors. I think he will be hard to replace. If I remember right it was an odd set of circumstances that got him elected with Benedict retiring.

      Leaders tend to be sociopathic in order to rise. True in politics of all flavors including churches. I grew up in a church with some major polit

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by ranton ( 36917 )

      And I hope the next Pope is even better than Pope Francis. Each generation should hopefully be becoming more progressive than the last, leading to a more moral and inclusive Pope each time they are replaced.

    • I'm not Catholic, not even Christian, but I have only respect and reverence for this man.

      He made his last public appearance only yesterday, wishing a large audience a Happy Easter. "There can not be peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thoughts, freedom of speech and respect for other people's opinions". He urged for peace in Gaza and warned against increased antisemitism.

      It is rare these days to see a world leader stand up for freedom, equality and basic human rights, not just paying lip-service while having another motive. And that saddens me.

      But the Catholic Church still has that little problem with little boys.

      Leaving the Roman Catholic kiddie diddler cult is something I haven't regretted a second.

      Now granted, I did have a cousin whoes priest educated in the holy sacrament of anal sex when he was an altar boy. But don't worry - it all worked out just fine. When he was 20, he committed suicide, while the priest was quietly moved to another diocese, where there is plenty of fresh young boys to analyze.

      I piss people off when I say this,

  • It's amazing (Score:4, Funny)

    by JamesTRexx ( 675890 ) on Monday April 21, 2025 @04:38AM (#65320053) Journal

    I don't know of any other position as that of a president of a fantasy book club that has so much influence.

    • ... that it is a roughly 2000 year old book club with a track record of being not too easy on non-members, so there's that. Then it's a book club that - as any other abrahamic fantasy book club- is very good at booking young fertile women into the mother part of life and likewise booking young men into picking a wife and performing well as a father.

      Which goes to show that, being a fantasy book club or not, it's a mind-virus that is very good at securing the perpetuation of the species. It comes with a hard

    • Possibly this position can be replaced by AI today?

  • Unfortunate loss (Score:3)

    by divide overflow ( 599608 ) on Monday April 21, 2025 @04:52AM (#65320069)
    He seemed to be a very decent person and certainly one of the better popes.

  • A death of a pope is always over-dramatised around the world. (shrug)

    IMHO, while John Paul II was widely known and regarded, all the popes that followed haven't really done anything distinctive to be remembered.

    Perhaps if you elected them at 60 and not 80 they'd have more time to do something to be remembered for in their career.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by dohzer ( 867770 )

      A death of a pope is always over-dramatised around the world. (shrug)

      Agree, but now we get to play the game where we watch to see if the next pope will sell all the Church's assets and donate the money to the poor. It's a long shot, but they can't all be evil, right?!

  • Guess it wasn't that important.

  • I appreciate his support of analyzing the potential impacts of AI in a longer cultural context. It's a soulful perspective that I've appreciated beyond the basics of data privacy and ethical auditing of models. While many people try to find leaders that match all their positions on issues (an impossible task), I found this Pope Francis to be transparent in applying core beliefs in the Common Good and love for one's neighbors on the planet. Hopefully we will have another Pope that can effectively spread th

  • Oh no! (Score:2)

    by Phaid ( 938 )
    Anyway...
  • I am a cradle catholic. The church of my childhood in the 70's was trending towards a more affirming and accepting church on the heels of Vatican II. I hope the college of cardinals continues that trend with their next selection. They must force the 'return to the Latin mass' rightwing nutjobs or they will face empty pews and empty collection plates in the years ahead of us.
    • I meant to say they must force the 'return to the Latin mass' rightwing nutjobs TO THE SIDELINES! I should proofread my posts. JD Vance, Mel Gibson, and others count themselves as wanting the authoritarian return to the Latin mass, where the congregation doesn't even know what is going.

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