Pope Francis has died (updated 21st April 2025)

I hadn't realised he became a priest so late in life, in his 30s. The priests here in those days used to almost go straight from school to the seminary.

The church never had a problem rooting out money laundering. They are are always quick off the mark when it comes to getting money off people.

He wasn't as keen when the courts wanted money from the church.

And when it comes to child abuse

The most stand out part is his decree to report child abuse to the church not the police.

Reformer my bollix. He was about protecting the church same as always. He might have thrown crumbs to the gays because he knew it would play well in the media but that's about it.

Must say I found the LGBTQ statement rather patronising. As for being appalled at child abuse and helping the poor,well that's just having basic human empathy.

Progress isnt good enough. In Ireland they still only report internally in the first instance, then someone in the church hierarcy decides if they are going to report to the authorities. This in spite of the Law here requiring the first report to go to Tusla. If it doesnt suit them to report at all, they dont.

Not hard to single out countries that they seem not suitable and the rest must report to the police. Doubt there's many ignoring child abuse outside the middle east and some African countries maybe.

Thank you for the unrequested lesson on how TV works, I had no idea that TV stations tried to attract as many viewers as possible.

As I've said before the issue is not that they cover the story, it is of course a very newsworthy item, but the manner of how they do it. Sending phone notifications when a coffin is moved, bishops on TV promoting religion and saying how great the pope was, grief monkeys at Knock saying how they will miss him and pray for him. That's not reflective of what's going on in Ireland today and Irish people's attitudes towards the religion and church today.

People are not really talking about this and most are unaffected by it.

Even on The Irish Times website, their home page is totally dominated by it when in reality nothing is happening but what is telling is that when you look at their most read , only minor papal article about succession makes the most read Top 5 articles and yesterday none of the Pope's death stories made the list at all.

It's as if media and journalists do not reflect modern Ireland and how it has changed and as if they have an agenda to remain devoutly catholic.

As someone who has done church child protection training - that's simply not true. It is made clear at every step that anyone is free to report to civil authorities at any time, and that some people are mandated to do do.

Agreed

To be fair to the man those were the only 2 issues I think he dealt with badly. He made a point of blessing inmates and was opposed to Trumps immigration policy, even going as far as visiting refugee camps. He also lived a much more reserved life than his predecessors, even his coffin is much more basic.

I also think he'd be unhappy with all the fuss that's being made about him

https://www.wantedinrome.com/news/italy-mourning-for-pope-francis.html

There's no mention of it being a mortal sin in the bible. Plenty of people too high up in the church probably got that one wrong

Not for detailed discussion on this thread, but there are live child protecton issues in my parish and complaining parents were told that the Child First etc Guidelines are not mandatory as "they're only guidines..." to justify a failure to report child abuse occurring in recent years.