PopeWatch was having a good morning working in his office library. He was ahead of schedule on the tasks of the day when his Office Manager told him, That nut who calls himself the Pope is on the line again!
With a sigh PopeWatch picked up the phone:
PopeWatch: Holiness?
PF: Gringo, I need to meet with you face to face. Come and see me while I am in Iraq next week.
PopeWatch: Impossible Holiness. Leaving aside international Covid travel restrictions, I have professional obligations that would not permit my absence.
PF: So, these professional obligations are more important than service to your Church?
PopeWatch: Let’s not play that game Holiness. Asking me to meet you in Iraq next week is out of the question, and if that is all your call is about I do have various pressing matters that need my immediate attention.
PF: The Pope began to laugh. Simmer down Gringo. It is we Latins who are supposed to be hot blooded. Meet me in Rome? Later in the year?
PopeWatch: Given enough lead time, and once again allowing for Covid International travel restrictions, that is possible. If I am to rearrange my schedule it would help if I knew why you wanted to see me.
PF: The Pope laughed again. If I tell you Gringo I know what you will do, you will write about it in that mal blog of yours! Some people at the Vatican read your blog. I want them to know that I wish to meet with you, but I do not want them to know why.
With that the Pope ended the conversation and PopeWatch returned to his work.
Make sure you bring your wife (food taster) with you…
I think Iraq has suffered enough since 1958 and should be spared the insult that would be Francis’ presence.
(The trip is an indicator of something that’s not often discussed, which is that the frequency of lethal political violence in Iraq is currently running at about 8% of the mean of the last 18 years. The annual death rate is about what it was in Ulster during the period running from 1977 to 1999 or in Israel and adjacent territories during the period running from 1987 to 2003).
Make sure you bring your wife (food taster) with you…
My Jack Russell Terrier Kali always eagerly assumes that duty!
I think Iraq has suffered enough since 1958 and should be spared the insult that would be Francis’ presence.
Comment of the week Art! Take ‘er away Sam!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXeIxtI–uc
I’m surprised the Pope didn’t propose a Zoom meeting so his handlers in Beijing could listen in as well.
There’s only around 120,000 Christians left in Iraq- 0.2% of the population. Since 2003 – 74 Churches were bombed (the former Iraqi Deputy PM and Foreign Minister, Tarek Aziz, Church Parish is used as a prison for ISIS and the altar is used as target practice by ISIS soldiers), over 1350 Christians have been killed. As a result of systematic intimidation of practising Christians and propaganda campaign against the Christian population by the Shiites, June 14th 2014 was the first time Mass wasn’t celebrated in 1,600 years in Mosul (the city which used to be the centre of Christianity in Iraq)- the 7% which remained were forced to convert to Islam or die, out of which 250 women were kidnapped and kept as sex slaves. An 8 year old girl was sold for $170 dollars….Christians had relative peaceful existence with Muslims under Saddam’s regime. 2003 began the rise of the Shiites who now rule Iraq. Christian numbers are dismal in Iraq- over 14,000 made humanitarian applications to Australia. So what plea has he made on behalf of the Christians there since he assumed the chair? The population was murdered or fled. So what exactly is he going to do there? Bring the Christians back? Offer to rebuild their Churches? Re-ignite the Faith? Offer them protection? No chance.