Pope John was the first Vatican incumbent of whom I was properly aware. He was a world figure who seemed to be as much head of the Protestant church as that of Islam or Buddhism. He seemed to glean admiration from all religions, without prejudice from any direction.
I remember that I liked his face, and always tried to imagine him in a dark, wide lapeled, pin-striped suit, sucking on a fat cigar. He could just as easily have played the part of Mafia Godfather, as that of Moral Godfather. He had the right countenance for either rôle.
John got up to his popery between 1958 and 1963; the end of my time as a Prep' schoolboy, and for the first 3 years at my upper school.
Stories about this pleasant Pope are legendary, and most of them are probably also invented. I do, though, remember one tale that always comes to mind when I think of any Pope, but it was attributed to Johnny.
Apparently it was traditional for all Popes to eat alone, and our particular Pope John didn't like this one bit. His dining room looked out onto the Vatican gardens, and he decided, surreptitiously, to invite the gardener to dine with him.
It is said that they talked of football, women, hunting, and the day's news; anything but religion.
I think John may have been one of the wisest ever Popes. I think I would have enjoyed a plate of pasta in his company (which I would have prepared for us myself, of course).
Pope John XXIII is still very popular in Italy. I like Pope Francis very much too - He worked as a bar bouncer and sweeping floors before he joined the Jesuit.
ReplyDeleteGreeting Maria x
I think my people met John. I have a 'cousin' who was ordained in Rome, and they were invited to meet him. It was either John or the following Pope; I'm not sure. I still have the invitation somewhere.
DeleteThat explains a lot. Pity he is not more au fait with Catholic theology and doctrine. He has caused a lot of division and confusion in the Church.
DeleteI was thirteen when pope John died, and remember the sadness around the world. Or as reported in the papers and on my crystal radio....I like our current pope too, another human being!!
ReplyDeleteI like the way he telephone, personally, his newsagent in South America to cancel his newspapers from then on. As Maria says, above, he had lived in the real world.... he knows people, and life’s problems.... and, thanks to his predecessor.... he can retire!! Presumably after the previous popes death.... I can imagine three Archbishops of Canterbury sitting having a chinwag over a pint.... but, for some reason... possibly because the retirement malarkey is new, not three popes with a bottle of red!!
But the fact they can retire is, I feel, a great step forward.... they become a leader by their strengths, not by becoming “god on earth”!!
I have seen priests in bars here, just as I've seen Gendarmes. I think they like to be seen as 'one of the lads'. I wonder if Popes are still expected to dine alone?
DeleteMy parents lived in a village North of Swaffham... the vicar there finished his Sunday service at 12noon sharp.
DeleteHe then crossed the road and sat down in his special corner... with a pint... his reason was, he was vicar to the village and knew that many people felt unhappy about going to church or even walking up the vicarage drive.... so on Sundays of each week they could go and sit with him and have a chat....
I always thought that that was a rather nice way to behave.
I do thinktimes are changing with attitudes to Popes and other world religious figures. In today;s world they need to be and to be seen as one of the people. I remember John XX111 well and also the sadness at his death.
ReplyDeleteHe was the last Pope who seemed to have universal appeal.
DeleteI was raised on Pope John the 23rd at the Convent. I learned my catechism and everything we did was related back to the Pope and John was very real to us all at the time. The nuns came into the classroom to tell us the smoke had changed to white and we had a new Pope. Paul seemed rather a wizened old man already compared to John but he came in on what John had started and lots of change in the Catholic Church and agreed to carry it on, which was not easy nor did it make him particularly popular as I recall.
ReplyDeleteFunnily I don't remember much of the Popes following 'Good Pope John'. It seemed as if a dynasty of Popes died with him.
DeleteDunno why I am thinking of a scene from Lady Chatterley's Lover.
ReplyDeleteTake two aspirins, with a glass of Scotch.
DeleteI hope that story is true.
ReplyDeleteI've always believed it to be so; it should be!
DeletePope John Paul was my guy....the polish pope with a big grin
ReplyDeleteI never knew much about JP. I'm not really a fan of Popes, but John always seemed like one of the best.
DeleteI remember when Pope John died - I was sent by my tearful mother to tell my father, working on his A35 van in the garage. I had to say 'The Pope has gone' and I honestly didn't know what my mother meant. My father just shook his head slightly and went back to adjusting his spark plugs or whatever he was doing. It has always stuck in my memory.
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