Posted on 04/22/2005 12:20:45 AM PDT by Antioch
REGENSBURG, Germany - When he was a cardinal, Pope Benedict XVI often delivered sermons at the German-language church in Campasanto Teutonico near St. Peter's Basilica, but his most heartfelt talks may have been the ones he gave after celebrating Mass.
"I went with him once," said Konrad Baumgartner, the head of the theology department at Regensburg University. "Afterwards, he went into the old cemetery behind the church.
"It was full of cats, and when he went out, they all ran to him. They knew him and loved him. He stood there, petting some and talking to them, for quite a long time. He visited the cats whenever he visited the church. His love for cats is quite famous."
Although his public image is that of a stern enforcer of church doctrine, in Regensburg, where the 78-year-old pope came into his own as a theologian, those who know the man known as "God's Rottweiler" say his soft, human side has been ignored.
(Excerpt) Read more at beta.news.yahoo.com ...
I knew there was something I liked about the guy, I just hadn't quite been able to put my paw on it... :)
If fickle cats will run to him, faithful dogs must be devoted to him.
Cats patrolling/guarding the Vatican?
Maybe thats his plan... He brought his feline fancy to Rome too. Cardinal, Italian Tarcisio Bertone, who had worked as Ratzinger's top aide, described how the new pope always paid attention to the street cats around the Vatican and how they sometimes followed him as he walked to his office.
Bertone joked: "One time the Swiss Guards had to intervene: `Look, your eminence, the cats are laying siege to the Holy See.'"
Cats are filthy and nasty little creatures.
Dogs rule, baby.
Evidently the Pope does not share your belief. Perhaps you should reexamine it.
Besides, it's not cats that will eat their own crap.
NO, in a Church cemetary.
I'm not Catholic, but I really like this guy. Not only does he piss off the right people. He likes kitty's too. :-)
I was referring to the picture, which does not appear to be a cemetery.
I was referring to the picture, which does not appear to be a cemetery.
I was referring to the article.
One Hail Mary for both of us.
from Nat'l Catholic Reporter: ...Ratzinger closed his chat with an uncharacteristic personal touch. He confessed, as friends and students already knew, that he is a cat lover. Noting that the book on Opus Dei has a small chapter entitled the “invisible cat,” he joked that he was especially pleased with that section. (The reference, by the way, is to a phrase of C.S. Lewis in The Four Loves about the danger of assuming the existence of something despite the absence of proof, like an invisible cat on the sofa. The author, Romano, uses Lewis’ concept to refute the idea that Opus has a political agenda).
This Pope just gets better and better!
Unusual for a German, too - they are really a nation of dog people.
I think Slings and Arrows has a kitty ping list!
We will celebrate this in song and purr!
LOL! I'll have to tell my Gus!
Kitty bump!
Amen...I agree!
People think cats are clean because they clean them selves all day. BUT they step in a dirty cat-littler pan, lick their @SS and then there entire body...that is not clean!
Dogs eat their own crap and sometimes roll in it. They also lick themselves clean in that area as well. They also carry more human-transferable diseases than cats do.
Rome's cats will be happy campurrs.
Another cat security job: Since the late 1970's there has been a refuge for cats behind the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada. Shaped like two miniature Parliament buildings, the cat houses provide shelter for about ten to twenty cats. Each cat has its own bowl which they eat from twice a day. Every two metres there are miniscule round-shaped windows which the adorable cats climb out of every morning, eager to be fed. Recently, the local citizens banded together to pay for vet care and food. They figured that the cats bring in at least as many tourists to the Hill as the lying sacks of liberal crap in residence there.
He does. More on the kitty-loving Pope!
---
Kitty Ping List alert!
[Freepmail me to get on or off the Kitty Ping List.]
VERY FOOLISH!
Well, that just makes me like him all the more! Gotta go tell Lizzie Borden and Witchblade that there's hope for them still ;)
well, how kewl is this ?????
He sounds like FReeper material, if he ever has time.
God Bless the Pope!
Thanks for ping S & A and for neat thread antioch
nope, you are WRONG.... I have a wonderful dog & many wonderful cats.. each are different, like people.
THere are some nasty people, but I would NEVER characterize all as Nasty.
There are some nasty dogs, but I would NEVER characterize all as Nasty.
There are some nasty cats, but I would NEVER characterize all as Nasty.
People, dogs & cats are the result of how they are treated, trained, loved etc.
I am going to bet(well, not much lol) your mom had this opinion of cats? often our parents mentality of pets, snakes, food likes/dislikes carries over strongly.
Your last line is great. LOL.
You're wrong.
A cat scratched my forearm bloody when I was child. My "crime" was an attempt to pet the feline monster.
Bwaaaaahahahaha! Too true.
I haven't seen any pit bull stories lately.
The new pope is a tussum-guy ping!
I saw that earlier today. My kinda pope.
It's possible that this love of cats is a failing of B-16. To my mind, cats are very good at providing moving-target practice for hunters.
Cats also love munching their own puke.
I am sorry that you experienced what most of us who are cat folks have. I
do cat rescue & have arms that look like road maps much too often.. ... Your event at an early ages make it worse. Most pets when frightened (and the energy of kids is frightening to many pets). Not every animal is gentlee & long suffering like a golden.
I have had cats like Goldens. Kids could pound, play etc. My own son was raised in a household where we bred persians. He would sit with them & be very rough & never a scratch.
At 2 years old the FIRST TIME Ileft him with a friend during the day as I went to a retreat (my hubby to pick him up a few hours later after work), Jeff was bitten & chewed on by a large dog. To this day Jeff is fearful of large dogs (he is now 33 & a strong, big body builder). The early images are vivid.
We are both right actually!
have a good weekend.
Cats are very clean. They take good care to keep themselves well groomed. I love both cats and dogs. I have two old cats that two of my daughters left here when they got married, and I have my late husband's elderly dog, and I have my personal dog: 3 year old Harm. I love all of them. Harm is my constant companion. Cats and dogs rule together, but Harm ROCKS!
I luv kat. Baked, mostly.
GERTRUDE of Nivelles
Younger daughter of Blessed Pepin I of Landen and Blessed Ida of Nivelles; sister of Saint Begga. Devoted to religious life from an early age, she turned down a noble marriage to pursue the religious life. On the death of Pepin in 639, and on the advice of Saint Amand of Maastricht, Ida built a double monastery at Nivelles where both she and her daughter retired. Gertrude became abbess about age 20.
Patronage: Against mice, against cats, fear of mice, fear of cats, fever, insanity, mental disorders.
Yeah, but they bury their crap with their paws & then walk all over counter tops, furniture, etc. Ewwwww.
Ping!
I thought you'd enjoy this thread.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.