Renault 4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_4
This handout picture released by the Vatican Press Office on September 10, 2013 shows Pope Francis next to a white Renault 4L offered by Father Don Renzo Zocca (unseen) on September 7, 2013.
Posted on 09/10/2013 9:57:32 PM PDT by haffast
Pope Francis no longer has to be chauffeured in popemobiles but can drive around the Vatican himself after a 70-year-old priest gave him his old Renault 4.
The white car is nearly 20 years old and has 170,000 miles (300,000 kilometres) on the clock.
It was presented to Francis by Renzo Zocca this weekend, and a pleased-looking pontiff was snapped by an AFP photographer before he got in behind the wheel and drove away.
Moved by Francis's drive to create "a poor Church for the poor", Zocca wrote to the Argentine pontiff to tell him about his work with disabled people, the poor and drug addicts in a working-class neighbourhood in Verona in northern Italy.
He told Italy's Famiglia Cristiana magazine in an article that appeared online on Tuesday that he had wanted to give the pope a gift, "and what better than my old Renault 4?"
Zocca had used the car to visit the needy in his diocese as well as ferry children around Italy to summer camps.
The elderly priest was amazed when the phone rang on August 10 and it was the pontiff on the line.
"I didn't know what to say, I lost my breath," he told the magazine.
The 76-year-old pope pressed Zocca on whether he would rather donate the car to charity, but finally accepted the gift and gave him an appointment at the Vatican.
On September 7, Zocca rocked up in the Renault at the Vatican residence where the pope lives.
Francis told the priest he used to own a Renault 4, before taking the keys and driving off, under the nervous scrutiny of his bodyguards.
snip
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Renault 4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_4
This handout picture released by the Vatican Press Office on September 10, 2013 shows Pope Francis next to a white Renault 4L offered by Father Don Renzo Zocca (unseen) on September 7, 2013.
So now “gift” is a verb (versus “give”). What is going on with English over there, turning noun forms into verbs, especially when there are pre-existing verbal forms? Even “trial” has morphed into a verb (versus “try”).
Why not a Peugeot?
BTW, as far as I can remember, that year of Renault 4 has the stick shifter on the floor instead of sliding out of the dashboard like earlier years of that car.
I’m not Catholic... but I like this Pope. I wish we had some salt of the earth, humble leaders in this country.
Actually, the verb is “gives,” but only to the literate, I suppose.
Am not trying to hijack this thread, but I’ve heard a nationally known sports talking head use the word “effort” as a verb, e.g., “he efforted” or “they were efforting” to do such and such. I almost ran off the road when I heard this. I now change the channel or turn the radio off when he comes on.
Works for me.
I wonder if the pope will regift it?
(There's hope for me, even I could become a gurnalyst!)
LOL. This is on “target” too.
I used to have a Forest Green Renault IV in Bogota
manual shift came out of dash
decent car actually for what it was
better than a Lada or Fiat or Range (God forbid)
lol...you haven’t been keeping up with his every utterance then
he appears far more liberal than his previous two
you can make up your own mind....i suspect serious doctrinaire traditional Catholics are already worried a bit
but no...I am not one either but did respect the prior two popes and understand their worldwide influence is not to be underestimated..especially in the third world...in the developed world Catholics seem to be more ambivalent about following instruction from Vatican City on culture war...but not so in third world where they listen and where the church has made inroads even whilst slipping in the West
http://theweek.com/article/index/247508/is-francis-the-most-liberal-pope-ever
http://www.ourladysresistance.org/liberalism-of-pope-francis.html
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/diaryofawimpycatholic/2013/07/darn-tootin-pope-francis-is-a-liberal/
http://www.ncregister.com/blog/pat-archbold/10-quotes-that-prove-the-pope-is-a-liberal
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/06/liberals-love-pope-francis.php
http://liberalbias.com/post/2571/beware-pope-francis-supports-equality-inclusion-and-social-justice/
http://www.theliberaloc.com/2013/08/07/pope-francis-who-am-i-to-judge/
http://www.lovingit.co.uk/2013/08/pope-francis-is-a-liberal.html
http://www.medindia.net/news/liberal-groups-welcome-pope-francis-statement-on-gays-122845-1.htm
Oh good grief, please.
the donkey is a far more reliable source of transportation.
I’m not Catholic... but I like this Pope. I wish we had some salt of the earth, humble leaders in this country.
Speaking strictly as a lifelong atheist: this pope is making the right impression on me.
My buddy had a Renault in college and he had to turn the radiator fan on with a toggle switch he installed when the engine started to overheat. Thermostats kept failing and he gave up replacing them.
Verbing weirds language.
My dad had the misfortune of buying a new R-10 back in 1969. At 30K the trans-axle was shot {it was a four speed straight shift}. By 60K the engine was shot. We could not keep the carburetor bolted down tight to the intake no matter what we tried. A donkey in my opinion would make the car more reliable as it could be used to pull it around LOL. A Renault 10 is the worse car I have ever driven in my life second to none.
Modest gift for the man who called on the world to hold a day of fasting and prayer for Syria.
Thanks, glad to see that I’m not the only one on FR concerned about the degredation of our language.
Does it come with an umbrella or is that optional?
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