MikeyChalupa

As I understand it, Ratzinger was not the Cardinals first choice to be elected as the new Pope. That was, interestingly, Cardinal Hans Grapje.

Grapje was raised in a Catholic school in The Hague and, as a young man, aspired to become a priest, but was drafted into the Army during WWII and spent two years co-piloting B17s until his aircraft was shot down in 1943 and he lost his left arm. Captain Grapje spent the rest of the war as a chaplain, giving spiritual aid to soldiers, both Allied and enemy.

After the war, he became a priest, serving as a missionary in Africa, piloting his own plane (in spite of his handicap) to villages across the continent. In 1997, Father Grapje was serving in Zimbabwe when an explosion in a silver mine caused a cave-in. Archbishop Grapje went down into the mine to administer last rites to those too severely injured to move. Another shaft collapsed, and he was buried for three days, suffering multiple injuries, including the loss of his right eye. The high silver content in the mine's air gave him purpura, a life-long condition characterized by purplish skin blotches.

Although Cardinal Grapje devoted his life to the service of God as a scholar, mentor, and holyman, church leaders felt that he should never ascend to the Papacy.

They felt that the Church would never accept a one-eyed, one-armed, flying purple Papal leader.


-Mikey

byesman

Oh that is really bad. So bad I just forwarded it to a bunch of friends. Thanks for the laugh!

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If after I depart this vale you ever remember me and have thought to please my ghost,
forgive some sinner, and wink your eye at some homely girl.

H.L. Mencken

LoganSnake

Could somebody explain the punchline to me please?

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Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques

frogza

Go here: http://www.shebwooley.com/ppe.htm

Charlatan

that was really stupid... just like the original song.

I can't believe I got sucked into that one...

Thanks!

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"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

LoganSnake

Is that song popular? Seems pretty damn weird.

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Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques

mazagmot

It's an older song from the 50s-60s. it's great nonsense fun, so it's on some albums aimed at children and the like. At least, it was when I was growing up.

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d^_^b Got my headphones on.

LoganSnake

Oh, no wonder I didn't know it.

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Maturity is knowing you were an idiot in the past. Wisdom is knowing that you'll be an idiot in the future. Common sense is knowing that you should try not to be an idiot now. - J. Jacques

SirLance

Oh, jeez, Mikey, tears are streaming down my face!

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DEMOCRACY is where your vote counts, FEUDALISM is where your count votes.

Ilow

big kudos for something original, there are so many recycled jokes out there.

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"Religion is the one area of our discourse in which it is considered noble to pretend to be certain about things no human being could possibly be certain about"
--Sam Harris