DOING WHAT’S EXPECTED FOR NO GOOD REASON – by Donal Kennedy

Ordinary people are not expected to voluntarily bear heavy burdens until their deaths. It is amazing that monarchs and Bishops of Rome are so expected.

 

That only one Pope retired from office in the past 600 years is amazing. That his successor has felt it incumbent upon himself to stay in office, despite failing physical health, until his predecessor vacatedthe Vatican and the planet, would be considered odd in normal life.

 

I’m 81 and was retired, against my will 16 years ago. I never aspired to slogging on for more than

a couple of years after that.

 

Despite playing my part as a lean and slippered pantaloon well into the sixth age of man, I reckon I’m in better shape than the current Pope.

 

Should Humanity insist he continue his work? Does his Merciful Creator?

 

We Irish are more given to attending funerals than most West Europeans. Usually it’s of those we

know and their families. Few of the attenders have selfish motives. There was one notorious TD

who attended every funeral in his constituency and topped the poll in every election there. I

could not, in honesty, say anything good of the TD. But I will not speak ill of him. For he has

gone to a Tribunal with more exacting standards than his constituents.

 

Watching the tens of thousands at the former Pope’s funeral in Rome it occurred to me  that

few can have known him and many attended on the instruction of their religious orders or

their bishops or their governments.

 

I doubt there was much of the craic associated with Irish funerals, where the foibles as well

as the strengths of the departed are recalled over a sociable jar, or where the prayers were

heartfelt.

 

Amongst the Cardinals there were surely thoughts of the next Papal funeral and Conclave,

and even ambitions to hold the Keys of St. Peter, becoming a celebrity to compete with

BONO or as wealthy as Tony Blair.

 

I doubt that even the most ambitious of the attenders would wish to change places with

God. Imagine spending Eternity listening to repeated formulaic chanting masquerading as

heartfelt prayer?

 

I doubt the Devil himself could endure that for a second.