Devout Catholics and other admirers are praying for the pope's health these days, but I'm not entirely sure what they're praying for. The pontiff is worn out, chronically and severely ill, and a sad sight. Destined for accelerated canonization, the faithful should have little doubt about his soul. While you wouldn't exactly wish for the old man's death, we're no longer talking about an abbreviated life or an incomplete mission.
The truly worrisome prospect of the pope's passing is the conclave of the College of Cardinals, possibly one of the most important elections in the Church's history. They'll have to choose whether to piss of Mel Gibson further or invite back into the fold millions of gay and/horny Catholics who have been alienated lately. They have to crack open the door to debating celibacy and birth control. Maybe even a more open, less dogmatic Vatican. The cardinals are probably not packing their bags yet, but they may be wondering about the weather in Rome these days. Sent wirelessly from my Blackberry.
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