The Space Pope – Futurama
The Space Pope – Present Day
In a first for The Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI called to the heavens on Saturday — but instead of reaching God, he spoke to two Italian astronauts and their 10 colleagues working on board the International Space Station (ISS).
“Dear astronauts, I am very happy to have this extraordinary opportunity to converse with you during your mission and especially grateful to be able to speak to so many of you as both crews are present on the space station at this time,” said the Pope, reading in English from prepared remarks. [Source]
In the meantime I am reading Dan Simmon’s series the Hyperion Cantos that as part of the plot has the Vatican existing on a planet called Pacem and the Swiss Guard are the elites of the elites in military combat. Though theological elements are not exactly orthodox.
4 comments
guess the Holy Father wanted to get all the details on the End Of The World, which was supposed to happen three hours ago.
the Vatican with a site on another planet? confirms my thoughts, that when the aliens do land, you can forget the White House, INTELLIGENT beings know to set ground in Saint Peter’s Square.
From a technical point of view wouldn’t the ISS and the moon fall under the diocese of Rome? I agree with you tthe Hyperion Cantos is certainly interesting reading and you are right as far as orthodoxy goes it leaves alot to be desired. The whole St. Teilhard thing for a start!
Actually, the moon fell under the Bishop of Orlando under his interpretation of the 1917 Code of Canon Law, then in effect. Durting his ad limina visit with Pope Paul VI, then orlando Bishop Borders explained to the Pope that he was the de facto ordinary of this “newly discovered” territory. Something Pope PaulVI never countered. The ISS is another question. But I would hazzard to guess that a Catholic Bishop from Kazakhstan since the 1st man in space was from the then Soviet Union. Which Eastern or Western rite Bishop may be up for debate.
For what “IT” is worth, why not let these astronauts know in person that His Holiness is praying for them and their families and I guess that most of U>S, if we scrape but the surface, will always find something to joke about. Right Jeff? 🙂
Peace