# Has the Pope lost touch? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 16, 2002, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-pope-lost-touch/132546 "2002-10-16T18:43:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-pope-lost-touch/132546/21 "2002-10-18T16:23:45Z")
The Pope hasn’t lost touch with the Church. The proble is that _the Church_ has lost touch. NurseCarmen is a recovering Catholic ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-pope-lost-touch/132546/22 "2002-10-18T16:29:46Z")
Hmmm. If it’s all right to paint with the broad stroke: > [@](#): > > The proble[m] is that the Church has lost touch. Then I assume it’s equally acceptable to reply: Not at all. The problem is that you have lost touch with the Church. A gratuitous assertion is equally gratuitously denied. - Rick ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-pope-lost-touch/132546/23 "2002-10-18T16:31:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by David Simmons \* > \*\*Watch it there, Duck Duck!!! \*\* Huh? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-pope-lost-touch/132546/24 "2002-10-18T16:46:44Z")
Just a wild guess: David Simmons is an older person himself (his profile says he’s retired) and resents the implication that advanced age = dementia. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-pope-lost-touch/132546/25 "2002-10-19T03:18:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by UDS \* > \*\*Just a wild guess: > > David Simmons is an older person himself (his profile says he’s retired) and resents the implication that advanced age = dementia. \*\* Bing! But “resents” is too strong a term. I’m a “sticks and stones may break my bones etc., etc., etc.” advocate. I just want to make sure that no one necessarily equates the Pope’s age with and perceived wobbles in behavior. I own and read from time to time the Pope’s book _Crossing The Threshold of Hope_ which was written when he was a lot younger. I didn’t think he showed all that much then either. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-pope-lost-touch/132546/26 "2002-10-19T03:19:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by David Simmons \* > \*\* > > Bing! > > \*\* Make that Bingo! Chalk up another one to advanced age. ---
**Author:** ![Magickly\_Delicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magickly\_Delicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magickly_Delicious)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-pope-lost-touch/132546/27 "2002-10-19T17:58:07Z")
It’s well and good that the Pope added another set of mysteries to the rosary, but what I _really_ want him to do is start discouraging that awful little prayer that the little old ladies at my church always tack on to the end. I was never taught it in Catholic school. It goes something along the lines of “save us from the fires of hell…” if I remember correctly. It’s distracting from what we’re supposed to be meditating on. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-pope-lost-touch/132546/28 "2002-10-19T18:11:13Z")
“Save us from the fires of hell?” They add that? How? That’s NOT part of the Rosary! In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever heard that in a Catholic prayer. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-pope-lost-touch/132546/29 "2002-10-19T19:20:30Z")
It’s the “Fatima” prayer, tacked on after each decade by some groups. > [@](#): > > O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy. At the end of the rosary, there are a number of prayers that have been “tacked on” as a series of intercessions. It tends to be a regional phenomenon, where some people believe it is “part of” the prayer (since they have always heard it said that way) and others are brought up short when they first hear any of these “additions.” For example, when I left my parish to go to a college prep school with guys from all over the Detroit area, I was surprised to find many/most of them ending the rosary with > [@](#): > > HAIL, HOLY QUEEN, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! > > Leader: Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. > Response: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. which we had never said at our parish. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-pope-lost-touch/132546/30 "2002-10-20T00:11:47Z")
You are right, **Tom** – and you’ve even provided an example of it. I was myself surprised that at your parish the _Salve, Regina Mater_ was not a standard part. At the Catholic middle school I attended, the end-of-decade add-ons were: “Mary, Mother of Grace, Mother of Mercy/ In life and in death shelter us Great Lady” and “Blessed Marcelin Champagnat/Pray for us” (Marcelin was the order’s founder. He has since made it to Saint). So it’s not just adjusted to the day of the week, it’s also customizable… ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-pope-lost-touch/132546/31 "2002-10-20T01:11:03Z")
> [@](#): > > I was myself surprised that at your parish the _Salve, Regina Mater_ was not a standard part. Mind you, our parish _did_ include that prayer at separate services in May and on December 8, we just never included it as part of the rosary. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-pope-lost-touch/132546/32 "2002-10-20T03:11:35Z")
Not only do we end the mysteries with the Hail Holy Queen, but with the Prayer After the Rosary: > [@](#): > > Oh God, whose only-begotten Son, by His life, death and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech Thee, that, meditating on these mysteries of the Most Holy rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. And sometimes continuing: > [@](#): > > May the divine assistance remain always with us. Amen. > > And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. It’s a matter of local tradition. - Rick ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2002, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-pope-lost-touch/132546/33 "2002-10-20T06:47:47Z")
I always liked the three mysteries, symbolizing to me the Trinity. (Okay, I look for symbolism too much, I admit it) Adding the 4th set of mysteries is not mandatory - whether I will or not is to be seen. As my priest says, “Devotions have historically been organic in origin, grown from the piety of the faithful, and not from authority. That is the way it should be.” StG [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-pope-lost-touch/132546.md?page=1)