# What sort of pope will Pope Francis be? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 13, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845 "2013-03-13T19:43:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**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:** [March 29, 2013, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/161 "2013-03-29T17:36:36Z")
Our church has always included women in the foot washing. It’s usually left up to the individual parish. I remember one year when I was a kid, the bishop came to perform it, and wouldn’t allow women to participate. People were _pissed_. [He](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Bevilacqua) was pretty much a douchebag in general. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/162 "2013-03-29T23:12:50Z")
When I heard that women weren’t supposed to be included in the foot-washing I was puzzled - here in Chicago the past two cardinals have often included women as the washees. Including this year. I guess someone just has to get their panties in a bunch. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/163 "2013-03-29T23:33:40Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > [Pope Francis breaks Canon Law by washing women’s feet during Holy Thursday ritual.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/28/pope-francis-holy-thursday-foot-washing_n_2972775.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk2%26pLid%3D290817) > [@](#): > > No pope has ever washed the feet of a woman before . . . Not in public, anyway . . . I daresay there were few kinks Alexander VI Borgia never tried . . . ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/164 "2013-03-29T23:56:22Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > You didn’t actually click the link, did you? I not only read that link, but several other stories that talked about the claims that he had violated some stricture or other. I then went out and scanned Canon Law looking for anything that could be construed as a rule regarding the sex of people (other than the priest) involved in Holy Thursday celebrations. There were none. I would not be surprised that some group or another in the church has issued a pronouncement on the topic, much like the DNR setting regulations for campsites or the FCC setting rules for language used in broadcast TV or radio. However, the headline, (the actual matter I addressed), said that he violated Canon Law and I am sure that he has not. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/165 "2013-03-30T00:02:13Z")
[Pope praises Muslims.](http://news.yahoo.com/pope-prays-good-friday-rite-recalling-mideast-212021129.html) This could get ugly. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/166 "2013-03-30T00:18:06Z")
> [@](#): > > “This is about the ordination of women, not about their feet,” wrote the Rev. John Zuhlsdorf, a traditionalist blogger. Liberals “only care about the washing of the feet of women, because ultimately they want women to do the washing.” Heh. In my parish, the priest and several members of the congregation shared in the washing duties, and some of the washers were indeed women. Personally, I had never realized that there was any sort of law, rule, directive, or tradition as to the sex of the participants. But I’m heartened to see how annoyed the traditionalists are getting. You can judge the quality of a man by who his enemies are. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/167 "2013-03-30T01:03:13Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > [Pope praises Muslims.](http://news.yahoo.com/pope-prays-good-friday-rite-recalling-mideast-212021129.html) This could get ugly. Why? Do you think the Jews will be jealous? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/168 "2013-03-30T01:19:19Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Why? > > Do you think the Jews will be jealous? Absolutely. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/169 "2013-03-30T04:24:09Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > I not only read that link, but several other stories that talked about the claims that he had violated some stricture or other. I then went out and scanned Canon Law looking for anything that could be construed as a rule regarding the sex of people (other than the priest) involved in Holy Thursday celebrations. There were none. I don’t know why you bothered scanning Canon Law when the link didn’t mention it once. Really. It went into detail about what exactly he did violate (tradition, and also possibly a letter sent to bishops at one point). I’m not entirely sure I believe your claim that you read the story. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/170 "2013-03-30T04:40:31Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > > [@Smapti](#): > > > > [Pope Francis breaks **Canon Law** by washing women’s feet during Holy Thursday ritual.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/28/pope-francis-holy-thursday-foot-washing_n_2972775.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk2%26pLid%3D290817) > > Despite the **headline writer** ’s hysteria, it is not against **Canon Law**. . . … ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/171 "2013-03-30T04:54:20Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > … Yes, I am aware that Smapti incorrectly summarized the article. The headline writer of the article did no such thing. Which is why I asked if you’d actually read it. And you said you had, and went off on a big discussion about how you’d done this huge search on canon law, as though the article had mentioned canon law. Which it didn’t. Which makes me think that you only read the link text provided by the OP. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/172 "2013-03-30T19:34:17Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Yes, I am aware that Smapti incorrectly summarized the article. The headline writer of the article did no such thing. Which is why I asked if you’d actually read it. And you said you had, and went off on a big discussion about how you’d done this huge search on canon law, as though the article had mentioned canon law. Which it didn’t. Which makes me think that you only read the link text provided by the OP. 😛 I’ve reached the conclusion that the headline was changed, and you saw only the new version. The headline clearly stated “Canon Law” when I first followed the link. It no longer says that. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/173 "2013-03-30T20:52:43Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > I’ve reached the conclusion that the headline was changed, and you saw only the new version. The headline clearly stated “Canon Law” when I first followed the link. It no longer says that. I remember it saying so as well. Are we misremembering? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/174 "2013-03-30T20:57:36Z")
Someone else quoted the headline upthread. HuffPo must’ve changed it because it’s not accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/175 "2013-03-30T23:40:32Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Someone else quoted the headline upthread. HuffPo must’ve changed it because it’s not accurate. I wouldn’t be surprised if the writer of the article saw it and blew a gasket, because there’s nothing in the article to support such a claim. It was probably just an accident by a non-Catholic editor who didn’t realize that a “going against tradition” didn’t mean “going against canon law”. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/176 "2013-03-31T03:07:57Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > I’ve reached the conclusion that the headline was changed, and you saw only the new version. The headline clearly stated “Canon Law” when I first followed the link. It no longer says that. Ah. This makes sense. Man, we really are living in a George Orwell novel these days, aren’t we? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/177 "2013-03-31T03:13:04Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Man, we really are living in a George Orwell novel these days, aren’t we? If that were the worst of it, we’d be in pretty great shape. They were right to make the change. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/178 "2013-03-31T03:28:11Z")
A better headline would have been, “NEW POPE IS A FOOT-FETISHIST!” ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/179 "2013-03-31T03:30:50Z")
Well, did you read the Encyclical written by the Pope? He says folks with private property ain’t got no hope The rich ain’t welcome in the Heavenly Palladium The Knights of Columbus own Yankee Stadium Now, I ain’t sayin’ that the Pope was wrong But, he can easily afford to sing that song If you want to call him up if you need some dough His number’s Et Cum Spiri-220 – Don McLean, “Color TV” ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/180 "2013-03-31T03:32:27Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > If that were the worst of it, we’d be in pretty great shape. They were right to make the change. I didn’t say they weren’t. It was just a commentary on the impermanence of our media sources. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845.md?page=8)