It's all good - there are many who don't quite understand the whole Anglican Ordinariate thing and since I'm married to an Anglican (Not Anglican Ordinariate or RC at all) priest it gets extra-special confusing for those who talk to me!

This past Sunday, I went to Mass for the first time in years. (I was raised Catholic and converted to Judaism 14 years ago.) This was at my parents' parish, where I had attended Mass every weekend as a child. To make a very long story very short, my mother is very ill, so my husband and I were visiting her (in hospital) and my father, and we had to drive him to church.

When the wording changes were made, there were cards placed at every pew with the changes. Those cards are still there, even though the new wording is stated in the missalette.

Time was that I could get through a Mass without the missalette. Frell - I was a lector! Now it seems like everything has changed - even the Eucharistic prayer is worded differently. I was sitting there (as a non-Catholic, I sit rather than kneel during the Eucharistic prayer) thinking, "Where are the words I grew up with?"

Anyway, as to the Pope, if he feels he's not up to leading a Church consisting of over a million people, it's probably for the best that he step down and serve in whatever capacity he can serve. Hopefully a new Pope can be selected and in place in time for Easter.

B for billion. 1.1 billion in the Church. And from your lips to God's ears, aephi alum - let's hope it's by Easter.

What happens if there is no new Pope by Easter?

My thoughts exactly. Conclaves can take a LONG time. Though, modern conclaves don't take months, or even years like the ones in the 12th-18th century. One took almost 3 years!

I hope they elect a cardinal that can connect with all Catholics, since most popes were European, but these days, most Catholics aren't. I also hope they find an energetic leader, a communicator like John Paul II (though I personally found him too conservative on women's and sexuality issues).

Nothing, other than that there's no pope by Easter. I think it's just more of a matter of it would be ideal for a new pope to be able to preside at the Holy Week and Easter liturgies and not ideal for the cardinals to still be sequestered in conclave during Holy Week and Easter.

I haven't seen a date announced for the conclave, but my understanding is that it has to start between March 15-20. Palm Sunday is March 24 this year, and Easter is March 31.

:confused: Do you mean energetic?

LOL yes, haha typing on my phone

I absolutely agree with this - whether the cardinals are aware or whether this is just between the Pope and his doctor.

As to everyone talking about the wording changes - Lutheran here, but at some point our official wording of the Apostles/Nicene Creed changed from "He descended to the dead" to "He descended into hell." I thought this sucked (so did my mom) and so never stopped saying it the old way. Lo and behold, the wording has now changed back to "to the dead." Stay stubborn y'all, it works. Ha ha.

LOL. We Presbies have always used "descended into hell." When I was a kid, I thought it was cool that we got to cuss in church -- and in the same part of the service that we got to talk about virgins.

I remember my friend Jenn and I around 3rd grade really loving that part of "What Child Is This" when they talk about "where ox and ASS are feeding."

I love the old people who crack up over the "you are but dust" during the liturgy for today.

I stand corrected as to the size of the Church.

Sorry for the double post ...

My mother received ashes this morning while in hospital. I'm sure she was thrilled to hear, "Remember, thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return." (Or whatever the current wording is.)

My father went to Mass this morning and received ashes. He washed them off before we went over to the hospital. I didn't think you were allowed to do that. Several nurses were walking around with ashes.

But I digress.......

Two possibilities as to what your mother heard - either "Remember, man, that you are dust and unto dust you shall return." or "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel." Maybe your mom got #2 - it would seem a little more appropriate to the setting! Hope she is improving and will be able to celebrate Easter outside of the hospital.

There's always a discussion about whether or not sporting your ashes all day is a form of "public prayer" specifically discussed in Matthew 6:5. Intelligent response I've heard is it depends on intent - if you wear your ashes to show what a good Christian you are - BAD. If you wear your ashes as a reminder of your mortality and sin , and to serve as a witness to your faith in humbleness of spirit and your need for God - GOOD.

I went to a new church last night and I did think it was a little ironic that the reading was the above passage from Matthew, and then we got ashes on our foreheads and were exhorted to make the sign of the Cross when appropriate (some Lutherans think this is just a little too Papist, some are way into it).