Huge Obesity Rate among Cardinals in Papal Conclave

[JimDandy]

While watching the procession of the papal conclave it struck me that more than 90% of the cardinals were not just overweight but hugely obese! Access to food is clearly no problem for them while food insecurity, lack of food and even famine is a problem for lots of their flock.

ETA: The Church is misleading the world by their media push of the "small, medium, and large" papal vestements lying in wait in the Room of Tears for the next pope. Without a doubt the vatican knows that most of the cardinals wear sizes XL-4X!

[formercia]

1. Tucker I

Name for new Pope.

[JimDandy]

2. Refrigerator Perry is

what came to my mind.

These men are all elderly, many of them were shuffling along and their weight must be giving them health problems.

Poverty, which they ask their flock to bear, doesn't seem to be something the church's leaders must bear. (Don't they take an oath of poverty?)

[fitman]

6. What pleasures do these guys have in life?

No female companionship and home alone at night and food I suspect is one of their only comforts and pleasures in life. The last two priest we had where very severely obese and they were in their mid 50's.. It is unnatural not to have physical affection and touch-every human needs and craves it...so food comes into play.


I also keep in great shape for my wife and vica versa. We encourage each other to eat healthy.

When is the church going to allow marriage of priest? (and eventually female priest but that will be along long way off)

[goldent]

15. I kinda doubt that celibacy is a major reason (but I understand why people might say that)

Many many people I know where thin as adolescents and started to get fat after the time they were in sexual relationships. As others pointed out, I think it is more diet and sedimentary lifestyles.

[No Vested Interest]

13. No vow of poverty for most

Sean O'Malley is likely an exception, since he is a Franciscan.

Priests who belong to an order (Franciscan, Jesuit, Benedictine, etc.) normally take a vow of poverty. Those not in an order are known as secular priests - they work for a diocese- do not take a vow of poverty. They get a smallish salary, and a smallish pension when they retire, and can have personal income - usually from their relatives (parents, siblings, etc.) Most of the cardinals are not in a monastic order, but come from the archdiocese.

I don't know about asking their flock to "bear" poverty. I've never been asked to bear poverty by a priest or by my church. We're asked to contribute to society according to our strengths and our means, but not to the extent of poverty.

I'll agree that many of the cardinals are hefty. They mostly lead lives of desk work and physical inactivity. Pope John Paul, who was a young man when he became Pope, was an exception. -He skied, hiked, etc. until illness ended that.

We know that it isn't money that makes one fat. It's improper diet, lack of exercise, and a genetic tendency. Examples are the poor in the U.S. who are obese. I imagine the Italians in the cardinal crowd enjoy their pasta a little too much

[JimDandy]

3. When is the Vatican going to get serious

about changing the climate of lies and misinformation comig from the church? Where does it stop, if they are willing to lie about minor but obvious things like the size of the next potential pontiff and world leader?

[cleanhippie]

8. When the laity decides to stop giving time, money and support and not a second sooner.

Changing the RCC, and most all churches, will come only from those that attend, fill the pews, and fill the coffers. Until those folks decide its time, nothing will change.

Which also places much of the blame (as enablers) for the systemic problems right at the feet of those same people.

[goldent]

14. I agree the Vatican is secretive about many things

but this "lie" about the existence of small medium and large vestments is probably not the best example.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

4. Perhaps they are compensating for enforced celibacy by over-eating

[Shrike47]

5. Look, if they can't have sex they have to have SOMETHING.

If I had to choose one or the other, I might go with the food. Or maybe not.

[JimDandy]

9. The vows and rules

about being unmarried males need to be changed. What I'm more concerned about though are the lies and misinformation that come from the church - this time in the form of sizes.

How did a well-known CBS reporter allow herself to be used this morning by pushing the "small, medium, large" vestements-in-waiting, when she can see with her own eyes that probably 99% of the cardinals won't be able to fit the small or medium of those sizes and 90% won't fit the large (assuming these correspond to U.S. sizes)?

[Angry Dragon]

11. The Extra-Holy is very popular

[Angry Dragon]

7. hypocrisy

It seems the higher one goes in the Catholic Church one becomes more of a hypocrite
That is my opinion

[JimDandy]

10. It's sad

but true that religious leaders are not immune from the pull of power.

[cleanhippie]

12. Why is that sad? They are humans, just like the rest of us.

Being religious has nothing to do with morality, so why is it sad that priests are not immune from it?

[dimbear]

16. The only things I can rule out completely are sloth and gluttony. Those are sins.

Must be some other explanation.

[okasha]

17. Silliest manufactured outrage ever

and this group has seen --you should pardon the expression -- some jim dandy examples of the form.

Granted that there are a few beach balls among the Eminences. But almost anyone looks heftier than s/he is under street clothes plus three or four layers of vestments. ( I say almost because I noticed one Asian cardinal so tiny he looked swallowed up in his cassock and rochet.) With everything else covered up, check out hands and necks for a good approximation of weight. They'll tell you a lot more than the drapery. Most looked M to XL.

There are far more serious issues in this election than the prospective Popes' waistlines. There are real lies and real heinous behavior to be dealt with. If you've just got to wring your hands over something, the size tags in the new Pope's outfit aren't worth it.

[trotsky]

18. Well, apart from your manufactured outrage over manufactured outrage.

That's pretty darn silly.