Pope is anti granny

Snap again

Yes, paraphrased to create the worst possible impression...(nothing new there then!)

He did make two speeches.

this one to the european parliament

and this one to the council of europe

Different coloured seats. [shrug]

JBF, you are right, there are far more important aspects of his speech, but it has made some good banter for us here.
Time to concentrate on the real message. I wonder what language it was delivered in, the video I watched was dubbed in English, misinterpreted in translation ?

Just show how unobservant I am, read the speeches, did not look at the seats.
Also, shows how little I know of European politics, didn't know the difference between the European Parliament and the Council of Europe (not sure I really care, probably both a waste on money)

Sometimes he strikes me as being a bit unfair. Most governments in europe are trying hard for the benefit of all their citizens.

Some good remarks about the family. And education.

Well pardon me Mr Pope but I am not infertile . Silly old buffoon !

Protest all you like, but there are stages of development for all organisms, countries, democracies and lives, we cannot change that
You might not like the analogy but we are all ageing, losing vibrancy and fertility. We can't stem the tide for our own mortality but maybe policy makers and revolutionaries can change the fortunes of countries

Good post!

The thing that struck DH and me about his speech is that it could easily be describing the Vatican and the Catholic Church. Hypocrisy?

I was surprised to hear him referring to grandmothers in that way and consider him to be ill advised in this modern age.
If Europe is so tired and haggard and wihout vitality then why are so many from Africa ( so vibrant and young) wanting to come here and join us together with people from all the other young democracies.

The ones in Germany love it because it is clean, there is food and warmth, and NO BOMBS. Thats what Europe is about. He as a South American who didn't have 2 world wars on his doorstep is not the one to criticise.

As gagagran says he could be describing the Vatican. Let him sort that out first.

Gillybob Good luck with that!

#legscrossedforgodssake

gilly's young - her DH is even younger

Who are the ones usually sitting by the fire, reading the newspaper etc while the women shop, cook, clean etc? It's not usually the grandmothers![tongue in cheek]
Ducks behind parapet.

Excuse me your popeship, I am not (very) haggard, I have quite a lot of vitality, I can run (quite fast actually) for the bus, run upstairs etc although at 65 I may qualify for being infertile.

I think popes (not just this one) can come across as being anti-women. Or, at the very least, consider women as less important beings.

Perhaps I'm getting to like him more now. (only joking)

Sad because he has always come across as a pope of our times. Shame that a good speech contained such a crass analogy. Hope he gets a heavenly rebuke from St Anne, mother of Mary and hence grandmother of Jesus. Otherwise known as "Holy Annie God's Granny" to the less devout

I wonder if Hillary Clinton, now a granny, has heard of this analogy!

Who's lacking in vitality? I've just spent the morning baking loads of biscuits and making the lunch. All this after spending three hours in Waitrose vacuuming, dusting, cleaning loos and mopping floors. This afternoon the dog needs a walk. Has the Pope ever met a Grandmother I wonder?

At 52, I wouldn't describe myself as young jingl and riverwalk but I am still quite fertile (if you know what I mean) wouldn't want to put it to the test though.

As for DH being even younger, thats a laugh. He's 11 years older !

No! Don't put it to the test! #deso'conner

gillybob ! You are a mere whipper-snapper of a girl.Sounds young to me.

Good point, gagagran. That's what I thought too.

Infertile? Hopefully by now! But Haggard and lacking in vitality. I look after my 1 year old (very lively) grandson to make it worthwhile for his parents to go to work, and you need a lot of vitality for that. It shows that in spite of his attempts to show himself as a modern pope, he still lives in the past where women only show their worth by having babies. Disgusting.