From declining membership to Vatican scandals to political infighting, the Catholic Church has long been beset by troubles, and now it seems like these issues are beginning to take a devastating toll: Pope Francis is clearly living out of the Popemobile.
Absolutely heartbreaking. Whether you support the Catholic Church or not, you have to feel for Pope Francis here.
Pope Francis all but confirmed concerns that he’s been living out of the Popemobile this past Sunday evening, after press spotted the Pontiff heating up canned soup on a portable electric stove inside of the bulletproof vehicle, where he then ate dinner and slept until it was time to preside over Mass the next morning. Usually reserved for the Pope’s public appearances, the Popemobile is now jammed with trash bags of clothes and parked near permanently on a street right outside the Vatican, only moving when the Pope is hassled by Holy City parking enforcement officers. His Holiness, reportedly evicted from his papal apartment next to St. Peter’s basilica for failing to make rent several months in a row, now relies on a YMCA down the road for showers, a tragic sign that the Catholic Church is well past its glory days as one of the most powerful institutions in all of history.
When asked to comment on his current living situation, Pope Francis flat-out denied that he lived out of the Popemobile, alleging that it was stuffed with belongings at the moment because he was “helping a friend move,” and that if he’s seen changing into his papal vestments, cooking, or sleeping in the Popemobile, it’s because he’s “an incredibly busy man, constantly on the go.”
So, so sad.
Though Pope Francis has long been known for embracing humility and denouncing the luxurious lifestyles of previous Popes, this is simply not reassuring for Catholics concerned about their church’s current trajectory. Hopefully the church can find a more suitable living arrangement for Pope Francis soon, because this is not a sustainable way for the Head of the Catholic Church to live.
