Newsflash⚡ writes fictional stories inspired by what is going on.
The Pope’s homophobic outburst was confirmed by his bishops, and this story fictionalises a meeting between a journalist and one of the bishops involved.
LINK: the story behind this story.⚡
“Pope Francis apologises over reported homophobic slur” - by Aleem Maqbool & Hafsa Khalil, BBC News.
(28.05.2024)
-
Rome, May 2024
* * * * * * * * *
My meeting with the Bulgarian bishop did not turn out anything like I had expected.
I left with my heart thumping the tune of di Mameli and my throat scorched by overly-hot coffee.
Which needle he had found in which bag of wool I do not know, but he had managed to get away. He arrived - not with an entourage, but on a moped - wearing a deep red helmet that caught the silver streaks of midsummer rain.
My espresso was served as I watched his boots kick down into the puddles. A wide man; a healthy man. Come il pane. I drank it immediately.
He approached and locked his eyes to mine. Generous eyes, sharp eyes; eyes not like the most of them. Eyes that had turned inwards and seen the war, I thought. They did not seem all too trustworthy. Perhaps they had fought in it.
“Matteo, thank you for meeting with me. You will notice I am not in any condition to stay. Take this.”
He handed me a finely embossed envelope, sealed in a wax of rusted gold. It felt heavy in my hands. I did not feel his hands in mine, but I imagined that they were heavy.
“Everything you will need is in here.”
“Thank you,” I managed, faltering somehow, before he smiled at me generously and turned back towards his vehicle. I wondered briefly what it was he was going off to do, but I felt the envelope in my hand and knew precisely. Hatred and sex - the confessions of the clergy, heavy in the hands of the press. Peccato, I thought, and looked out across the pavement. The man mounted his vehicle, kicked, and disappeared into the mist. A bishop, on a bike. Hope, se non altro, that things could always turn out... not quite as expected.
disclaimer:
This is fiction. The views expressed in this publication do not reflect the views of the author. The stories themselves are based on imagined events. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is fictitious and should not be taken as representative.
Read the full disclaimer.
Gold don't rust!
The history of child sex abuse has not been properly addressed in many countries and have a read about TUAM, IRELAND and the catholic church supplied all sorts of child cruelty there!? Not saying other churches/cults are any better!? So a few words is chicken feed!