Dear Holy Father,
I'm very sorry to hear that Chico is not allowed to live with you - I'll bet he's missing you a lot, too. I have an idea: perhaps you could surreptitiously introduce a colony of mice into the Papal Apartments. I was going to suggest rats, but frankly, that might point the finger of suspicion a little too readily at you. Also, the idea isn't to do any serious damage, just freak out the more skittish chamberlains and nuns in the place. Clever as a serpent and harmless as a dove...or mouse...that's always been my motto. So anyway, all you have to do is get the place crawling with mice, and then it's Chico to the rescue! Surely the necessity of having a cat on the premises will sweep away all rules and objections, and then you're home free.
Wanda,
What a brilliant idea! I'm not from Hameln, but I will dust off my old recorder from grade school and give it a try. I have to admit that ever since I had read this, I've had more than a passing curiosity about my ability to lead rodents with my playing.
Papa B:
Reading your musings is such a breath of fresh air in this relativist-plagued world. May this journal (and your papacy, of course) live for many, many years...
It does help to ease the pain of the loss of Fr. Sibley's blog... praise the Lord! 
Wait a minute! You're the Pope! Why can't you have a cat? If Cardinal Luciani can give himself two names and Pope John Paul II can wear brown loafers with his papal cassock instead of scarlet slippers (and we have the pictures to prove it), what's the big deal about a feline presence in the Vatican? I mean, really!
Veronica,
Thank you for your kind words. They mean a lot to me because here I am just a humble blogger in the vineyard of St. Blog’s.
God bless you, child.
Papa
Chris,
I hear you. I made the same observations too. I have some of my people checking into the veracity of the claim, but the excuse I am being given is quite a tale. Apparently, St. Paul had sent St. Peter a Lab-Shepherd mix puppy as a gift. While Peter was out preaching the Gospel one day, the pup chewed up Peter’s chair so bad that he had to send it our to be repaired. Being the hothead that he was, Peter forever banished pets from the papal quarters. I know; it sounds like a lot of bunk to me too, but apparently my building super has some theologians who claim that Peter’s proclamation is binding on his successors. Of course, I disagree, as does a host of my colleagues. My people are still waiting for the Vatican archivist to find any evidence that the story is true in the first place.
Things move very slowly in the Church. It will get hashed out eventually, but these things take time and when it is resolved we can be assured of its validity.
God bless you, Chico and I thank you for your moral support.
Papa,
Even if the tale was true, the claim about it being binding on future popes is, as we say in America, hogwash. It's not a matter of faith and morals. If that were the case, it'd be like hearing Mass in 2005 not in the vernacular, not in Latin, but in Aramaic, mostly likely, whatever language Jesus prayed the first Mass.
Where did these guys get their theology degrees?
Chris,
You are absolutely correct. That is why I said that my colleagues and I disagree with them.
To answer your question, those theologians received their degrees from some prestigious Jesuit institutions.
But was Peter speaking Ex-Cat-edra?
Papa,
Are these the same theologians that are hiding a certain resignation letter from you (not to mention names, but Bishop Gumbleton)?
He's been auxiliary bishop here since I was 2! And I'm nearly 40! Haven't we suffered enough?
Maggie,
LOL
Did I use that properly?
I’ve always wanted to do an LOL.
Chris,
Yes, they most certainly are the same people. However, I don’t know if they are hiding it or if it is truly in the mail. They told me that the unnamed bishop mailed his resignation from Haiti or Cuba and that mail from there takes a very long time because they ship it out on rafts or old taxicabs that were converted into boats.
Yes, he was ordained a long time ago, but bear your cross with patience and determination; the good Lord will not fail you. I don’t know what I can say to make you feel better other than to remind you that you don’t have that other bishop still. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to be a namedropper, so I’ll just give you a little hint. He had a red hat and his name began with a ‘John’ and ended with a ‘Dearden’.
Remember too, you surely are not alone in your suffering.
God bless you
Dear Papa B,
I think you are being given bad information. The Peter and Paul tale is bunk. It has to be because there certainly is precedent for pets in the Vatican. Why, His Holiness Paul VI once dressed up his kitty in a little cardinal outfit! I read about it on the 'net. And did you know that Cardinal Mahony (without an 'e') has two kitties? One's a beautiful silver tabby.
I do hope you are able to have some 'furbabies' (that's cat-fancier-speak) in the VA one day soon.
Moongarden,
Thank you for writing. I find it rather twisted interesting that Pope Paul VI would do that. Also, I was not aware that Cardinal Mahony (without an 'e') was a cat fancier. I suppose a dog lover would attribute the design of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels to that fact.
Anyway, you have provided my people with just the proof they need to settle this matter; after all, if something is on the ‘net it has to be true!
God bless you.
Papa
Papa, rather than charming rats with your old recorder, why not try it with your piano?
I know you had a lot of trouble getting it into your new home ... nowhere is the priest shortage more apparent than when you're trying to shift heavy furniture 
According to this, where it speaks of Paul VI's goldfinch (complete with picture), it says you've moved in two cats.
?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/
art...1594048,00.html
Steve,
Thank you for your suggestion. Since I play my piano nearly every day, I suspect it would have worked by now.
Regarding the move; I hear you, brother. I’ll tell you, they were all lined up when I was handing out blessed rosaries, but when I needed a few strong backs, it was like a ghost town here.
God bless you.
Papa
Chris,
Thank you for the link. You have provided my people with even more evidence that St. Peter’s proclamation is not binding on his successors. I did move in with Chico and a stray cat I picked up on the way (Rome is filled with poor little abandoned kitties).
The problem started when I called the building super in to fix a leak under the sink. He was bent over working on the pipes and inadvertently exposed part of himself that the stray found a little too intriguing. When the cat jumped on his back to investigate, it startled him and he bumped his head on the bottom of the sink. That is when he started to make the stink about pets in the papal apartment.
I am quite confident that we shall prevail in the end, but for now we have to go through the motions. I have to bear my cross and accept that in the meantime I will only get to see my cats during scheduled visitation. Which, by the way, they are going to allow during the week. I will keep you posted.
God bless you.
Papa
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