Tuesday, September 17, 2013

The Pope's "new" car

VATICAN CITY — When an Italian priest handed Pope Francis the keys to his classic 30hp Renault 4, the pope got behind the wheel and took off, leaving security squirming behind, knowing full well this would be just the beginning of a pope truly on the move. Even though he shouldn’t be able to reach Ferrari-like speeds with a 300cc engine, it might be tough keeping up when he hits the hills.

“The security personnel next to me were very concerned because they understood that from now on he would be tooling around the Vatican in my car,” the car donor, 69-year-old Father Renzo Zocca, told the Italian Catholic magazine, Famiglia Cristiana. But the priest told the police, not to worry, “I left some snow chains in the trunk. You never know!”

The new addition to the papal fleet — a silver-white four-door 1984 Renault with 186,000 miles on the odometer — happened on Saturday, just a few hours before the Sept. 7 prayer vigil in St. Peter’s Square for peace.

Normally  this would not merit a comment from a Lutheran blogger, but my favorite repair guys on Car Talk had a field day with the gift and I could not help but pass on the delicate humor of their fans...

  • I always thought the Pope would drive a Christ-ler
  • “Tu illam inundarunt” (Latin for “You flooded it”).
  • The pope can easily handle a flooded engine. Even if it’s of Biblical proportions.
  • He needs one of two bumper stickers. #1, God is my co-pilot. OR #2, My other car is the Pope Mobile.
  • I haven’t seen car trouble like this since we tried to fit all the Apostles in one Accord.
  • It’s either burning oil, or you’ve just been replaced.
  • “A little black smoke is fine, just watch out for the white smoke”.
  • If you see a lot of white smoke, it might mean it’s time to elect a new car.
  • The black smoke means that a new car must still be chosen.
  • Ashes to Ashes
    Dust to Dust.
    If not for Renault
    Our tools would rust.
  • Look the Vatican acquired a new relic.
  • “The Spiritus Sancti made manifold…”
  • Last Rides, anyone? (Extreme disfUnction)
Only a Pope from Argentina could get excited about a 29 year old Renault 4 with 186,000 miles on it!  Since I am kind of a Ford man, it saddens me that the Pope will now give up driving the 5-6 year old Focus that had been his main set of wheels for tooling around the Vatican. . .




5 comments:

deo1929 said...

I love it! Thanks for sharing. As a fellow LCMS Pastor and Ford guy myself, you might enjoy the blog I have on my Mustang. It's a work in progress (8 years so far) but it's a hobby I've had for years before going to seminary.

BTW...Loved your piece on the NEED to go to church. I posted it on our church FB page. I hope you don't mind.

Blessings in Christ!

Dr.D said...

This pope saddens me severely and often. His automotive choices are the least of my worries with Frank.

Fr. D+
Anglican Priest

Quidcarads said...

Hello,
Nice blog. The car is looking so old but it is an expensive car. Thanks for sharing it..

quidcarads.co.uk

automotive said...

Thanks for sharing. As a fellow LCMS Pastor and Ford guy myself, you might enjoy the blog I have on my Mustang.

Automotive Engines said...

Loved the post! Thanks for the share!!