 A ginger tabby, possibly looking a bit like this one, has written an "authorized" biography of Pope Benedict. Which is not quite as fey and silly as it sounds (though almost so) because he does like cats, a lot. When he was head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the German newspaper Bild wrote, he tended to the cats that frequented the garden of the congregation’s building in the Vatican and bandaged their wounds.
And Popes get keen on cats more often than you'd think. According to “The Papacy: An Encyclopedia,” by Philippe Levillain, Leo XII, in the 1820s, raised his grayish-red cat, Micetto, in the pleat of his cassock. And according to The Times of London, Paul VI, pope from 1963 to 1978, once dressed his cat in cardinal’s robes. I suppose the great thing about cats is that they don't answer back, they don't keep demanding women priests and they're rarely gay.
Joanna writes: As two of the world's most powerful men sit in the White House Oval office what's being said? Answers in the comments below please
(Libby writes: "Is the rug from IKEA as well, George?")
 The BBC website has a particularly nice 'reporter's diary' section on covering the Pope' visit to the US. It all starts with Sister Giovanna handing out speech copies, and then there is the usual media mayhem on the plane. Only there isn't. Under the last Pope, apparently, "There was a lot of climbing over seats to try to hear what he was saying ...Pope Benedict is different. The good German theology professor does not like disorder around him, and I can't say I blame him, remembering the flying tripods and the hectic scrambles of some journalistic encounters on previous papal trips."
 After my yelp of surprise when the Pope Trivia Quiz claimed that it is illegal for a Scot to become Pope on pain of banishment, kindly reader "Recusant" linked me to the original 1560 text of this law: and yes, it is still on the statute book. Government websites confirm. So, prospective Scottish cardinals please note:
"The Jurisdictioune and autoritie of the bischope of Rome callit the paip within this realme in tymes bipast hes bene verray hurtful and preiudiciall to our soueranis autoritie and commone weill of this realme Thairfoir hes statute and ordanit that the bischope of Rome haif na Jurisdictioun nor autoritie within this realme in tymes cuming And that nane of our saidis soueranis subiectis of this realme sute or desire in ony tyme heireftir title or rycht be the said bischope of Rome or his sait to ony thing within this realme vnder the panis of barratrye That is to say proscriptioune banischement and neuir to bruke honour office nor dignitie within this realme" So there. 
Joanna Sugden writes: When the Pope lands stateside tomorrow there will be an industry of related tack to greet him. But bumper stickers, mugs, t-shirts, keyrings and Popes-on-ropes have been out tacked by Bobble-Head Pope who even stars in this advert for the Washington Metro. The ad is promoting the Mass-Pass as the only way to travel to see the pontiff when he arrives in DC. The Archdiocese of Washington has asked for the advert to be scrapped and reminded people that tickets for the Mass cannot be resold as attendance should be free of charge.
The Archdiocese of Washington has sanctioned the following merchandise for the visit and hosted it on Catholictothemax.com
Pope Benedict kissing baby keyring
I heart the Pope bumper sticker
Needless to say this Pope on a rope (worringly available in used and new) is not an official Vatican product. 
But apparently the Pope has welcomed this Benedict Beer from a German Brewery - they were struggling until pictures showed Benedict XVI enjoy a pint or two.
To go the full papal mile you can drink it out of this I love my German Shepherd beer mug.
And to accompany your beverage why not crack some nuts with this Benedict Nutcracker?
Not to be left out or outdone this Atheist Online site offers its own homage to the Pontiff
Joanna writes: The modern day Pontiff has plenty to keep him 'on trend' and 'on the move' including an iPod, solar panels, and a new Popemobile. But next month he will get a skateboard when he goes to America, designed by a child in the Archdiocese of New York. Seventy children competed to design the board for the 80-year-old Pope and the idea for the contest came from a youth skateboarding club at St. Elizabeth's Church in Manhattan. A winner has yet to be chosen. What do you think the design should include?
Pope Benedict XVI has taken charge of a new Pope Mobile, a Mercedes Benz G-class painted "Vatican mystic white". Unlike Pope John Paul II's version this one doesn't come with bulletproof glass.
Pope Pius XI was the first Pope to have a Mercedes. Daimler-Benz presented the Pope with a Mercedes-Benz Nürburg 460 in 1930.
Here are some Popemobiles of the past.
Pope John Paul II waves from the Popemobile for the closing ceremonies at La Aurora Airport in Guatemala City 30 July, 2002. Pope John Paul II welcomed a decision to abolish the death penalty in Guatemala, his spokesman Joaquin Navarro Valls said, as the pontiff concluded a 24-hour visit to the Central American country.
Pope John Paul II's popemobile passes by an advertisement poster approaching center of Ukraine's capital Kiev Saturday, June 23, 2001.
Continue reading "Popemobiles past and present" »
Interesting reactions to the Pope's surprising words of scepticism about climate change prophets. Back iN April he said that "disregard for the environment always harms human coexistence and vice versa". However, Pope Benedict is nothing if not a careful thinker, and this American Thinker blog sees it as entirely coherent. But admit that it's a bit of a turn-up when a Pope tells us to base our thinking on "science, not dogma". One imagines Richard Dawkins' mouth hanging open...
 Georg Ratzinger has defended his younger, more famous, brother to the hilt. Now his authorized biography sheds light on the pair's upbringing as well as telling us more about this musical maestro who ran the Regensburg cathedral choir.
Libby Purves is a Times columnist, novelist and Radio 4 broadcaster. Her interest in the glories, inspirations and eccentricities of world religions and cultural traditions was fuelled by an upbringing in Bangkok, Israel, Africa, France and a series of convent schools. Bess Twiston Davies works for the Times Register section and is a regular contributor to the Faith page and Times Online. She studied Hispanic studies and English at Sheffield University and has a journalism diploma from The Robert Schuman Institute, Angers, France. Contact Libby or Bess at: faithcentral@timesonline.co.ukYou might also enjoy Articles of Faith, Ruth Gledhill's wonderful blog about religious affairs.
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A ginger tabby, possibly looking a bit like this one, has written an "authorized" biography of Pope Benedict. Which is not quite as fey and silly as it sounds (though almost so) because he does like cats, a lot. When he was head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the German newspaper Bild wrote, he tended to the cats that frequented the garden of the congregation’s building in the Vatican and bandaged their wounds. 
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