Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Why I Am Catholic

Home
Check Out Pope Francis’s New Car…

Check Out Pope Francis’s New Car…

Last updated on: January 24, 2017 at 5:14 pm by Frank Weathers

Check Out Pope Francis’s New Car… 2017-01-24T17:14:28-05:00 Frank Weathers

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

It’s no surprise that Joe Six-Pack is a car guy. I’ve held forth on the fact that I enjoy planes, trains, and automobiles before.

Truth be told, I’m a bit of a gearhead. So when I saw the story from the Catholic News Service that a priest up and gave his old car to Pope Francis, I was pretty jazzed. It’s a 1984 vintage Renault 4, with 186,000 miles on the clock. Or maybe it’s kilometers.

At least it’s the right color!

Photo Credit: Catholic News Service

Awwww. Ain’t it cute?

Check out the specs,

engine type: naturally aspirated petrol (ed. methane!)
engine manufacturer: Renault
cylinders: Straight 4
capacity: 1.1 litre
1108 cc
(67.614 cu in)!!
bore × stroke 70 × 72 mm
2.76 × 2.83 in
bore/stroke ratio: 0.97
valve gear: OHV
2 valves per cylinder
8 Total valves
maximum power output
(din) 34.5 PS (34 bhp) (25.4 kW)
at 4000 rpm
specific output
(din): 30.7 bhp/litre
0.5 bhp/cu in
maximum torque
(din) 74 Nm (55 ft·lb) (7.5 kgm)
at 2500 rpm
specific torque
(din) 66.79 Nm/litre
0.81 ft·lb/cu3
engine construction
sump
compression ratio: 9.5:1
fuel system: 1 Ze carb
bmep (brake mean effective pressure): 839.3 kPa (121.7 psi)
maximum rpm: as fast as your feet will pedal. 🙂
crankshaft bearings 3
engine coolant: Water
unitary capacity: 277 cc
aspiration: Normal
compressor N/A
intercooler None
catalytic converter N

Would you believe this story involves a letter and a phone call too? Naturally. Take it away, CNS.

The pope didn’t get his new wheels on eBay. Father Zocca said he wrote the pope, saying he wanted to meet him, donate his car, and tell him about his ministry: living and working for 25 years in a run-down, working-class neighborhood in Verona — the northern Italian city made famous by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

Instead of feuding family rivalries, however, Father Zocca had to face off violent drug pushers who were destroying young people’s lives and leaving the priest death threats. Not even getting stabbed would stop the priest, who said, “I wanted to embody the (Second Vatican) Council in that parish in the outskirts, which has been the center of my life.”
With both parents dead at 35 years old, Father Zocca raised his 14-year-old brother. He revitalized the community and built centers for the poor, disabled and the elderly. He and his brother lived in government housing, and with an apartment on the 9th-floor, “I would joke that I lived in the highest rectory in Italy.”

Then on August 10 at 10:19 a.m., Father Zocca got a call on his cell from the pope. Pope Francis had gotten the priest’s letter and they spent half an hour talking about the priest’s work “in the peripheries,” as the pope has repeatedly called today’s priests to go. Father Zocca reiterated his offer that he had this white Renault in the garage that had been his faithful companion for decades as he drove all over Verona and Italy for his ministry.
The pope was unsure, the priest said, and suggested the priest give it to the poor.

“I answered that this car had already given much to the poor and now it had to go to the pope.” He told the magazine that he wanted to give the pope something that was a testimony to his experience and ministry of going into the outskirts “and what a better gift than my Renault 4?” he said.

When the pope was sure Father Zocca had another car to use, the pope pulled out his appointment book, leafed through the pages and started listing the days and times he would be free in early September. With the appointment set for Sept. 7 at 3 p.m, Father Zocca had his mechanic, Stefano, give the car a tune-up, clean the spark plugs and put air in the tires. The car also runs on methane so “the Vatican won’t have to worry about high gas prices,” the priest said.
On Saturday, the car was loaded on a tow truck with the priest and about 100 townsfolk, including the mechanic, following along on a chartered bus to Rome.

Read the rest.

It runs on methane? Or is it methanol? Somebody buy that gearhead priest a beer! He’s been under the hood, messing with carburetors and stuff.

You know, the upside of owning this Renault is that since it puts out only 30 horsepower, Pope Francis’s security detail can keep up with him pretty easily. Maybe even by just jogging.

Idea! Maybe I’ll write Pope Francis and see if he’d be interested in the Mustang. That way, he can really give his security detail the slip.

45 horsepower per cylinder, and there’s eight of ’em.

On second thought, he tends to call people back, so I better not.

Happy motoring, il Papa.

Previous Post

September 9, 2013

PSA: Charlie Rose Interviews Syrian President Assad on PBS Tonight, 9PM Eastern

Next Post

September 11, 2013 Al-Qaeda Learns How To Lobby Congress? UPDATED

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Blog News Conversion Story Culture Learning Living Nature Prayer Uncategorized Working

Select a Month June 2016 May 2016 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

In 2 Timothy, what did Paul leave with Carpus at Troas?

Select your answer to see how you score.

His money His letters His tent-making tools His cloak and scrolls