Pope Francis on gays, abortion, and contraception

[Jim Eshelman]

(9/23/13)

While I was out of town, Pope Francis made news on September 19 by (my summary) basically telling the church to get back to ministering to people as they find them, rather than focusing on knee-jerk political policy positions on homosexuality, abortion, and contraception.

What do the charts say?

The Vatican routinely has Pluto on the angle of the its Capsolar, and this year was no different. This year it is on the IC within 0°55'. And, as with the rest of the world, that Pluto is conjunct Venus and they both square Uranus. In fact, for Rome, Venus and Uranus are less than 4° from the angles and in 0°29' mundane square.

Homosexuality, abortion, and contraception indeed!

The July 17 Cansolar and current Caplunar are dormant for Rome. So is the prior Liblunar (September 8). We have to go back to the September 1 Canlunar to get an operative lunar ingress.

That Canlunar has Moon 1°26' from square the MC, which then entitles us look at the rest of the chart. We find Pluto 5°08' below the Ascendant and Venus 6°52'west of the MC. Both are wide, both are the right theme for the event... and their average position (midpoint) is 0°52' from the angles. The chart puts focus on nurturing and "the people," with a pronounced Venus-Pluto theme.

I'm not sure when the interview was given. However, the news broke, and had its strongest impact, on the 19th. In addition to the more or less chronic transit of Pluto the Capsolar IC for the year, and Uranus' long-term transit to the Rome Capsolar WP, the Rome CapQ Ascendant when CNN broke the news was 12°49' Sagittarius, starting to move through the Venus-Pluto conjunction of the Capsolar. Also, a liberal Aquarius CapQ Moon was within orb of the Midheaven (and the Moon was in Aquarius on the day of the announcement).

On other fronts, it appeared a Saturnine event to many in the church. The CanQ had Mars still in orb of the MC, Saturn just coming into orb of the Ascendant (partile conjunct Venus). Quite fitting I suspect. To show the averaging of those Mars-Saturn placements on the angles, Mars was 1°46' separating and Saturn was 1°10' applying, so their average was 0°18' from the angles.

[Jim Eshelman]

I think I detected some hostile misunderstanding from the Right, some enthusiastic misunderstanding from the Left. I think your summary, Mr. E., has it about right. Could the Mars/Saturn indicate that portion of the dismayed response?

-Derek

[Jim Eshelman]

Could the Mars/Saturn indicate that portion of the dismayed response?

I'm sure, though I wouldn't use "dismayed." I'd have said "angry" at the very least.