In the wake of the Vatican's release of its Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road last week, Ferrari's general manager, Amadeo Felisa, told Reuters that he doesn't feel that the products coming out of Maranello are a matter of concern. The topic came up because as part of the Vatican guidelines, drivers are instructed not to use their cars as status symbols designed to make others envious.
Felisa noted that Ferraris could be used in such a manner, but that most of the marque's customers make a purchase because they simply love to drive. He also told Reuters that while he was sure buying a Ferrari isn't a sin, that if it was, well, "you should commit at least one from time to time."
Mr. Felisa should rest assured in the knowledge that when it comes to Ferrari, there's no shortage of aspiring sinners out there. Us included.
[Source: Reuters via Yahoo! News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Stephen @ Jun 24th 2007 7:10PM
As a Catholic, I was offended by the Vatican wasting its time on this. People are starving all over the world, there is war, disease and genocide, but somehow doing God's work involves creating a list of commandments for drivers. Well done.
Icon149 @ Jun 24th 2007 7:42PM
Stephen you have probably never driven in Italy...
Stephen @ Jun 24th 2007 8:33PM
I really hope you're kidding when you compare genocide to driving in Italy. I'd gladly drive in Italy again (yes, again) before spending 1 minute trying to survive as a non-Baggara citizen of Sudan.
Rob @ Jun 24th 2007 9:13PM
"As a Catholic, I was offended..."
Hehe, good to know we Catholics haven't lost our sense of humour :)
Nice one
jim @ Jun 25th 2007 2:50AM
You are plain ignorant.
Safe driving, and curbing road rage will save many of lives and assaults each year.
Road rage does kill people and cause a lot of damage.
Whiplash @ Jun 25th 2007 9:47AM
I think it's amazing that the church can do something as simple as suggest that people respect each other and somehow people get offended by that.
It's my experience that the people who are most indignant about being told how to behave are usually the ones who need most to be reminded.
As for "the church" not addressing the problems of the world; "the church" is nothing more than the people who call themselves members. Maybe this is your call to get more involved.
Stephen @ Jun 25th 2007 3:59PM
I would have no problem with suggestions, but if they were suggestions, they wouldn't call them commandments would they? As for the Catholic church being the sum of it's members, we have the Pope. In theory, he puts forth the church's agenda then that 15% or so that takes him seriously goes and does his bidding in the name of the Holy Roman Empire.
As for being ignorant, ignorant is a grown man using "a lot" and expecting to be taken seriously. Who said that I was against safe driving? Run with it though, presumptuousness suits you.
My point was just this: an 80 year-old virgin who gets chauffeured around really shouldn't be telling people how to drive.
Rob @ Jun 28th 2007 11:42PM
I know it's late for responses, but really, silly comments like this need to be put in their place.
First off, what differentiates 'Catholics' from other Christian religions is, in part, their adherence to the Pope as their spiritual leader. So let's be honest about whether we call ourselves Catholic or not.
Secondly, you need to look deeper into what is meant by the term 'commandment.' They are moral imperatives which should be followed for those that accept their legitimacy, much like the original 'ten' and J.C.'s 'two'. You have free will to follow them or reject them, and Catholicism fully recognizes this - they do not try to force you to do anything. Of course, you could also do some research into what the Pope has written himself on commandments and conscience. You can search under Benedict XVI or Ratzinger.
Thirdly, why do you dismiss the writings of 'an 80 year-old virgin' ? I suppose you think the Dalai Lama is a moron too? Gandhi stopped being sexually active when he got older, I guess we can dismiss him as well.
I am offended this wasn't more of a challenge for me.
judy @ Jul 9th 2007 11:10AM
Did you read the original article? The Church does not call them commandments, the media does. The Church calls them guidelines. And the guidelines do not speak only to driving, but to all issues of "the road," including women on the street (prostitution), children on the street, and the homeless. Guidelines for pastoral care. Yes, God's work extends to all reaches of the world, and to issues such as poverty, hunger, and war; but there is poverty and there is hunger and there is violence on your own streets. We should not ignore the plight of foreign countries, but neither should we ignore the plight of people in our own communities, nor the potential in ourselves. Note also that these guidelines were given out by a committee focused on the issues they speak to. The committee focused on genocide and such matters will speak in their turn.
bmw122487 @ Jun 24th 2007 7:48PM
there upkeep, price, insurence and reliability are sins, still i would love to wake up to a 599 GTB Fiorano in my garage.
paul34 @ Jun 24th 2007 8:22PM
Wow, are there really that many hardcore Catholic Ferrari buyers who would stop buying Ferraris to the point where Ferrari needed to release a statement? That's crazy.
Maybe Ferrari should hook up good ol' EggsBenedict with a ride in a F40 or FXX. Might be good for a few salvation waivers =D
Yago Bal @ Jun 24th 2007 9:03PM
Ferrari didn't release a statement: it's general manager just made a casual comment...
;)
paul34 @ Jun 24th 2007 9:49PM
Indeed. Thanks for the correction =)
bmoredlj @ Jun 24th 2007 8:26PM
As long as drivers have confession from time to time, it should be fine.
Besides, if you need a priest REAL fast, who are you gonna depend on...the priest with a Kia Rio, or the priest with a Fiorano?
aaron @ Jun 24th 2007 9:20PM
Hardcore Catholics? Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa...Lois, this is not my Batman glass.
Barney @ Jun 24th 2007 9:47PM
The Vatican is coming up with a lot of "thou shalt not,s" Another wealthy religion who has no qualms having gold and treating those who haven't, as the underdog. The pope doing expensive world tours in his custom built Pope-mobile.
Yago Bal @ Jun 25th 2007 2:31AM
...And the vatican has several Ferraris, including one of the Schumacher's F1s, I believe... :p Oh... the irony.
autoreader.net @ Jun 25th 2007 4:08AM
Come on, you just cant accuse anyone of driving his fancy car! A Ferrari is a Ferrari and everyone will envy you!
Michael @ Jun 25th 2007 5:49AM
Well, the current Pope isn't Italian so maybe he doesn't have high performance engine oil instead of blood like all Italians do...
Graham @ Jun 25th 2007 7:32AM
The Pope should practice what he preaches perhaps. He not only has a popemobile but was presented with a VW Phaeton in 2006. See here:
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/19/papal-power-vw-presents-pope-benedict-with-450hp-phaeton/