Benedict the Cat

Chat GPT is kinda amazing

Yesterday, someone mentioned Pope Benedict’s love for cats, and suddenly a wild idea popped into my head — a short story about Benedict being reincarnated as a cat.

Doctrinal and theological pitfalls aside, I think it’s kind of a cute concept. But given my problems with writer’s block and procrastination, composing the story myself didn’t seem like a prudent option.

So I took the obvious next step — as I expect will be the norm for all writers by the end of this calendar year — I turned to the AI-driven Chat GPT and typed, “Tell a story about Pope Benedict XVI, in which he dies and is reincarnated as a cat.”

This is the result, completely unedited and unaltered:

Pope Benedict XVI was a man of great faith and devotion. He had dedicated his life to serving the Catholic Church and spreading the word of God.

As he approached the end of his life, Pope Benedict XVI began to feel a sense of peace and contentment. He knew that his time on earth was coming to an end, and he was ready to meet his maker.

On the day of his passing, the Pope was surrounded by his closest advisors and members of the clergy. He closed his eyes and took his last breath, his soul ascending to the heavens.

But his story did not end there. As he journeyed through the afterlife, Pope Benedict XVI found himself being drawn back to the earthly plane. He was not sure why, but he sensed that he had a higher purpose to fulfill.

And so, he was reincarnated as a cat.

At first, the Pope was confused by his new form. He had never been a cat before, and he was not sure how to navigate the world as a feline. But he quickly adapted, using his sharp senses and cunning intelligence to thrive in his new environment.

As he roamed the streets and alleys of Rome, Pope Benedict XVI felt a deep sense of connection to the city and its people. He knew that he was meant to be there, and he dedicated himself to helping those in need.

Whether it was comforting the sick and the dying, or providing a warm and cozy home to the stray and the homeless, Pope Benedict XVI used his new life to serve others.

And in the end, he knew that he had fulfilled his true purpose, just as he had always hoped to do.