With so much buzz today about what 12/12/12 might mean for all of you dooms dayers and general pessimists, we thought you might find this request from a Chilean Bishop rather interesting. 

While some are of the opinion that the 12/12/12 numbers hold significance others think the significance is greater in the year in which the Mayan long calendar ends.

Take for example, Bishop Bernardo Bastres of Chile. 

The Bishop of the Diocese of Punta Arenas faced with the concerns of those who say December 21 could be the end of the world, surprised everyone with a particular request. In fact, last Sunday he proposed those who are convinced of the world’s end, to give away their goods to the Catholic Church, as reported to the Fides Agenzia.

“According to rumors, a Chinese or a Japanese is building a ship like Noah’s Ark - said the Bishop -. While many believe that the world will end on December 21, we, as a Church, have no problem if people want to give away their belongings and leave their properties. I assure you that after December 21 we will pray forever for them, because I am sure that after that date we will still be alive. If they want to go away, far away from here, they will only do a good thing by giving their property to the Church.”

The Bishop concluded: “This story of the end of the world has no seriousness. I have already planned commitments until the end of next year, and if we die, it will be God’s will.”

FYI – for the 1 in 10 people who think the world is ending keep in mind it is a distortion of what the Mayan predicted or what other Mayan cultural elements reflect.  The Mayan long calendar began on August 11 in the year 3114 B.C. and ends on December 21, 2012 with the beginning of a new era. The Mayan predictions for December 2012 were about the return of the god Bolon Yokte and not about the end of the world, experts say.