Yes, during papal conclaves I appear on local media: tv, radio, newspaper. It's a chance to do my part to clarify some of the media's difficulties with things like papal conclaves. This problem is, apparently, very widespread.
Then there's Eye of the Tiber to keep it all real and serve as a crucial reminder: the papal conclave involves the Holy Spirit and can't so easily be contained in a media outlet sound bite.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Addition by Subtraction
We have a new pope!
Cardinal Borgoglio, a Jesuit from Argentina, took the name Francis and now let the analytic games begin. First religious elected pope since 1831, first Jesuit, first pope from the Americas, first pope not from Europe since 7
Interestingly enough, even John Allen Jr. didn't quite have Francis as a likely candidate. A pope-maker, but not a serious candidate. Folks, when Allen misses, the rest of us are WAY WAY off. Thank you, Holy Spirit. We aren't divine--YOU ARE.
And with this surprise comes, in the first 48 hours, all sorts of assessments: Francis is too liberal, too conservative (especially for leftists in Argentina), even too similar to John Paul I (Allen tweeted this on Friday March 15). Over at Catholic Moral Theology, Charlie Carmosy cheers Francis as a "magenta pope" (neither red nor blue, liberal nor conservative), but then adds "he's no Paul Ryan pope." David Brooks, always a go-to source for Catholic commentary (uh...), got the Donatist controversy involved and, chutzpah!, sides Francis with St. Augustine. (Now if that article ever gets into the hands of Pope Francis, I'm sure the Holy Father will have a very good, very hearty LAUGH.)
Cardinal Borgoglio, a Jesuit from Argentina, took the name Francis and now let the analytic games begin. First religious elected pope since 1831, first Jesuit, first pope from the Americas, first pope not from Europe since 7
Interestingly enough, even John Allen Jr. didn't quite have Francis as a likely candidate. A pope-maker, but not a serious candidate. Folks, when Allen misses, the rest of us are WAY WAY off. Thank you, Holy Spirit. We aren't divine--YOU ARE.
And with this surprise comes, in the first 48 hours, all sorts of assessments: Francis is too liberal, too conservative (especially for leftists in Argentina), even too similar to John Paul I (Allen tweeted this on Friday March 15). Over at Catholic Moral Theology, Charlie Carmosy cheers Francis as a "magenta pope" (neither red nor blue, liberal nor conservative), but then adds "he's no Paul Ryan pope." David Brooks, always a go-to source for Catholic commentary (uh...), got the Donatist controversy involved and, chutzpah!, sides Francis with St. Augustine. (Now if that article ever gets into the hands of Pope Francis, I'm sure the Holy Father will have a very good, very hearty LAUGH.)
Monday, March 4, 2013
the anchor's there...
...we just have to believe it'll hold when we need it, George Weigel reminds us.
Several years ago, during a family vacation to Maine, the Spiritual Diabetes children swam out to a diving platform. Anchored ashore by a long rope, the platform rose and fell with the tides. When the kids swam out, it was high tide so the older ones used the rope for guidance. I had to tell the youngest--who wanted to join the fun out in the water--to use the rope. "Trust me," I said, "it'll be there."
Weigel's column reminded me of that need for reassurance. Yet we also need to develop the strength and confidence to swim without always clutching at the guideline. Ed Peters indicates that even the cardinals wrestle with this. From EP's Canon Law Facebook:
Several years ago, during a family vacation to Maine, the Spiritual Diabetes children swam out to a diving platform. Anchored ashore by a long rope, the platform rose and fell with the tides. When the kids swam out, it was high tide so the older ones used the rope for guidance. I had to tell the youngest--who wanted to join the fun out in the water--to use the rope. "Trust me," I said, "it'll be there."
Weigel's column reminded me of that need for reassurance. Yet we also need to develop the strength and confidence to swim without always clutching at the guideline. Ed Peters indicates that even the cardinals wrestle with this. From EP's Canon Law Facebook:
Friday, March 1, 2013
we're over here and you're over there
Sometimes you need to set things out before you begin, a prologomena of sorts, because darn it otherwise some folks start thinking that, y'know, we're all really alike.
OK, yes, we're all sinners, I get that, but you know what I mean. There are differences in this world and the trouble starts when we act as if those distinctions don't exist.
Like this interview by Kathryn Jean Lopez at National Review; pets outnumber children more than four to one.
W-T-F? No, seriously....
OK, yes, we're all sinners, I get that, but you know what I mean. There are differences in this world and the trouble starts when we act as if those distinctions don't exist.
Like this interview by Kathryn Jean Lopez at National Review; pets outnumber children more than four to one.
W-T-F? No, seriously....
Thursday, February 28, 2013
the freaks come out at nine...
...and it's twenty to ten.
First voluntary papal resignation in, oh, 719 years, so sure, WHY NOT quote an old Skid Row song?
Well, because, thanks to Mark Shea, monkey business like this is afoot. OK, 1) Andrew Sullivan is a leading blogger, but despite his or anybody else's protests it's not accurate to label him a leading Catholic blogger. Especially when he suggests that 1) Benedict is gay; and 2) that's why he resigned.
FURTHERMORE, Chris Johnson tells us that the blogosophere's savant now all fancy themselves papalistas--experts in the field, ya'know--including, gah, Episcopalians. Johnson, being the level-headed St Louisan that he is, realizes that this is all basically wish-fulfillment. These folks--the lefty Episcopals, Sullivan, heck even a chunk of American Catholics themselves--want the conclave to elect a pope who will affirm their already chosen paths. Gay? Don't worry--the next pope will make it all good. Ordained women? Puh-leez, he'll handle that in the first 15 minutes after the Urbi et Orbi blessing. Reverse Church teaching on artificial birth control, abortion, and masturbation? Easy--before the wine's opened at dinner the first night.
To all of which I say: spiritual diabetes.
First voluntary papal resignation in, oh, 719 years, so sure, WHY NOT quote an old Skid Row song?
Well, because, thanks to Mark Shea, monkey business like this is afoot. OK, 1) Andrew Sullivan is a leading blogger, but despite his or anybody else's protests it's not accurate to label him a leading Catholic blogger. Especially when he suggests that 1) Benedict is gay; and 2) that's why he resigned.
FURTHERMORE, Chris Johnson tells us that the blogosophere's savant now all fancy themselves papalistas--experts in the field, ya'know--including, gah, Episcopalians. Johnson, being the level-headed St Louisan that he is, realizes that this is all basically wish-fulfillment. These folks--the lefty Episcopals, Sullivan, heck even a chunk of American Catholics themselves--want the conclave to elect a pope who will affirm their already chosen paths. Gay? Don't worry--the next pope will make it all good. Ordained women? Puh-leez, he'll handle that in the first 15 minutes after the Urbi et Orbi blessing. Reverse Church teaching on artificial birth control, abortion, and masturbation? Easy--before the wine's opened at dinner the first night.
To all of which I say: spiritual diabetes.
an amazing view
Just watched Benedict XVI's helicopter take off from the Vatican and land at Castle Gandolfo. What a sight to see--and that we can all watch it live on TV, computer, phone, etc.
the new front door
May God continue to bless our pope emeritus, Benedict XVI
the new front door
May God continue to bless our pope emeritus, Benedict XVI
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
benchmarks
First off, this blog is now officially official: we've topped 1, 000 page views! Father Z, Mark Shea, and Amy Wellborn had better watch out. It's like that line in House of Pain's "Jump Around:" "I'm comin' to getcha, I'm comin' to getcha..."
More importantly, it's "Sedevacante Eve" a day not customarily on the Church's calendar. Yesterday, Rocco Palmo notes, almost 200, 000 jammed St Peter's Square for Benedict's last audience. In October providence allowed me to count among the (comparably paltry) 50, 000 attending the canonization mass for St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. Mariann Cope, and five other saints. It was an amazing day--and an amazing moment. All of which to say that yesterday's papal audience must've been mind-blowing. And THAT will pale by comparison when the conclave announces its decision. Yes, the Church has problems; everybody can see them, and quite frankly we shouldn't be too surprised given its human membership. (Doesn't anybody read St. Augustine anymore???)
More importantly, it's "Sedevacante Eve" a day not customarily on the Church's calendar. Yesterday, Rocco Palmo notes, almost 200, 000 jammed St Peter's Square for Benedict's last audience. In October providence allowed me to count among the (comparably paltry) 50, 000 attending the canonization mass for St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. Mariann Cope, and five other saints. It was an amazing day--and an amazing moment. All of which to say that yesterday's papal audience must've been mind-blowing. And THAT will pale by comparison when the conclave announces its decision. Yes, the Church has problems; everybody can see them, and quite frankly we shouldn't be too surprised given its human membership. (Doesn't anybody read St. Augustine anymore???)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)