Doomsayers Say Benedict Fits World End Prophecy
More pressing for doomsayers are the prophecy's references to the last Pope on the list, Peter the Roman, who will lead the Church before "the formidable judge will judge his people."
I can't imagine there will be another Pope who has the chutzpa to pick the name Peter...
Some might say that's about all bull dogs are good for.
But I don't want to cause a riot here in the comment boxes...
Pope Benedict XVI Gets E-Mail Address
In English, the address is benedictxvi@vatican.va. In Italian: benedettoxvi@vatican.va.
Here's a transcript of a WashPost chat with Father Sirico.
And here's a little something to whet your appetite...
Calgary, Canada: What were the cardinals thinking???
Why elect someone that we, the people didn't want?? Why not someone from the Third World??
117 cardinals voting and not one who listened to or is serving the needs of the world's catholics??? I am so disappointed.
WHY????
Rev. Robert Sirico: Well, I suppose the Cardinals (and there were 115 of them voting - 2 were absent due to illness) could have chosen someone like Card. Arienze, but I doubt that would be acceptable to you either. The Church is not a democracy and I think the sooner people stop thinking of the Church as a political entity, the better their understanding is going to be of the Faith. I am sorry you and Desmond Tutu are disappointed, but pleasing people is not the object of the Catholic Church.
I thought: what a change in technology since the last election. We've gone from TV and radio crews in bad suits to webcams and cell-phone jammers. The blackberries in the conclave that elected JPII were tasty, this group had to leave their blackberries outside the conclave. Cardinal Mahoney's blackberry is probably filling up with e-mails like
OK to sing music from Jesus Christ Superstar at the Cathedral? Respond asap: andrew lloyd webber is coming for Ascension
...if this is cheesy or if I should keep it open on my laptop:
The ChimneyCam: Live Coverage from Vatican City.
Beware the goofy ads at the top of the screen...
Gay bishop backs Planned Parenthood
Remember our friend from up north, the Episcopal church's first openly gay bishop?
"Abortion, he said yesterday, is 'not just a matter between a woman and her body. This is not like removing a mole. On the other hand, no one should interfere with a woman's right to choose.'"
Someone better check the sheep costume: the wolf may need a better disguise.
Jersey was my wife's cat eleven years before I met her. She had 18 happy cat years and brought us alot of joy. She had gotten sick recently but bounced back, yesterday she took a turn for the worst.
This picture was taken on our wedding day, May 28, 1999 - Jersey was oblivious to the mayhem in the house, as only a cat can be.
With the death of Pope John Paul II has come a lot of "Catholic on the Street" interviews. This LA Times piece is typical of what happens when the media talks to the average Catholic. It has it all: women priests, laypeople giving homilies, an "active parishoner and spiritual director" who says she'd think about becoming a priest if it was allowed. Listening to some of them makes you wonder where Pope John Paul II kept his iron fist... if he didn't change things, he must have been a tyrant. Why didn't he just wave his wand, said the incantation, and made everything the way some of these people want to be?
The answer is no.
Why no? Here's a quick lesson, one that opened up a vast array of understanding and appreciation when I was a muddled teen-age Catholic.
In the Church, there's a huge difference between doctrine and discipline.
Doctrines include teaching on the Eucharist, the Trinity, that Jesus was fully God and fully Human. Doctrines are not reversible or negotiable. Doctrines were given to the Church by God through the Holy Scripture and the Apostles. The only thing that can happen to doctrine is that our specific understanding of some of the details can be heightened over time. We can have a better understanding of existing doctrine, but we can't reverse or modify the essence of existing doctrine.
Church discipline is entirely different. The operational rules of the Church, like whether or not a parish can have altar girls, or how often a priest should say Mass, or when a person should abstain from meat - these are disciplines. These change from time to time based on culture or local circumstances. Discipline is informed by doctrine, but it really amounts to how the Church works and how it's governed. Doctrine is considered to be enduring Truth - that's right - Truth with a capital T.
And the confusion over doctrine & discipline issue means this:
The people who say "I wish the Church would change X" where X is a doctrine are going to be disappointed forever.
People who say "I wish the Church would change Y" where Y is a discipline have a chance of getting their wish.
What's hot on the X list?
Women Priests - it's a point of doctrine that women cannot be priests. It's not open for discussion, regardless of pastoral need, changing culture or what a leotard-wearing liturgical dancer wants.
Birth Control - same thing. It's doctrine and is not going to be negotiated, repealed or refabricated.
Church teaching on homosexuality - defintely doctrine. A homosexual orientation (being attracted to the same sex) is not a sin. Homosexual acts are a sin. No amount of protests, letter-writing, or wringing of hands will change that teaching.
What's hot on the Y list?
Married Priests - while there's a strong basis for clerical celebacy, there may be a time where married priests in the Latin Rite are permitted. There are some conditions where Roman Catholic priests can be married, and there are a few married priests in the Latin Rite but the rule at this time is for a celibate clergy.
So there it is.
Great selections from Catholic Answers on the Christ's Church and the Pope
Primacy of Peter, the first Pope - Bible verses
Peter and His Successors - how the Pope is chosen
This masterpiece is fitting as we pray for the Pope, for the Church and for the entire world. May the peace of Christ, and the knowledge that he has done the will of God, be upon our Holy Father in his final hours.
